Mandarin Oriental Kuwait Opening in 2028 With Plans to be Country’s Best Hotel to be Designed by Foster & Partners

Main Photo: The new Mandarin – envisaged

Date: November 2022

Name: Mandarin Oriental Kuwait – due to open 2028

Location: Looking onto Kuwait City

Number of Keys: 159 to include 33 suites and 10 serviced apartments

Seller: TBA

Buyer: Bukhamseen Group Holding

Mandarin Oriental Group is growing in the Middle East by planning to open in Kuwait by 2028, operating a hotel within an 80-storey tower designed by Foster & Partners. In this part of the world, Foster’s best known projects include the Mobility Pavilion at Expo 2020 Dubai and numerous designs across Saudi’s Red Sea Project.

In addition to the Mandarin Oriental Kuwait, the tower will comprise a podium with a variety of international retail and entertainment centres, as well as premium office space. It will also be the headquarters of Bukhamseen Group Holding, which is developing the overall project. 

The hotel will feature 159 guestrooms, including 33 suites, and 10 serviced apartments, with views of downtown Kuwait City.

James Riley, group chief executive of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group said, “We are delighted at the opportunity to extend Mandarin Oriental’s presence in the Middle East with this important landmark in Kuwait. We look forward to collaborating with Bukhamseen Group Holding to create an iconic luxury property and ensuring that the development is built to the highest sustainability standards.”

“We are pleased to be partnering with Mandarin Oriental to create Kuwait’s most sophisticated luxury hotel. We look forward to welcoming the legendary quality of service for which Mandarin Oriental is renowned to this important destination,” said Jawad Bukhamseen the founder and Chairman of Bukhamseen Group Holding.

The super-luxe operator opens just three hotels a year on average, often with just one hotel per major city. Previously speaking to us Mandarin Oriental Jumeira Dubai (the group also operates Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi), COO Christoph Mares explains the tactic of quality over quantity.

“Mandarin is in the business of creating unique and differentiated products wherever we go,” he tells Hotelier Middle East. “That’s a goal that takes time. It takes research and a lot goes into negotiating and funding. Mandarin’s conceptualising is key, we always think about what kind of hotel and resort we need to deploy.”

Price: Undisclosed

THPT Comment: Mandarin has high ambitions to be the best hotel in Kuwait, which no doubt they will achieve….until the next deluxe group comes along!

First Seen: Hotelier Middle East

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