SINGAPORE, January 2009 – Raffles Hotels & Resorts has appointed John Pelling as General Manager of Raffles Dubai, the group’s award-winning hotel in the Middle East.

Raffles Dubai marks Raffles Hotels & Resorts’ debut in the Middle East. Since its opening in late 2007, the hotel has received the coveted Condé Nast Traveler Hot List award and been named Best New Hotel Development in the Middle East at the 2008 Arabian Investment Hospitality Conference.

As General Manager of Raffles Dubai, John will lead the 570-strong team comprising 46 nationalities at Raffles Dubai in the daily operations of the hotel. He brings to Raffles Dubai almost 30 years of international hospitality experience from his previous postings in China, Dubai, Hong Kong, Seoul and London where he has held senior positions in business and luxury hotels. Prior to joining Raffles Dubai,he was Regional Vice President, China, for Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts where he had oversight of the group’s portfolio and new developments within China. He also has substantial experience in Dubai having previously spent eight years in the emirate as a General Manager with the Jumeirah group where he was involved in re-branding of a hotel as well as new hotel openings.

Commenting on his appointment, John said, "I am pleased to be back in Dubai and delighted to be part of the iconic Raffles Dubai. Raffles Dubai has certainly captured the attention of international travellers, media and residents of Dubai by establishing a reputation for itself as the centre of the city’s social scene. I look forward to upholding the gracious service and heartfelt hospitality that is inherent in the Raffles name so that our residents may continue to enjoy exceptional experiences while in residency at Raffles."

ABOUT RAFFLES DUBAI
Raffles Dubai is an all-suite hotel, featuring 248 palatial suites; each enjoys a minimum of 70 square metres and its own private balcony, offering panoramic views of the city. The hotel’s four Presidential Suites are also each thematically designed to embrace each of the elements of life - earth, wind, fire and water. Ten restaurants and bars offer an exquisite myriad of cuisines and innovative cocktails from around the world. The Noble House, Asiana Restaurant, New Asia Bar & Club, China Moon Champagne Bar are located within the glass capstone that forms the top three levels of the hotel. One of the highlights at the hotel is its impressive one-hectare tropical Raffles Botanical Garden which displays over 129,000 plants, carefully selected to depict the four elements of life. The library at Raffles Dubai houses a vast collection of books on the region’s history, culture, heritage and arts. RafflesAmrita Spa at Raffles Dubai offers an extensive menu of wellness treatments and indulgences. RafflesAmrita Spa at Raffles Hotel in Singapore and Raffles Resort Canouan Island in The Grenadines are acknowledged as the best spa in its respective destination by prestigious publications such as The Robb Report.

ABOUT RAFFLES HOTELS & RESORTS
Raffles is a collection of luxury hotels and resorts worldwide, each distinguished by its luxury, elegance and residential charm. Each hotel is a landmark in its respective city, positioned at the top of its local market and rated among the very best in the world.

Raffles’ relentless pursuit of service excellence has earned for its hotels and resorts a legion of international accolades, including Condé Nast World’s Best Places to Stay and Travel & Leisure World’s Best Awards. Its flagship Raffles Hotel Singapore was voted Best Hotel in Asia in 2007 and 2008 by readers of Ultratravel magazine by The Daily Telegraph while Raffles Beijing Hotel was named Best Luxury Hotel in Beijing by Travel Trade Gazette China in 2008. Raffles Dubai, the latest addition to its portfolio, is recognised among the world’s best new hotels by Conde Nast Traveler’s 2008 Hot List, and was named Best New Hotel Development in the Middle East at the 2008 Arabian Hotel Investment Conference. Raffles Hotels & Resorts is consistently ranked among the world’s top 10 hotel brands in the annual Condé Nast Traveler Business Travel Awards.

Raffles Hotels & Resorts is owned by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, a leading global hotel company with 91 hotels and resorts worldwide under the Raffles, Fairmont and Swissôtel brands. The company also owns Fairmont and Raffles branded residences, Estates and luxury private residence club properties. For more information, please visit www.raffles.com

For More Information, please contact:

Vivian Koh
Manager, PR & Communications
Raffles Hotels & Resorts
Email: vivian.koh@raffles.com

Jennifer Greene
Director of Public Relations and Marketing Communications, North America
Raffles Hotels & Resorts
Email: jennifer.greene@raffles.com

UK PR Representation
Elizabeth Morrison
ZFL PRCo
Tel: (44) 0207-259-1112
Fax: (44) 207-259-1101
E-mail: emorrison@prco.org

For high resolution images of Raffles hotels and resorts, please visit our Private Digital Library: http://www.leonardo.com/raffles

Raffles Hotels & Resorts’ award-winning collection of legendary hotels includes: