Just Falafel boasts being the only multi-flavoured falafel in the region using the finest quality ingredients imported from carefully selected countries, and operates under the most stringent quality and hygiene policies. The talented and creative staff at Just Falafel are constantly adding innovative recipes, and continually seeking the best ways to serve the clientele.

With unhealthy eating and obesity on the rise in the UAE, the three founders of Just Falafel, each from countries where falafel has long been a traditional favourite, decided to bring this healthy and nutritious traditional food to the UAE offering a vegetarian alternative to a quick meal through its specialised falafel outlets.

“We transform the basic everyday falafel into a culinary experience, offering the best authentic falafel as it is served in different countries throughout the world,” comments Mohamad Bitar, Founder and Managing Director, Just Falafel. “Our focus is to bring all ethnic varieties of falafel under one roof, incorporating the unique flavours from different countries, as well as preparing them using the differing methods to preserve its authenticity. We are currently serving traditional falafels as they are prepared in Lebanon, Greece, India, and Mexico to name a few countries.”

Falafel is made from either fava beans or chickpeas. Some regions combine the two, while others use only one of these ingredients. The light and fluffy consistency is achieved by how it is prepared; instead of cooking the beans and storing them for preparation later in falafels, the beans are soaked in a soda bicarbonate and then mixed with the other seasonings and ingredients. After being made into bite-sized balls, they are then fried to give it its outer crunch and served in pita bread, or in sandwiches along with the varying accompaniments, which would differ depending on what traditional way it is prepared.

The central locations in Abu Dhabi give people from all walks of life, from all regions the chance to learn about this traditional, healthy food. “With falafel there is something for everyone. Each person has their own unique tastes, and with our outlets offering so many different varieties and preparation methods, each person can find their individual favourite choice, and become a part of this culinary classic,” concluded Bitar.

About Just Falafel
Just Falafel currently has two outlets in Abu Dhabi with significant expansion plans throughout the UAE. The retail chain’s founding members are from Lebanon, Palestine, and the UAE. Just Falafel’s vision is to create specialised centres of excellence keeping in mind quality, taste, and price. Just Falafel focuses on bringing all ethnic varieties of falafel under one roof. For more information, visit: www.justfalafel.com.

Press Information:
Shali Akkaraju
The Portsmouth Group
T: +971 4 369 3575
E: shali.akkaraju@theportsmouthgroup.com

Conveniently located within the heart of one of Dubai’s historic districts, ibis Al Rigga is close to the prime business and leisure facilities such as Al Ghurair shopping mall, Dubai International Airport and easily accessible to the Al Rigga Metro Station.

Christophe Landais, Managing Director, Accor Hospitality Middle East said: “Accor is pleased to announce the opening of ibis Al Rigga next month. ibis is our best performing brand in the market today, and it continues to shine as the best economy hotel brand in the world. The company is going forward with its strategic plans for 2010 and we believe that we are on the right track to continue building the ibis network. With ibis Al Rigga, we want more business and leisure travellers to experience high quality hotel services, stay in comfortable and modern rooms at the most reasonable cost.”

The Middle East plays an important role in the successful growth of ibis’ global network of 850 hotels. The region is a primary growth market, with four more ibis hotels under development in Kuwait, Bahrain and the UAE in the next two years.

ibis Al Rigga joins the seven existing ibis hotels: ibis Amman, ibis Salmiya, ibis Muscat, ibis Dubai World Trade Centre, ibis Deira City Centre, ibis Al Barsha and ibis Dubai Mall of the Emirates.

For more information, visit the website www.ibis.com

Fitzner, a German national; has a solid background in the hospitality industry. Having started her career in 1988 at the Inter-Continental Cologne, Fitzner joined Rezidor in 1992 as the Director of Sales & Marketing at the Radisson SAS Hotel in Dusseldorf.

Since then, Fitzner has held positions as Director of Sales & Marketing and Revenue Manager at the Radisson SAS St. Helen’s Hotel in Dublin, Ireland and as Executive Assistant Manager at the Radisson SAS Hotel in Hannover, Germany.

In 2000, Fitzner was promoted to General Manager of the Radisson SAS Hotel in Hannover before transferring to the Radisson SAS Hotel in Hamburg two years later to take the position of Hotel Manager.

In 2003, Fitzner moved to Poland as General Manager of the Radisson SAS Hotel in Szczecin and was then appointed General Manager at the Radisson Blu Centrum Hotel, Warsaw in 2006. In mid 2007, while maintaining the General Manager role at the Radisson Blu Centrum Hotel, Warsaw, Fitzner was promoted to District Director of Poland, overseeing six hotels – her most recent position.

Speaking of the appointment, Marko Hytonen, Area Vice President said “We are delighted to welcome Janet to the Middle East; she is a fantastic asset to our team. The experience she has gained and her proven track record will serve her well as manager of one of the most important hotel’s in the Rezidor portfolio”

Fitzner holds a degree in Business Administration, Tourism & Transport Industry from the University Rheinland Pfalz, Worms in Germany. As well as her native German, she speaks English and basic French and Spanish.

The Rezidor Hotel Group
Julie Deighton, Manager Communication & PR
T: +971 4 390 0082, julie.deighton@rezidor.com

Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek
Stephanie AbouJaoude, Director of Marketing & Communications
Tel. +971 4 222717, stephanie.aj@radissonblu.com

About Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek
A luxury hotel located in the heart of Dubai’s bustling business, shopping and cultural districts; the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek offers 276 rooms and suites, all with fabulous views of Dubai’s legendary creek from their private furnished balconies.

Rooms have been designed for luxury and comfort with individual climate control, 24-hour Room Service, free wireless internet access, coffee and tea making facilities and a furnished balcony.

Guests can choose from 16 different dining and entertainment venues from authentic Chinese cuisine to inventive Japanese, as well as Dubai’s most renowned seafood restaurant – The Fish Market.

The hotel’s 24-hour Fitness Centre fully-equipped with outdoor swimming pool, sauna, steam bath and massage facilities, as well as floodlit tennis court and two squash courts are available to guests.

With 13 meeting rooms, including two ballrooms that can accommodate upto 1400 guests, the Radisson Blu Hotel, Dubai Deira Creek offers world-class conference facilities.

About The Rezidor Hotel Group
The Rezidor Hotel Group is one of the fastest growing hotel companies in the world. The group features a portfolio of more than 380 hotels in operation and under development with close to 81,000 rooms in 59 countries.

Rezidor operates the brands Radisson Blu Hotels & Resorts, Regent Hotels & Resorts, Park Inn and Country Inns & Suites in Europe, Middle East and Africa, along with the goldpoints plusSM loyalty programme for frequent hotel guests. Under a worldwide licence agreement with the iconic Italian fashion house Missoni, Rezidor also operates and develops the new lifestyle brand Hotel Missoni.

In November 2006, Rezidor was listed on the Stockholm Stock Exchange. Carlson Companies is the main shareholder.

The Corporate Office of the Rezidor Hotel Group is based in Brussels, Belgium.

For more information on Rezidor, visit www.rezidor.com

The new look of Nineteen follows the recent rebranding of the property to reflect its management under The Address Hotels + Resorts, the hotel brand owned by Emaar Hospitality Group. A golf retreat, The Address Montgomerie Dubai offers exceptional hospitality experiences for visitors, with Nineteen being a preferred social hotspot for the movers and shakers of Dubai.

Following the revamping, Nineteen has introduced a new grill menu with a rotisserie twist, coupled with a selection of over 250 tantalising vintages. Overlooking the 18th hole of the picturesque golf course, with serene lakes, the mouthwatering aroma from Nineteen’s lively and interactive open-kitchen whets the appetite, preparing visitors to discover the sheer culinary pleasure of delectable meats, crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and oozing with flavour.

Master chef Tom Jalleh is responsible for developing the new menu and is the newest member of the retreat’s proficient gastronomic team. After working as Executive Chef for Gaucho’s, Australia’s first Argentinian award-winning restaurant, Jalleh brings extensive knowledge, enthusiasm and passion to The Address Montgomerie Dubai.

He said: “When I was introduced to Nineteen, I loved its stylish dining room and sleek modern feel. Turning the restaurant into a rotisserie grill will bring even more life to the already vivacious restaurant, with fresh new flavours and unique dishes presented to visitors.”

Guests can also relax in the chic new lounge, located next to the dining room, which has been designed for an intimate rendezvous or a social gathering with friends. The comfortably modern furnishings set the mood for the evening, while guests can enjoy a glass of their favourite beverage from a delectable range of international flourishes and sumptuous nibbles.

Offering exquisite views, live music and a menu that’s as worldly as the 250 plus vintage list, there’s something for everyone at Nineteen.

For further information, please contact:
Kelly Home / Anushka Kadam
ASDA’A Burson-Marsteller
Tel: (+971 4) 334 4550
E-mail: k.home@asdaa.com, a.kadam@asdaa.com

Based in Şişli’s Bomonti District, the luxury lifestyle development will culminate in a 42- storey tower, with breathtaking views of the Bosphorus, the historic peninsula of Old Istanbul and the New City. Residents and their guests can gaze at two continents simultaneously, while basking in the luxury Rixos has to offer.

“We are elated to be strategically expanding the Rixos brand into Istanbul with such a unique project that will offer the best of all worlds: it will be centrally located, highly accessible and most importantly, developed with the utmost care and attention to detail. This is to ensure the highest standards of luxury, comfort and convenience for which Rixos is renowned are applied to each and every one of our residents.” said Fettah Tamince, Chairman of Rixos Hotels.

Rixos Residences Bomonty, which already has a waiting list of 150 investors, will consist of six penthouses and 308 serviced suites all decorated in accordance to the highest standard dictated by Rixos by incorporating finishing and appliances by leading Italian designers, including SCIC and Gaggenau in the Kitchen, and PUNTOTRE ARREDOBAGNO in the Bathrooms.

The tower will be situated in the heart of Istanbul, on an 11-thousand square meter plot, landscaped and replete with a full range of amenities to ensure utmost comfort and visual appeal. Additionally, the development is placed strategically to maximize connectivity in the bustling city: The tower has a heliport on its roof, while it will stand in close proximity to the planned Bomonti-Dolmabahçe tunnel that is expected to cut the time a typical journey takes from 45 minutes to a mere four minutes once it is complete. The tunnel will connect the centrally located Bomonti District to the historic Dolmabahçe, which is situated along the banks of the Bosphorus.

Further addressing the lifestyle offering of the development, Rixos Hotels will provide each resident with personal concierge services. For residents wishing to unwind after a stressful day, Rixos Residences Bomonty will have a landmark 2500 square meter Spa area managed by the Rixos Health Club. Furthermore, the project will include a multi-purpose sports area, a mini-golf course, a café, a restaurant, a hairdresser and a dry cleaning service.

The US $137.2 million project is being developed with Rixos Hotels’ esteemed partners Ayaydın Group, İpek-Çakırkaya, Maslak Yapı and Merttaş Yapı.

Rixos Hotels
Rixos Hotels currently owns and operates 11 hotels across 4 countries – Turkey, Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Croatia, and employees 6,000 staff. With its ever-expanding portfolio, Rixos Hotels is scheduled to open further properties in 2010 such as the incredible Ottoman-themed project on Palm Jumeirah in Dubai, Rixos Libya & Rixos Al Nasr in Libya, and Rixos Marina West in Bahrain.

High quality standards combined with utmost guest satisfaction contribute to Rixos hotels receiving top ratings from distinguished tour operators and being recognised with the International Award for Tourism, Hotel and Catering Industry in 2002 in Madrid and the Five Star Diamond Award by American Academy of Hospitality Sciences from 2006-2009. Hotels have also received other prestigious awards from programs including World Travel Awards, Great Hotels of the World, Business Destinations, Conde Nast Johansens, Golden Meridian, Star Travel.ru and Tophotels.ru. Rixos also received the “EU Quality” award by which the hospitality giant was selected as “the global brand of Turkey that is appreciated worldwide and executes exemplary quality and innovation practices”. These accolades truly make Rixos Hotels stand out amongst competitors.

The concept of Rixos Hotels consists of a revitalising Wellness & Spa Center and unique Hammam, a modern twist to ancient Turkish rituals. Properties also have a spectacular range of culinary, leisure and entertainment facilities on offer. Different restaurants headed by world-class chefs suit all tastes and moods, serving everything from traditional Turkish, gourmet French and classic Italian cuisine, to Mexican, Indian, Asian and Seafood. Rixos places great emphasis on ongoing training progammes and the Career Development Program to ensure the highest levels of customer service and guest relations.

Rixos Hotels also offer highly executive services – Rixos Aviation and Rixos Yachting. Rixos Aviation is a premium air transportation service company that provides transportation solutions for time-sensitive customers with the Bombardier Learjet-60 Special Edition. Rixos Yacting provides an exclusive luxurious experience for guests to visit the fabulous bays and islands of the Mediterranean on the stunning ‘Moon Star’.

Rixos Hotels aims to successfully run and manage five star hotels in new locations within major tourist and business destinations in Eastern and Middle Europe, Mediterranean Coasts and the Gulf region, providing the best in customer service and luxurious facilities. The chain is generating plans focusing on progress and its vision is to become a world renowned brand and leader in the hospitality industry.

For further information, please contact:
Rawaj International
Afsaneh Baher
Phone +971 4 3913560 / 0248
Mobile +971 50 8872338
Email afsaneh.b@rawajinternational.com

Paul Estorffe
Phone +971 4 3913562 / 3560
Mobile +971 50 346 1532
Email paul.e@rawajinternational.com