Erbil Rotana Hotel
Logo Erbil Rotana Hotel

Erbil Rotana Hotel

Address:
Iraq, Kurdistan Region, Erbil city, Gulan Street, Postal Code 44001
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
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 ev...
Sustainability
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...
Finance & Procurement
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 perf...
Projects & Development
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 ef...
Franchising
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...
Food & Beverage
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...
ROTANA REWARDS
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...
Human Resources
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 o...
Commercial
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 establi...
Information Technology
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 subtl...
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Business Partners

Logo Edge
Edge
Logo The Residences
The Residences
Logo Centro Hotels
Centro Hotels
Logo Arjaan Hotel Apartments
Arjaan Hotel Apartments
Logo Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts
Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts
Logo Rotana Hotels & Resorts
Rotana Hotels & Resorts

Our Team

Nasser Al Nowais
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.
Selim El Zyr
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.
Nael Hashweh
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.
Hussain J Al Nowais
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 Kamal
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

Location