Amman, May 2017 – On Thursday 18 May, 2017, His Excellency Prime Minister, Dr. Hani Mulki, laid the foundation stone for The Ritz-Carlton hotel and residences in Amman, marking the debut of The Ritz-Carlton brand in Jordan. The groundbreaking ceremony was attended by several ministers, government officials, as well as businesspeople and VIPs.
The ceremony commenced with a speech by Tawfiq Fakhouri, Founder and Executive Chairman of Al Eqbal Real Estate Development, during which he welcomed the distinguished attendees as well as thanked the Prime Minister for his patronage of the project’s groundbreaking ceremony. Fakhoury stated that the launch of The Ritz-Carlton hotel and residences in Amman was inspired by His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein's emphasis on building on Jordan’s standing as an oasis of peace and security and using available capabilities to enhance the Kingdom’s tourism regionally and internationally. Fakhoury also stressed that, although the project will embody the legendary services of The Ritz-Carlton, it will be mainly inspired by renowned Jordanian hospitality, offering the Kingdom’s visitors a prime destination.
Guido De Wilde, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East, Marriott International commented, “We would like to thank the entire team at Al Eqbal Real Estate Development for their support and trust in Marriott International. The groundbreaking ceremony marks a significant milestone for this project and we look forward to working closely with the team to bring The Ritz-Carlton brand to life in Jordan.”
On his part, Emad Al Kilani, CEO of Al Eqbal Real Estate Development, spoke about the development components and timeline of the project, which is scheduled for completion in 2020. He also stated that the two towers will offer unmatched, scenic views of Amman, and will reflect the authenticity of Jordanian culture with a modern twist, in line with the highest international standards by hiring the most experienced and talented team of architects and designers from around the world like Dar Al-Handasah for architectural design, engineering and supervision, WATG for the concept design, Wimberley for interior design, DG Jones for project management and NEA & Partners for Cost Consultancy.
The Ritz-Carlton hotel and residences are located in the heart of Amman, within proximity to a high-end residential neighborhood. The Ritz-Carlton hotel and residences are situated next to high-end five-star hotels, which sit on the other three corner plots of the Fifth Circle, perfecting the picture as the final piece of the puzzle. The Ritz-Carlton Amman comprises 233 guest rooms – the smallest of which are 60 sqm – and include 33 suites. The hotel also has two specialty restaurants, one of which is on the rooftop, in addition to an elegantly-designed 1000-sqm grand ballroom, which will help to promote conference tourism in Jordan. As for The Ritz-Carlton Residences, the property consists of 20 stories and 90 private residences for purchase, offering incomparable and magnificent panoramic views of Amman. The residences come in a variety of spaces, ranging from 100 to 1,000 sqm, in addition to two sky villas.
Valued at USD 235 million, the project is a wholly self-financed, Jordanian investment. The project is expected to create more than 1,200 jobs during the construction period and about 530 permanent jobs, the vast majority of which will go to Jordanian youth.