Abu Dhabi's Tourism Development & Investment Company (TDIC) has partnered with the UAE capital's Mazrui Holding Company Limited to build a new landmark beach resort, convention center and office/residential complex - The Lagoon Club Hotel and Residences - on the city's signature Corniche.
United Arab Emirates: 2 hours, 27 minutes ago PRESS RELEASE 'This project will be a visual statement of the emergence of Abu Dhabi as a world-class city,' said His Excellency Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman, Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority (ADTA) and TDIC.

'The development is a crafted solution that is closely aligned with our aspirations for a contemporary, iconic, international-style hotel and serviced apartments that fully maximize the value of this important location while remaining sensitive and responsive to its context and our environmental sensibilities.'

The Abu Dhabi Lagoon Club will boast a 380-room, five-star hotel to be managed by Conrad Hotels, the luxury brand within the Hilton Family, 80 furnished apartments, a premium office building, 3,500 square meters of retail, parking for 1,800 cars, an expansive convention center and health club and spa all set around a spectacular central lagoon. All hotel rooms and apartments will have magnificent Gulf views. The complex also boasts a spectacular beach club, set on a white sandy beach and with dedicated areas for families and water sport activities.

'The emergence of Abu Dhabi as a world-class city requires projects that are striking to look at and stand the test of time. We are confident that this development will be a permanent landmark in Abu Dhabi. ' Explained Abdullah Al Mazrui, Chairman, Mazrui Holding Company Limited.

'With the Lagoon Club we are aspiring to do all these things, to be innovative, iconic, modern and efficient yet relaxing and with a strong sense of place.'

The 10,000 square meter lagoons at the core of the complex will be surrounded by a boardwalk promenade with waterside cafés and restaurants.

Guests arriving at the Conrad Abu Dhabi, which will boast a 20-storey high atrium, will be welcomed by a water cascade feature, which will be lit up at night to enhance the arrivals experience.

The two fluted towers of the Conrad Abu Dhabi - the tallest of which is 26 stories - will be clad in blue/green, solar-controlled glass curtain walling. The hotel will have five scenic lifts affording fantastic Gulf and beach club views.

Linking the two towers will be the signature Pod restaurant/night spot, which will have its own separate lift. The hotel's lagoon-level promenade will have three restaurants - one a main buffet outlet, a fine dining experience and the third a central lagoon island restaurant, which will be accessed by boat. The hotel will also have a teahouse and a patisserie.

The Lagoon Club residences, with a choice of two and three bedroom waterside or lagoon side serviced apartments, will have their own entrances and be served by a 24-hour concierge service with golf-cart transfers to the beach club. There will also be penthouses complete with their own terraced pools and hot tubs.

'These will be the ultimate in living standards in Abu Dhabi and of a quality matching any prestige development in any world-class city,' said Abdullah Al Mazrui.

'This project will deliver some of the highest levels of comfort, quality and luxury and one of the most desirable addresses in the UAE capital.'

The beach club will have its own boardwalk promenade, a signature swimming pool that will merge with the sea in a series of concentric circles giving the impression of 'floating' in the Gulf. It will be surrounded by paved sun decks and ringed with palm trees.

Lavish landscaping is planned for the beach club. The choice of planting will reflect an exotic destination yet appropriate to the surrounding architecture. Bold colours of mass planting will be used across the site including lush species such as hibiscus. Palm trees will line all major routes to the beachfront providing shade and colour. Mass 'jungle' planting will be used to screen the development from the road.

The Lagoon Club's convention center boasts a large, open terrace, which overlooks the lagoon. It has a 2,000-seat conference center, a ballroom with capacity for 2000 people, four conference rooms and six meeting rooms.

'This is a major asset going forward in Abu Dhabi's claim as a credible meetings and business tourism destination,' said Mubarak Al Muhairi, Director General, ADTA and Managing Director, TDIC. 'It will have particular international appeal in providing professional meetings facilities yet within a showcase beach resort setting in a capital city which retains a strong B2B focus.

'The Lagoon Club aids our ambitions of attracting three million tourists a year by 2015 - half of which we believe will emanate from the lucrative meetings and business tourism segment.'

Construction work on The Lagoon Club will commence imminently and is due for completion in September 2009.

The beautiful fountains, you mean. Another bit of Abu Dhabi's history being destroyed (this park has been almost unaltered since the '80s).