The famous luxury ocean liner Queen Elizabeth II, which has been docked in Dubai since it was decommissioned from service with Cunard in 2008, is now to become a commercially managed hotel property under Accor’s MGallery Hotel Collection brand.
Dubai’s state-owned PCFC Hotels (Ports, Customs and Free Zone Corporation) first began operating the ship as a hotel as far back as 2018, but Accor’s new stewardship of the vessel will raise the bar for the unique property and help better promote it through the international hospitality group’s well-developed marketing engine.
Accor will outfit the QE2 with 447 guest rooms, nine restaurants and cafes, six retail stores, a fitness center, a pool, and space for meetings and events on board.
Mark Willis, Accor’s CEO for India, Middle East, Africa & Turkey remarked, “This is a great opportunity for Accor to expand its footprint in the UAE with the introduction of a unique project which brings diversity to the portfolio, while expanding the MGallery brand presence in the city. Not only are we in charge of the only floating hotel in Dubai, but we are also contributing the Dubai Urban Master plan 2049, with the aim to map out the path for a sustainable urban development while increasing the city attractiveness as a global destination.”
The CEO of PCFC, which will continue its involvement with the property in partnership with Accor, said, “We are very excited to partner with Accor on this project. We trust the group’s expertise will elevate the QE2 to a new era of operations. The Queen Elizabeth, as we know her, has made history and we are confident that Accor will keep her legacy alive while her strong heritage and notoriety will remain a destination in itself, where guests and visitors alike can enjoy a unique experience.?
The newly branded hotel, to be known as the MGallery Queen Elizabeth 2, is expected to reopen by this summer.
