Hospitality

We Are the Balance Between Professionalism and Comfort

Published

1 year ago

January 6, 2025

In an exclusive interview with Giacomo Puntel, General Manager of voco Bonnington JLT, he shares his vision of blending professionalism and comfort to redefine corporate hospitality and elevate guest experiences in Dubai.

In your new role, what leadership values and experiences do you aim to bring to voco Bonnington JLT to elevate its reputation as a leading corporate hotel?

In my role at voco Bonnington JLT, I aim to bring a leadership approach centered on collaboration and service excellence. Understanding the unique needs of corporate travelers and exceeding their expectations will remain at the heart of everything we do.

voco Bonnington JLT has a distinctive style and identity. How do you see its design and ethos enhancing the overall guest experience, particularly for business travelers?

The versatile meeting and event spaces, equipped with state-of-the-art technology, provide the perfect setting for corporate engagements. Meanwhile, the well-appointed rooms and communal areas foster an atmosphere where guests can unwind and recharge, ensuring a balanced experience. The combination of style, functionality, and care creates a standout experience that supports both professional and personal well-being.

As a corporate hotel, voco Bonnington JLT embodies a balance of professionalism and comfort. How do you define this approach, and how do you ensure it resonates with business and leisure guests alike?

For business travelers, this means providing efficient service, modern facilities, and amenities designed to support productivity, such as high-speed Wi-Fi, well-equipped meeting spaces, and a strategic location in Jumeirah Lakes Towers, close to major business hubs.

For leisure guests, we focus on creating a warm and inviting atmosphere, offering unique touches like comfortable rooms, personalized service, and access to leisure facilities. We emphasize a relaxed yet vibrant experience that reflects the voco brand’s hallmark charm.

With its diverse room offerings, how does voco Bonnington JLT cater to the unique needs of corporate travelers while maintaining a sense of premium hospitality?

We recognize that corporate travelers have specific needs, and we’ve designed our diverse room offerings to provide a balance of practicality and premium hospitality. Our rooms are thoughtfully equipped with amenities tailored to business guests, such as spacious work desks, high-speed Wi-Fi and easily accessible charging points, allowing them to work seamlessly from the comfort of their room. Corporate needs vary, which is why we offer a range of room types to suit different requirements. For instance, our standard rooms cater to solo travelers looking for efficiency and comfort, while our suites provide more expansive spaces, ideal for longer stays or informal meetings.

How do the hotel’s amenities, like the rooftop pool, signature dining, and meeting spaces, enhance the guest experience and attract business events?

Our array of amenities, including a rooftop pool, signature dining experiences, and state-of-the-art meeting rooms, elevates the guest experience and positions the hotel as an ideal choice for business and corporate events. The rooftop pool and fitness center provide guests with a chance to unwind after a busy day, while our diverse dining options offer both casual and fine dining settings perfect for networking or relaxation. Our versatile meeting and event spaces, equipped with cutting-edge technology and dedicated event support, ensure that corporate functions run seamlessly.

How will you leverage voco Bonnington JLT’s prime location in Jumeirah Lakes Towers to create memorable experiences for corporate and leisure travelers?

Situated in the heart of Jumeirah Lakes Towers, voco Bonnington JLT capitalizes on its prime location to offer a unique and dynamic experience for both corporate and leisure guests. the surrounding area offers an array of dining, entertainment, and cultural attractions that can be explored through personalized recommendations and curated experiences..

What are your key priorities for voco Bonnington JLT, and how do you see its role in Dubai’s competitive hospitality market?

As the General Manager of voco Bonnington JLT, my key priorities for the coming year are centered around enhancing the guest experience, expanding our market presence, and driving operational excellence. I envision voco Bonnington JLT playing a key role in Dubai’s competitive corporate and hospitality market by capitalizing on our strategic location in Jumeirah Lakes Towers. We will continue to attract business travelers through bespoke offerings tailored to their needs, including enhanced meeting solutions and proximity to key business hubs. Simultaneously, we aim to be a preferred choice for leisure guests by offering distinctive, immersive experiences that highlight the best of Dubai’s vibrant lifestyle.

Hospitality

TRAVEL TRENDS DRIVING THE RISE OF BLENDED STAYS IN THE UAE

Published

1 hour ago

May 4, 2026

Integrator Web-Admin

JS Anand, CEO and Founder, LEVA Hotels

Multi-generational and family travel is becoming a defining trend in the UAE, with 41% of travellers now planning trips with extended family members and actively looking for destinations that balance adventure with relaxation across age groups. At the same time, bleisure travel is gaining momentum as professionals mix work and leisure, often extending trips and choosing flexible short stays.

These shifts are directly contributing to the rise of blended stays across the UAE and wider GCC. What was once described as bleisure or workation is now a common travel pattern, where the boundaries between work, rest, and leisure are increasingly fluid. Travellers are staying longer, choosing lifestyle-led hotels, and expecting spaces that can support multiple needs within a single journey.

This change is closely linked to how work itself has evolved, with hybrid models and greater mobility enabling people to work from almost anywhere. In response, hotels are now viewed as flexible environments that support both productivity and personal time. The UAE is particularly well positioned for this shift, with its strong infrastructure, connectivity, and diverse hospitality offering making extended, blended stays both practical and appealing.

As a result, stay behaviour is changing noticeably. Traditional short business trips are being replaced by longer, more adaptable bookings, with hotels increasingly functioning as multi-purpose living spaces. This trend is influencing design, operations, and pricing strategies, with a stronger emphasis on flexibility and continuity.

Guest expectations have also evolved significantly. Travellers now expect purpose-built work environments within hotels, including co-working areas, meeting pods, and more thoughtful in-room setups that support sustained productivity. At the same time, wellness and lifestyle features like gyms, outdoor spaces, and social areas are now key factors in how people choose where to stay, reflecting a growing focus on balance in travel.

The UAE continues to lead this transformation, supported by a hospitality ecosystem that is closely integrated with retail, business, entertainment, and residential infrastructure. This natural alignment has created the ideal conditions for blended stays to grow and become a long-term feature of the region’s travel landscape.

For developers and investors, this shift is also redefining value creation. Occupancy alone is becoming less indicative of performance, with greater focus placed on a hotel’s ability to support longer stays, adaptable layouts, and multi-functional experiences. Hotels that can seamlessly shift between short-term and extended-stay demand are better positioned for the future of hospitality in the region.

Ultimately, blended stays reflect a deeper structural change in how people approach travel, work, and time away from home. For the UAE and the wider GCC, the opportunity lies in building hospitality experiences that respond to these evolving behaviours and remain aligned with how people choose to live and move today.

Hospitality

STAY DOWNTOWN, SAVE MORE

Published

3 days ago

May 1, 2026

Integrator Web-Admin

Address Downtown, Address Dubai Mall, Address Sky View, Vida Dubai Mall, and Palace Downtown invite guests to a memorable family staycation designed to reconnect, explore, and delight together. Step away from the pace of everyday life and discover Downtown Dubai from a fresh perspective, where families and friends can enjoy quality time, exciting attractions, and the warmth of exceptional hospitality in the heart of the city.

Guests can enjoy:

• Daily breakfast
• Early check-in from 11:00 AM and late check-out till 4:00 PM
• 30% off dining and spa treatments
• Kids Stay and dine free (up to 11 years old)
• Complimentary ticket to one Emaar Entertainment attraction per stay, choose between Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, Sky Views Observatory with Slide, or Dubai Ice Rink
• Prime location steps away from Dubai Mall and Downtown Dubai attractions

Families can explore, play, and create lasting memories while dining at the hotel’s signature restaurants, such as Thiptara, Ewaan, Solara, and Cetara.

Rediscover Downtown Dubai and embrace a city escape made for connection, fun, and memorable experiences. It’s time to unlock your next moment. Moments continue. Experiences evolve.

Hospitality

UBK AT MÖVENPICK JUMEIRAH LAKES TOWERS RAISES A GLASS FOR DUBAI’S MOST LOYAL COMPANIONS WITH “PAWS & POUR”

Published

4 days ago

April 30, 2026

Integrator Web-Admin

Some things in life stay beautifully constant, and for many Dubai residents, that has been their pets. Through everyday routines, slow days, and everything in between, pet parents have built their lives around their four-legged companions in the most natural, heartwarming way. UBK at Mövenpick Jumeirah Lakes Towers is celebrating that bond with Paws & Pour, a feel-good gesture for guests who stayed in Dubai with their pets during the recent period of regional uncertainty.

Visit UBK, show a photo of you and your pet from the past two months in Dubai, and enjoy a complimentary non-alcoholic drink on the house every Sunday only from 12pm-12am. Just a simple cheer to a not-so-simple bond. Because UBK has always been proudly pet-friendly, especially with Paws & Play running Sunday to Thursday from 12pm to 7pm, where dogs are very much part of the vibe. Plus, guests can enjoy 30% off food and beverages while spending time with their furry plus-ones.

Paws & Pour is UBK doing what it does best, keeping things easy, welcoming, and full of personality. A little toast to loyalty, companionship, and the pets who make every day better just by being in it.