Three projects in Saudi Arabia were announced during the Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, all based on management agreements.

The three new Mövenpick Hotels will be located in Riyadh, Bureidah and Yanbu. With this move, the company's portfolio within Saudi Arabia will be expanded to a total of nine properties.

The Mövenpick Hotel Riyadh is situated in the business district of the capital in immediate proximity to the Ministry of the Interior. The hotel, which is only 30 minutes from King Fahd International Airport, is scheduled to open in 2008, and is comprised of 300 rooms and suites inclusive of poolside villas and Royal Suites.

The accommodations will offer all of the comforts and amenities of a modern 5-star property. Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts' excellence in gastronomy is a major feature of the hotel and will provide an exquisite dining experience in an international restaurant and a modern specialty restaurant in addition to the lobby lounge which will serve coffee, teas and gourmet pastries. Nine conference rooms, a ballroom catering for up to 1,000 guests and a business centre guarantee an ideal environment for conferences and banquets.

In addition, an indoor swimming pool, a health and wellness centre, a shopping arcade and an undercover car park are directly connected to the hotel. The owning company of the hotel is Mohamed Abdul Aziz Al Rajhi Establishment for Trade and Agriculture.

A management agreement has also been signed with the same owner for a hotel located in Bureidah, which will open by the end of 2006. Bureidah is situated in the Al Qasim region in the heart of the Arabian Peninsula, around 400 km north of the capital Riyadh. The city has made its name predominantly as an important agricultural centre and manufacturer of cereal products.

The new 5-star Mövenpick Hotel Bureidah is located in the city's central business district and boasts 156 rooms and 3 Royal Suites. Three international and themed restaurants are planned to provide guests with a unique culinary experience. The hotel will also offer business travelers three conference rooms, a grand ballroom (1200 m2) and a modern business centre. The hotel's extensive amenities are rounded off by a fitness centre, a health club, an indoor swimming pool and shops.

The third hotel is located north of Jeddah in the industrial city of Yanbu, a major Red Sea port. The hotel is owned by Al Jazeerah Hotels & Resorts and will be completed by 2008. The port city is well known as a processing center for crude oil and gas and is pursuing the goal of gaining access to the world's major petrochemical export markets. The Mövenpick Hotel Yanbu contains 144 rooms and suites. In addition, there are 12 duplex villas and 22 bungalows comprised of a living room, dining room and kitchen. A main restaurant, a specialty seafood restaurant and a tea lounge constitute the hotel's culinary offering.

The modern conference and banquet facilities cater to up to 1,200 guests, with an extensive ballroom, three meeting rooms and a fully equipped business centre that will fulfill every need of the sophisticated business traveler. The hotel also provides guests with a shopping arcade, an outdoor swimming pool, a Marina Beach Club with various sporting activities, including a diving centre, and children's playground. A large car park is available on the premises.

"The signing of these management agreements with strong partners represents a significant further step in our expansion plans across the Middle East," explains Andreas Mattmüller, Senior Vice President Middle East Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts. "With a total of nine Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts by 2008, we will enjoy extensive coverage of all major cities in Saudi Arabia and provide our regional and international guests with a high level of comfort, gastronomy and service guaranteed by Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts worldwide."

Mövenpick Hotels & Resorts already operate two hotels in the city of Madinah and two in Jeddah, while two further hotels are currently under construction in Al Khobar and Mecca due to open in 2007.