Having received nearly 100 entries from across 13 countries, the AHEAD MEA judging panel has whittled the submissions down to a shortlist, comprising projects that span the length and breadth of the region.⁠

The winners will be announced during a ceremony at W Dubai, The Palm, 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 25 September 2023. To secure your spot, tickets are available to purchase here subject to availability.

Bar, Club or Lounge

Blind Tiger at Jumeirah Al Naseem – Dubai, UAE
Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts / LW Design

Founder’s Room at The Ritz-Carlton Amman – Jordan
Al Eqbal Real Estate Development / Marriott International / DAR / Stickman Tribe

Laguna Beach Taverna & Lounge at Sofitel Dubai, The Palm – UAE
Accor / M Atelier

Seven Tales at Grosvenor House, A Luxury Collection Hotel – Dubai, UAE
Marriott International / LW Design

Event Spaces

Kalba Ice Factory – Sharjah, UAE
Sharjah Art Foundation / 51-1 Arquitectos / Kling Consult International

Katara Towers, Fairmont Doha & Raffles Doha – Qatar
Katara Hospitality / Accor / Marcel Wanders / Pierre Yves Rochon

Sol Beach Bar at Address Marassi Golf Resort – El Alamein, Egypt
Emaar Misr / Lulie Fisher Design Studio / Capsule Arts

Guestrooms

The Chedi Katara Hotel & Resort – Doha, Qatar
Triple A Holdings / General Hotel Management / WATG / Wimberly Interiors

The Ned Doha – Qatar
The Ned / Soho House & Co. / David Chipperfield Architects (Berlin) / Soho House Design

The Serai Wing at Bait Khalid Bin Ibrahim – Sharjah, UAE
Sharjah Investment & Development Authority (SHUROOQ) / General Hotel Management / Anarchitect

Waldorf Astoria Kuwait
Mabanee / Hilton Worldwide / LW Design

Hotel Conversion

Fairmont Tazi Palace Tangier – Morocco
Katara Hospitality / Accor / OBMI / CCCRA Architects & Engineers / Víctor Medina Bastard

Kalba Ice Factory – Sharjah, UAE
Sharjah Art Foundation / 51-1 Arquitectos / Kling Consult International

The Ned Doha – Qatar
The Ned / Soho House & Co. / David Chipperfield Architects (Berlin) / Soho House Design

The Serai Wing at Bait Khalid Bin Ibrahim – Sharjah, UAE
Sharjah Investment & Development Authority (SHUROOQ) / General Hotel Management / Anarchitect

Hotel Newbuild

Atlantis The Royal – Dubai, UAE
Investment Corporation of Dubai / Kerzner International / Kohn Pedersen Fox / Dynamic Engineering Consultants / GA Group / SM Designs

Banyan Tree AlUla – Saudi Arabia
Royal Commission for AlUla / French Agency for AlUla Development / Accor / AW2 Architecture & Interiors / Godwin Austen Johnson

Fuwairit Kite Beach, Tapestry Collection by Hilton – Qatar
Discover Qatar / Hilton Worldwide / Arab Engineering Bureau

Jumeirah Muscat Bay – Oman
Omran Group / Eagle Hills Properties / Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts / DSA Architects International / Arcadis / Aedas

Hotel Renovation

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

Jumeirah Mina A’Salam – Dubai, UAE
Dubai Holding / Jumeirah Hotels & Resorts / La Bottega Interiors

One&Only Cape Town – South Africa
Kerzner International / Muza Lab

The Chedi El Gouna – Red Sea, Egypt
Orascom Development Holding / Studio Gaetani / Ismail Niazy

Lobby & Public Spaces

Atlantis The Royal – Dubai, UAE
Investment Corporation of Dubai / Kerzner International / Kohn Pedersen Fox / Dynamic Engineering Consultants / GA Group / SM Designs

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

Fuwairit Kite Beach, Tapestry Collection by Hilton – Qatar
Discover Qatar / Hilton Worldwide / Arab Engineering Bureau

Waldorf Astoria Kuwait
Mabanee / Hilton Worldwide / LW Design

Lodges, Cabins and Tented Camps

andBeyond Grumeti Serengeti River Lodge – Tanzania
andBeyond / Jack Alexander Studio in partnership with Fox Browne Creative / Fox Browne Creative / Abigail Janisch / Stefania Engelbrecht

Biyela Lodge, mFulaWozi Wilderness Reserve – South Africa
Barry Theunissen / Whitehouse Designs / Michelle Throssel Interiors

Caravan AlUla by Habitas – Saudi Arabia
Habitas

JW Marriott Masai Mara Lodge – Kenya
Baraka Lodges Africa / Marriott International / Innovative Planning & Design Consultants / Kristina Zanic Consultants

Resort

Atlantis The Royal – Dubai, UAE
Investment Corporation of Dubai / Kerzner International / Kohn Pedersen Fox / Dynamic Engineering Consultants / GA Group / SM Designs

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

Banyan Tree AlUla – Saudi Arabia
Royal Commission for AlUla / French Agency for AlUla Development / Accor / AW2 Architecture & Interiors / Godwin Austen Johnson

Caravan Agafay by Habitas – Morocco
Habitas

Restaurant

Gastronomy at Atlantis The Royal – Dubai, UAE
Investment Corporation of Dubai / Kerzner International / Kohn Pedersen Fox / Dynamic Engineering Consultants / GA Group / SM Designs

Mei Li at Grand Hyatt Kuwait
Tamdeen Group / Hyatt Hotels Corporation / Arcadis / AB Concept

Mott32 Dubai at Address Beach Resort – UAE
Sunset Hospitality Group / ASI Architects / Joyce Wang Studio

SushiSamba Doha at Waldorf Astoria Lusail – Qatar
Damsa Development / Hilton Worldwide / WATG / ICrave

Spa & Wellness

Espa Life at Waldorf Astoria Lusail – Qatar
Damsa Development / Hilton Worldwide / Thornham Management / WATG / ICrave

Hot Spa at Babylonstoren – South Africa
Karen Roos / TV3 Architects

Noor Spa at Grand Hyatt Kuwait
Tamdeen Group / Hyatt Hotels Corporation / Arcadis / Meyer Davis

Waldorf Astoria Spa – Waldorf Astoria Kuwait
Mabanee / Hilton Worldwide / LW Design

Suite

Atlantis The Royal – Dubai, UAE
Investment Corporation of Dubai / Kerzner International / Kohn Pedersen Fox / Dynamic Engineering Consultants / GA Group / SM Designs

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

The Ned Doha – Qatar
The Ned / Soho House & Co. / David Chipperfield Architects (Berlin) / Soho House Design

The Serai Wing at Bait Khalid Bin Ibrahim – Sharjah, UAE
Sharjah Investment & Development Authority (SHUROOQ) / General Hotel Management / Anarchitect

www.aheadawards.com

CREDITS
Headline Image: © Jack Alexander Studio / Fox Brown Creative
AHEAD architecture awards Design hospitality hotels interior design MEA