Erbil Rotana Hotel
Address:
Iraq, Kurdistan Region, Erbil city, Gulan Street, Postal Code 44001
Contact Numbers:
Manager: Philip Barnes
About Us
Welcome to the World of Rotana!
Since its inception, Rotana has established itself as the largest and most prestigious hotel management and hospitality company in the Middle East and beyond. The brand has become a symbol of quality, expertise, and commitment in the hospitality industry, widely recognized and respected by all.
Rotana’s growth and development have been driven by a team of international experts, leveraging a deep understanding of diverse cultures across the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Turkey. The significant increase in Rotana’s managed hotels and properties demonstrates the company’s commitment to meticulous and principled execution from the start. Rotana’s vision is to manage at least one property in every country in the region.
This ambitious plan is rapidly coming to fruition, with Rotana aiming to grow its properties from just two in 1993 to one hundred by the end of 2025.
The Beginning of a Dream and Wise Leadership
The Rotana story dates back to 1978, when Nasser Al Nowais and Selim El Zyr, sharing a common dream, founded a group to create a chain of hotels in the region that would meet global standards.
The first Rotana-managed hotel, the Beach Rotana in Abu Dhabi, opened in 1993. Since then, the company has become a pioneer in hotel management in the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe, and Turkey.
Rotana’s profound understanding of regional cultures, combined with the collective expertise of its management team, is paving the way for the brand’s expansion to over 100 properties by 2025. New projects currently underway reflect Rotana’s determination to operate hotels in all the major metropolises across the region.
Rotana’s Culture and Values
Behind every great success lies enduring relationships built on trust and deep friendship; Rotana calls this the “Rotana Life.” These shared values form a framework for preserving unity, integrity, and commitment in all company activities.
Rotana’s core values, summarized by the acronym “LIFE”, are the backbone of the organization's culture and brand identity:
- L - Long-term Vision: Rotana aims to build sustainable, lifelong relationships with owners, partners, employees, and guests, placing special value on creating lasting memories.
- I - Innovation: The company is always seeking creative and new ways to meet the diverse needs of its audience.
- F - Friendly Relations: Rotana creates a warm and welcoming environment where everyone feels valued and respected.
- E - Ethics and Integrity: All interactions are based on mutual respect, honesty, and fairness, with trust and equity maintained every step of the way.
Rotana is more than a hotel management company; it’s where hospitality blends with artistry and commitment, crafting unforgettable experiences at every moment.
Services
Technical Services
Literally from the ground up, we ensure the success of all Rotana properties by complementing a powerful management mix with our design-planning and building management expertise.
Never forgetting a healthy dose of common sense, our approach to every new build or refurbishment is flexible and always recognises local cultures and sensitivities. The first stage in any project involving a new or existing Rotana property is a concept-planning exercise where the effective usage of the entire space is assessed equally from a health and safety, ease of enjoyment and revenue perspective.
Whilst this creates personalised, interactive spaces and facilities which are safe and pleasurable to use for both guests and members of the Rotana team, the ultimate result is a property which produces the highest possible revenue for its owner in the long term. Above all, our swift decision-making greatly assists
with the completion of projects on time and within budget.
Rotana’s proprietary systems cover the full spectrum of property-planning and management including:
• Space requirements • Facilities for guests and the Rotana team • Food-and-beverage concepts and requirements • Protection measures for guests and the Rotana team • Operational standards • Sustainability measures • Fixtures and finishes • Guidelines for architects, interior designers and other consultants
Sustainability
We recognised that the allure of our properties lies in their pristine environments, happy communities and prosperous markets.
We have therefore introduced a three-pronged approach to sustainability, which addresses not only our local environments, but also the social and economic aspects of our host countries. Energy and water conservation, materials consumption and waste management are an inherent part of how we run our properties.
Socially, we strive not only for guest satisfaction, but also for the satisfaction and development of our esteemed Rotana team. Going one step further than guest satisfaction, we also engage the communities that surround our properties, and hold health, security and safety among our top priorities.
From an economic point of view, we have always focussed on engaging in key investment initiatives in our host countries, and have sought to nationalise our property workforces as much as possible. Each year, we double our sustainability activities, constantly aiming to lead by example and provide stellar instances of sustainable hotel properties that others may be inspired by.
More than 250 activities per year to promote sustainability among guests, team members, suppliers and communities
Finance & Procurement
Two words come to mind when describing Rotana’s system of financial management and procurement —transparency and control.
Through our highly advanced information systems and two-tier audit process, we ensure that our management and operations performance is continuously reviewed and evaluated.
In turn, each and every one of our property owners may avail of an up-to the-minute snapshot of where their property stands financially. Additionally, owners are able to gain a clear understanding of cost efficiency projections and how they will affect each property.
Where operating costs are concerned, we offer stringent operations manuals and authorisation systems geared towards maintaining control over every operating cost.
Meanwhile our Corporate Materials Department guarantees our purchasing power internationally in order to procure the best products at the best prices. Combined, these two features offer owners the leading edge on profitability, sales growth and, above all, long-term financial success.
Projects & Development
Placing sector-leading returns for our property owners at the core of our financial strategy, we have fine-tuned our approach to continually achieving this goal.
Rotana’s Projects Department has been especially created to:
Optimise operational efficiencies with new design execution at all our properties
Update amenities to stay on top of current market trends
Rotana strives to create a one-of-a-kind experience at each of its locations with our three-stage development cycle:
Conduct due diligence: market potential, competitive landscape, and supply and demand analysis
Design and construct with precise brand positioning
Fully operational showcasing signature Rotana hospitality
We at Rotana, believe a true partnership between each of our property owners can only be achieved with full transparency:
Highly advanced information systems monitor occupancy levels, employee productivity, cost efficiencies and overall property performance
Rotana’s sourcing team ensures worldwide access to competitively priced products
Our corporate management team forecasts ways to optimise operational efficiencies for the future
Franchising
The Hotel Franchise Solution by Rotana
THE BEST OF BOTH WORLDS
Would you prefer to feel that your property is truly your own but with the support on hand from an established company and brand? At Rotana, our franchise solution has been specially created for those who want the best of both worlds.
DEFINED BY FLEXIBILITY
Created with flexibility in mind, our franchise solution provides access to a full complement of services and a world of expertise as and when required. Providing easy access with a single point of contact, our dedicated support team is always on hand to answer questions and support your requirements across all departments, whatever they might be.
ULTIMATE CONVENIENCE
Always up-to-date, our online franchise platform provides a centralised point for all information and tools covering policies, operations, sales, marketing, revenue, procurement, technology and our loyalty programme, Rotana Rewards.
FOCUSED MODULES
Our franchise partners also have the opportunity to select optional paid modules at any point during the relationship. Each module incorporates a range of proprietary facilities, tools and services.
Sales Modules
Revenue focused across a selection of either leisure, local or international markets.
Audit Modules
Expert audits covering quality, environmental, technical, food & beverage and commercial.
Human Resources Modules
Powerful career portal with recruitment agreements, engagement surveys and other tools.
Additional Modules
A host of additional modules are available covering procurement and standard operating procedures.
PERFORMANCE
Our four-pillared approach helps to support superior levels of performance.
CULTURE
Building teams through training and leadership development programmes and alignment with our brand values.
REVENUE
Maximising revenue through monitoring of RevPAR index and channel production, and leveraging e-connect and Rotana Rewards.
LOYALTY
Establishing loyalty through a range of tools and channels including Net Promoter Scores, ReviewPro, Rotana Rewards and social media.
BRAND
Ensuring our brand is delivering on its promise through procedures, tools, best practices and quality assurance.
Through a scheduled, quarterly check, commercial performance is optimised with the aim of maximising revenue. Our performance check is a five-step process involving the presentation of a comprehensive report which covers everything from room performance and review of channels to recommendations and action plans.
Preparation & Pre-analysis
Proposal of Agenda
Property Visit & Meetings
Presentation of Report
Follow-up & Consultation
Food & Beverage
Rotana prides itself on having developed some of the most talked-about, wholly-owned food and beverage venues in the region.
Whether it is an internationally-renowned outlet helmed by a Michelin-starred chef, or a home-grown concept that blazes a culinary trail in its city, a Rotana outlet leaves an indelible mark.
Upmarket dining outlets such as Teatro, Rodeo Grill or Finz are lauded for their culinary prowess while our more casual approach to dining at Prego’s, Rosso and JBs, offer fun, vibrant spots to dine. There is quite literally something for every one of our guest’s varied tastes across our over 300 food and beverage venues — many of which have been conceptualised and created by Rotana itself.
Together with the best in the business, we develop tailor-made dining options that offer endless culinary adventures to our guests. After all, is it not a fact that much of our most “Treasured Time” is enjoyed over a great meal? And the proof of our innovative recipe for success is in the awards we have received.
100 awards since 2002 • over 250 food and beverage outlets • over 400 food and beverage profit centres • over 130 kitchens developed
ROTANA REWARDS
We value our guests’ loyalty, that is why, in 1999, we launched the region’s first loyalty programme for staying and dining.
Rotana Rewards, recognised as one of the world’s most rewarding loyalty programmes, offers leisure and business guests, as well as frequent diners, a plethora of benefits, from reward miles at partner airlines and complimentary room nights and meals to over a thousand gifts.
Rotana Rewards Classic: An incentive programme for the bookers who earn points for every US$ spent on conferences, meetings or room stays.
Rotana Rewards Select: A three-tier incentive programme for the stayers who earn Points for every US$ spent on stays, dining and even incidentals such as laundry, room service and telephone calls.
Rotana Rewards Exclusive: an incentive programme for the stayers who receive up to 50% discount on food & beverage, complimentary dining certificate, 20% off public rates and more.
Over 700,000 active members and counting • members spend 35% more than normal guests • 80% point redemption ratio • 72% renewal ratio • 30% repeat business ratio
Successive winner of the best hotel loyalty programme in the Middle East at the business traveller awards
Human Resources
Our Human Resource infrastructure is deployed across the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Türkiye.
A rigorous hiring process ensures our team is amongst the top tier in the industry. Established in a region that is truly at the crossroads of the world, Rotana encourages a diverse group of people who will truly understand and cater to our international customers. Through our unique “Duroob” programme, we make it a point to tap into the vast native talent pool across our host countries, ensuring young, local citizens are always recruited and offered the training, mentoring and work experience needed for them to secure various jobs across our property operations.
We recognise that transparency is the most important aspect of engaging our team to realise the Rotana vision. We ensure all Rotana team members are well informed about their own progress as well as programmes put in place to ensure their success at Rotana.
‘My Rotana’ is one such interactive platform, accessible by our team members, which shares information on management training programmes, key achievements for the group as a whole, property specific news and much more. Management teams and HR continuously conduct performance appraisals and generously reward those who excel in their area.
100+ nationalities within the Rotana team • 1,000+ Rotana team member promotions per year • 240 hours of training per team member per year • 25 corporate training programmes • 3 leadership development programmes
Commercial
Born out of a region that has seen year-on-year growth in the hospitality industry, Rotana has competitively set itself apart with strategic growth and distinct branding.
With an astute cultural understanding of the Middle East, Rotana has established itself as the leading hotel group of the region with growing brand recognition around the world.
Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, UAE, Rotana’s sales team has local and Global offices in Egypt, Lebanon, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, France, Italy, Benelux, UAE and UK. This vast network enables Rotana to create customised experiences catered to local tastes while maintaining the overall core values of the brand.
We are constantly incorporating technological enhancements in each area of operation to stay on top of the competition by offering the most seamless service to those who chose us as their preferred hotel brand.
Our private-label Central Reservations System exemplifies how we have deployed technology to offer an instant reservation service for all our properties, no matter where our prospective guests are in the world.
Information Technology
Technological innovation at Rotana properties has a very customer-centric approach.
We analyse how our guests interact with the brand before, during and after their stay. Through this evaluation we create tech solutions that will visibly and subtly enhance the customer experience.
For example, we acknowledged the fact that our guests desired greater efficiencies at check-out and check-in by introducing express check-out facilities, a view-bill-in-real-time feature as well as other “ease-of-use” conveniences.
Other facilities our guests have become accustomed to include property-wide WiFi access, on-demand entertainment, and mobile connections to in-room audio-visual equipment.
Incorporating technology enhancements into every feature and service at Rotana has allowed us to stay ahead of the tech curve:
Our “Global Secure Network” connects guest information from each property, sharing guest preferences and enabling customisation
Our “On-Line” check-in allows our guests to spend as little as 60 seconds at the front desk upon check-in
Business Partners
Our Team
Apart from being the co-founder of Rotana , Nasser is a prominent figure in the world of hospitality and tourism, and has led the way for regional growth within these sectors.
As founder and chairman of Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH) for 14 years, the largest hotel and industrial catering company, Nasser gained invaluable experience and insights within the hospitality industry. He has managed key investments in tourism, agriculture, industry, and infrastructure projects in the Middle East and Africa, as the Managing Director of the Abu Dhabi Fund.
Other notable posts include Under Secretary of the Ministry of Finance and Industry of the UAE government in 1992 as well as various roles in the world of banking. Nasser is an economist and a graduate of New York University.
With a career in hospitality spanning three continents, Selim has worked with some of the leading hotel groups around the world. After completion of his postgraduate studies, Selim was Chief Steward at the Waldorf Astoria in New York. At Hilton International, he spent 12 years working in Germany, Spain, Egypt, Canada and the UAE, gaining the title of Regional Director.
In 1982, Selim shifted his focus to industrial catering and then established a leading Lebanese fast food chain. A move back to the UAE as Vice President of Operations at Palmariva Hotels, part of Abu Dhabi National Hotels (ADNH), paved the road to co-founding Rotana in 1992. Selim graduated from École Hôtelière de Lausanne in 1970 and completed his postgraduate degree at Cornell University.
Specialising in financial management for the hospitality industry, Nael’s expertise has provided the cornerstone for sound financial planning at Rotana.
Having spent 11 years with Intercontinental Group, Nael joined Abu Dhabi National Hotel Company (ADNHC) as head of Finance where he was directly responsible for the finance and administration as well as operations and controls departments. While at ADNHC, Nael oversaw the project assessments of properties in 20 countries spanning Europe, Middle East and North Africa. Nael joined Rotana in 1995 as Chief Financial Officer and retired in 2009.
A UAE national born and raised in Abu Dhabi, Hussain has over 30 years of experience in acquiring and establishing new businesses across industries as diverse as banking, finance, investment, hospitality, real estate, energy and industrial and project development.
He is currently the Chairman of Al Nowais Investments, AMEA Power and Vice Chairman of Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank (ADCB). Until recently he was Chairman of Waha Capital and Khalifa Fund for Enterprises Development. Hussain studied Business Administration at Lewis & Clark College.
Riad is the Founder and Executive Chairman of Arabtec Construction and CEO of Arabtec Holding. With operations in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, KSA, Doha, Karachi, Damascus and St. Peterburg, Arabtec is a public listed company and one of the five largest contractors in the MENA region known for creating landmarks such
as Burj Khalifa. Riad received a Masters Degree in Structural Engineering from the Imperial College of London.
Riad proudly serves as board member of Arab National Bank (KSA), Gulf Capital (Abu Dhabi), Arabia Insurance (Lebanon) and Turkland Bank (Istanbul). He also serves on the Board of Trustees of The American University of Beirut.
Location
Sharmarket
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