Rotana Signs an Edge Hotel in Beirut
Rotana signed an Edge by Rotana property in Beirut. The agreement names ACHRAFIEH 5418 SAL as the owning company. Makram El Zyr signed for Rotana and Christopher Mouawad signed for the owning company. The group announced the signing on 30 September 2026 at FHS World 2026 in Dubai.
The building trades with 85 units. A full renovation takes the count to 95, and new meeting capacity arrives alongside the rooms.
Rotana expects the hotel to open under the Edge by Rotana brand in January 2027. The announcement fixes the month and gives no day.
Seventy-Eight Properties, and 8,334 Keys Under Development
Rotana operates 78 properties. The group counts 40 properties and 8,334 keys under development.
Edge by Rotana holds the group's collection of independent hotels. Rotana runs six brands: Rotana Hotels & Resorts, Centro Hotels, Rayhaan Hotels & Resorts, Arjaan Hotel Apartments, Edge by Rotana and The Residences by Rotana.
Rotana was founded in Abu Dhabi in 1992. The group states it manages more than 118 properties in operation and under development across the Middle East, Africa, Eastern Europe and Turkiye.
The Additions This Year
In the UAE, Rotana opened Bloom Arjaan by Rotana on Saadiyat Island during 2026. Rotana Ras Al Khaimah - The Mangroves is preparing to welcome guests.
Saudi Arabia remains among the group's most active development markets. Rotana opened Edge Riyadh - Al Rabie earlier this year and signed The Residences by Rotana at Thakher, Makkah in July. That 240-apartment development marks the brand's first entry into the Kingdom. Rotana operates 13 properties in Saudi Arabia with 10 more under development.
The group is developing new hospitality concepts for the Egyptian market. Its first ski resort in Gudauri, Georgia is a dual-property development of about 400 keys, which takes Rotana into mountain hospitality.
The Digital Programme
Rotana is integrating Rotana Chat AI into its website. The programme covers a Voice AI pilot and a data and artificial intelligence partnership with Microsoft. The group states the work supports hotel operations, direct engagement and the guest journey.
Eddy Tannous on the Cycle
Eddy Tannous, chief operating officer, placed the signing against the region's cycle. "Rotana was built in this region, and our belief in its long-term potential has never changed," he said. "Hospitality will always move through different cycles, but our approach is to look beyond the immediate environment and keep building for the future. That means staying close to our partners, investing in our hotels and our people, and maintaining the strength of the business behind every property we operate."
Makram El Zyr on the Opportunity Mix
Makram El Zyr, corporate vice president for development, said hospitality development in the region has become more diverse. He said Rotana responds to existing assets, new projects, branded residences and new concepts, and that the group's operating depth carries the value for owners and developers.
What the Announcement Leaves Unstated
No construction start, no development cost, no architect and no interior designer appear in the announcement. The record carries no room rate, no management-fee terms and no per-key figure. The opening window stays at January 2027 with no day inside it.