Hakkasan to open its first luxury resort on Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah

Hakkasan is owned by Tasameem, the Abu Dhabi-based investment company. DELORES JOHNSON / The National

Hakkasan plans to open its first luxury resort on Dubai's Palm Jumeirah.

The Abu Dhabi-owned Cantonese restaurant brand expects to start construction on a beach front property on the crescent of the artificial island next year.

“This is a significant time for the Hakkasan brand as we embark on our first venture into the hotel industry,” said Neil Moffitt, the chief executive of Hakkasan.

Soaring tourist arrivals are driving a hospitality industry rebound in Dubai as hotel operators race to open new properties to capitalise on the sharp rise in room rates over the last two years.

The Palm Jumeirah has also seen a flurry of hotel openings this year with Thai chain Anantara opening its 293-room Anantara Dubai Palm Jumeirah Resort and Spa earlier this month. Sofitel opened its 543-room Sofitel Palm Resort and Spa in July. The launch of the high-end Conrad Dubai earlier this month marked the 18th new hotel to open in the city since June last year, bringing the total number of hotels in the emirate to 605.

Celebrity chefs and international restaurant brands have followed in the wake of new hotel openings in the emirate.

Hakkasan is owned by Tasameem, the Abu Dhabi-based investment company. It opened Hakkasan Beverly Hills last week and plans to launch Hakkasan Shanghai early next year.

The planned Palm property is to be developed by HKK Hospitailty with Abu Dhabi’s Aabar Properties overseeing construction.

Hakkasan was founded in London in 2001 and bagged a Michelin star in 2003. It has since expanded to cities including Miami, Abu Dhabi, Mumbai, Dubai, New York, Doha, San Francisco and Las Vegas.