AHEAD MEA, the Awards for Hospitality Experience and Design, has revealed its 2024 shortlist.

Having received more than 100 entries from across the Middle East and Africa, the judging panel has finalised its 34-project-strong shortlist. From Dubai’s newest sky-high resort with the world’s longest cantilever to a boutique hotel housed in a 12th-century AlUlan mudbrick village, the shortlist comprises the region’s most compelling new hospitality ventures across 14 categories.

The winners will be announced during a ceremony at Banyan Tree Dubai on 4 November. where leading hoteliers, architects and designers from across the Middle East and Africa will gather for a night of celebration and networking.⁠

The ceremony will be held on 4 November 2024. To secure your spot, tickets are available to purchase here subject to availability.


Bar, Club or Lounge 

Broadway at Emirates Palace Mandarin Oriental – Abu Dhabi, UAE
Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group / EHAF Consulting Engineers / Silverfox Studios  

Savant at SO/ Uptown Dubai – UAE
DMCC / Ennismore / Accor / ASGG / Woods Bagot  

Sphere at One&Only One Za’abeel – Dubai, UAE
Ithra Dubai / Kerzner International / Nikken Sekkei / Social F+B By Design – a specialist studio of HBA 

Writers Lounge at Raffles Al Areen Palace – Bahrain
GFH Financial Group / Pace / International Design Associates / Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart & Associates 


Event Spaces 

Anantara Downtown Dubai Hotel – Dubai 
Aujan Group / Minor International / ambientStudio / Kristina Zanic Consultants  

Embassy Suites by Hilton Dubai Business Bay – Dubai, UAE 
Hilton Worldwide / Edge Architects  

One&Only One Za’abeel – Dubai, UAE 
Ithra Dubai / Kerzner International / Nikken Sekkei / Denniston / LW Design Group 


Guestrooms 

One&Only One Za’abeel – Dubai, UAE 
Ithra Dubai / Kerzner International / Nikken Sekkei / Denniston / LW Design Group 

SIRO One Za’abeel – Dubai, UAE 
Ithra Dubai / Kerzner International / Nikken Sekkei / Denniston / LW Design Group 

Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea – Umluj, Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas / Foster + Partners / Muza Lab / SKS Studio 

SO/ Uptown Dubai – UAE 
DMCC / Ennismore / Accor / ASGG / Woods Bagot 


Hotel Conversion 

Dar Tantora The House Hotel – AlUla, Saudi Arabia 
Royal Commission of AlUla / Kerten Hospitality / Shahira Fahmy Architects / EQI / MMG  

Four Seasons Hotel Rabat at Kasr Al Bahr – Rabat, Morocco 
Modon Holding / Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts / Nazarian Architecture / Verhaal / Atelier Pod 

Izza, Marrakech – Morocco 
Neon Adventures / Archimath / San Yetlee / Aicha Benazzouz 


Hotel Newbuild

Hyatt Centric Jumeirah Dubai – UAE 
WASL / Hyatt Hotels Corporation / VE Experts / Stylt Trampoli  

One&Only / SIRO One Za’abeel – Dubai, UAE 
Ithra Dubai / Kerzner International / Nikken Sekkei / Denniston / LW Design / Rockwell Group / Social F+B By Design – a specialist studio of HBA / Square M 

St Regis Red Sea Resort – Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Marriott International / Kengo Kuma & Associates / Kristina Zanic Consultants 

St Regis Riyadh – Saudi Arabia 
Sela / Marriott International / Amsad Architectural Associates / Kristina Zanic Consultants 


Hotel Renovation 

andBeyond Phinda Forest Lodge – KwaZulu Natal, South Africa 
andBeyond Travel / Fox Browne Creative in partnership with Jack Alexander Studio / Gordon W Kershaw 

Jumeirah Dar Al Masyaf – Dubai, UAE 
Dubai Holding / Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts / La Bottega Interiors 

La Mamounia – Marrakech, Morocco 
OCP Group / Oger Maroc / Jouin Manku 

Raffles Al Areen Palace – Bahrain
GFH Financial Group / Accor / Pace / International Design Associates / Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart & Associates 


Landscaping & Outdoor Spaces 

Andaliman at One&Only One Za’abeel – Dubai, UAE 
Kerzner International / Nikken Sekkei / LW Design / Square M 

The Boma at Madwaleni River Lodge – Babanango Game Reserve, South Africa
Babanango Game Reserve / Luxury Frontiers

Tapasake at One&Only One Za’abeel – Dubai, UAE 
Kerzner International / Nikken Sekkei / LW Design / Square M 

Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island – Seychelles 
Platte Island Development / Hilton Worldwide / Eco-ID Architects / One Degree North 


Lobby

One&Only One Za’abeel – Dubai, UAE 
Ithra Dubai / Kerzner International / Nikken Sekkei / Denniston / LW Design Group 

SIRO One Za’abeel – Dubai, UAE 
Ithra Dubai / Kerzner International / Nikken Sekkei / LW Design Group 

Raffles Al Areen Palace – Bahrain
GFH Financial Group / Accor / Pace / International Design Associates / Smallwood, Reynolds, Stewart, Stewart & Associates 

Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island – Seychelles 
Platte Island Development / Hilton Worldwide / Eco-ID Architects 


Lodges, Cabins & Tented Camps

Daunara Safari Camp – Okavango Delta, Botswana 
Daunara Investments / Fox Browne Creative in partnership with Jack Alexander Studio / Wentzel Coetzer 

Madwaleni River Lodge – Babanango Game Reserve, South Africa 
Babanango Game Reserve / Luxury Frontiers 

Melote House, Limpopo – South Africa 
Lepogo Lodges / Black Sable Designs / Yuji Yamazaki Architecture / Copperleaf Studios 

Wilderness Usawa Serengeti – Tanzania 
Wilderness / Luxury Frontiers / Charlotte Berney Design 


Resort

Four Seasons Resort and Residences at The Pearl Qatar – UAE
Q Bayraq Real Estate Investments / Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts / Dara Engineering Consultants / Wimberly Interiors / WATG 

Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea – Umluj, Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas / Foster + Partners / Muza Lab / SKS Studio 

St Regis Red Sea Resort – Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Marriott International / Kengo Kuma & Associates / Kristina Zanic Consultants 

Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island – Seychelles 
Platte Island Development / Hilton Worldwide / Eco-ID Architects 


Restaurant

Arrazuna at One&Only One Za’abeel – Dubai, UAE 
Ithra Dubai / Kerzner International / Nikken Sekkei / Social F+B By Design – a specialist studio of HBA 

En Fuego at Atlantis, The Palm – Dubai, UAE 
Kerzner International / Solutions Leisure Group / LXA / Bishop Design 

Palma at Raffles Al Areen Palace – Bahrain 
GFH Financial Group / Infracorp / Katara Hospitality / Maria Zapata / Marta Dell’omo / Bishop Design 

StreetXO at SIRO One Za’abeel – Dubai, UAE 
Ithra Dubai / Kerzner International / Nikken Sekkei / LW Design Group 


Spa & Wellness

Bab Al Shams, a Rare Finds Desert Resort – Dubai, UAE 
Kerzner International / LW Design 

One&Only One Za’abeel – Dubai, UAE 
Ithra Dubai / Kerzner International / Nikken Sekkei / Denniston / LW Design Group 

St Regis, Riyadh – Saudi Arabia 
Sela / Marriott International / Amsad Architectural Associates / Kristina Zanic Consultants 

Zulal Wellness Resort by Chiva Som – Al Ruwais, Qatar 
Msheireb Properties / Chiva Som International Health Resorts 


Suite

Dune & Coral Villas at St Regis Red Sea Resort – Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Marriott International / Kengo Kuma & Associates / Kristina Zanic Consultants 

Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea – Umluj, Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Six Senses Hotels Resorts Spas / Foster + Partners / Muza Lab / SKS Studio 

SO/ Uptown Dubai – UAE 
DMCC / Ennismore / Accor / ASGG / Woods Bagot 

Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island – Seychelles 
Platte Island Development / Hilton Worldwide / Eco-ID Architects 


Sustainability  

Ezba – Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort by Anantara – Abu Dhabi, UAE 
Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas / Serex International SCTP Engineering Consultancy 

Melote House, Limpopo – South Africa 
Lepogo Lodges / Black Sable Designs / Yuji Yamazaki Architecture / Copperleaf Studios 

St Regis Red Sea Resort – Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Marriott International / Kengo Kuma & Associates / Kristina Zanic Consultants  

Waldorf Astoria Seychelles Platte Island – Seychelles 
Platte Island Development / Hilton Worldwide / Eco-ID Architects