The Design Wizards Behind The World’s Only Themed Hampton Inn

When you think of themed hotel operators, Disney and Universal Studios tend to be at the top of the list. Hampton Inn doesn’t usually spring to mind but it does if you’re in the Middle East.

Hampton Inn, or Hampton by Hilton as it’s officially known, is famous for offering a hotel experience with few frills. Founded in 1989 by the Holiday Corporation, the then-owner of Holiday Inn, its hotels are usually places where travelers go to get a roof over their heads, not to experience the hotel itself.

There was no point in Hampton taking this approach when it decided to launch its first-ever beach resort because its location in the Middle East puts it in direct competition with some of the world’s glitziest hotels.

Palatial properties are common across the Middle East with the leading lights each having unique features in a bid to top their rivals. One has underwater rooms with windows looking into an aquarium whilst another is themed to Aspen and connected to a full-size indoor ski resort. There’s a movie-themed Paramount hotel, a Ritz-Carlton which looks like a Venetian mansion and a Mandarin Oriental set inside an actual former palace. So what better way to stand out from the crowd than to develop a Hampton that wouldn’t look out of place in a theme park complex.

Called the Hampton by Hilton Marjan Island, it set a number of records when it opened two years ago. Not only is it Hampton’s first themed property and its first beach resort, it is also the chain’s biggest hotel with 515 rooms. It is located in Ras Al-Khaimah, one of the seven Emirates that comprise the United Arab Emirates (UAE), which is not where you would expect to find one of Hampton’s flagship properties. Geographically, it is about as far away as you can get from the chain’s home town of Memphis, Tennessee, but there is very good reason why it has put its chips on Ras Al-Khaimah.

Around a 45 minute drive from its bigger brother of Dubai, Ras Al-Khaimah – or RAK for short – is smaller than Rhode Island. Best known for its ceramics company and mountain peaks, RAK is now pitching itself as a haven for high net worth individuals.

Under the leadership of its Michigan-educated Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi, RAK is pursuing an ambitious Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) strategy that has reportedly led to it planning a super-yacht storage facility and a yacht manufacturing hub. It has already attracted industrialists by developing a new free zone for digital and virtual asset companies. Now it has its eyes on an even bigger prize as it bids to become one of the biggest players in the UAE entertainment sector. It is getting a helping hand from one of the biggest brands in the business.

Dubai is famous for its record-breaking buildings and intricately-shaped islands whilst Abu Dhabi is home to some of the best theme parks outside Orlando. In contrast, RAK hopes to make its name in gambling and it is partnering with perhaps the most iconic brand in Las Vegas to do it.

In January last year gaming giant Wynn, along with local state-owned partners Marjan LLC and RAK Hospitality Holding LLC, announced that they had selected RAK as the location for the first integrated resort in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). Integrated resorts are ones which include a hotel and casino, together with convention facilities, themed entertainment, luxury retail and fine dining.

At a cost of $3.9 billion, no expense is being spared on the resort and when it was announced, Wynn’s highly-skilled CEO Craig Billings said that its casino will be around 18,500 square meters which will make it one of the ten biggest in the world. He added that it is “shaping up to be somewhat larger than Wynn Las Vegas” which explains why it will take four years to build the resort.

When its doors swing open in the first quarter of 2027, it won’t just be the first integrated resort in the MENA region but will also be the first casino in the UAE. Gambling is currently banned there so the law will have to be changed for Wynn. The early signs suggest it should be well worth it.

During the first half of 2022 alone, the Wynn deal reportedly drove up real estate transactions in RAK by 45% to $1.1 billion (AED 4 billion) compared to the same period in 2021. Likewise, real estate developer RAK Properties had set a target of $270 million (AED 1 billion) in sales for 2023 but reportedly achieved it in June, buoyed by sales of property to international investors including Russians, Chinese, Germans and UAE citizens.

There is more to come according to a survey of high net-worth individuals by the realtor Knight Frank. It showed that 50% of respondents worth more than $10 million believe the launch of a gaming resort made RAK an even more attractive place to invest with this result rising to 60% amongst East Asian high net-worth individuals. Tourism is set to get an even bigger boost.

In 2022, RAK welcomed a record total of 1.13 million overnight arrivals, which was 15.6% up on the previous year and exceeded pre-pandemic levels. However, according to a report by investment management specialists Colliers International, the Wynn could help to tempt 5.5 million tourists to RAK by 2030, smashing its target of 3 million. The Emirate is well-prepared for them.

In recent years RAK has opened a glittering array of resorts including a Radisson, a Ritz-Carlton, a Rixos, a Movenpick and a Doubletree that looks like a palace from a fairytale. Since the Wynn was announced, Nobu Hospitality, brainchild of chef Nobu Matsuhisa and actor Robert De Niro, announced that it too will open an upscale beach resort, branded residences and a signature restaurant in RAK.

Another 6,000 additional rooms across 19 properties are in the works, including ones from global brands like Westin and Conrad. Almost all of them, including the Wynn and the Nobu, are on Al Marjan Island. This 2.7 million square meter cog-shaped stretch of land was reclaimed from the Arabian Gulf and is adorned with serene palm-lined pathways and plazas by the sea. Right in the middle of it is the Hampton which explains why it has to make such a statement. It doesn’t disappoint.

The sweeping structure resembles the iconic mid-century-modern TWA hotel with its angular archways and wide white balconies. It perfectly complements the retro-looking Hampton logo and lettering. The building is shaped like a wave and there is good reason for this.

There’s a seaside vibe in the soaring lobby with its wooden walls, pearly-colored floor and swirling black chandelier above which gives guests the impression they are in the depths of the sea looking up at the waves. Continuing the castaway theme, tables are formed from pieces of driftwood with glass tops whilst lamps with cargo nets for shades stand next to them. It doesn’t take long to see that a lot of thought has gone into this hotel.

The comparison with the TWA hotel may not be unintentional as a huge LED screen stands behind the check-in desk where you might expect to find a departures board. Likewise, the wall opposite the entrance is filled with floor to ceiling windows just like you would find in an airport terminal. However, rather than giving on to a runway, they look onto the sparkling sea as a reminder of the marine theme.

It is “inspired by a day at the beach” says Mira Kurniawan, associate design director at the dwp agency which designed the atmospheric interior decor. “It recalls the beach boardwalk and carefree outdoors lifestyle with natural finishes relating to the beach and the sea. The design also references elements such as oversized beach umbrellas, net sculptures, brightly coloured artwork and fabrics creating a relaxed, fun environment for the family vacation.”

The agency is famous for working on ultra-upscale properties such as the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok and the futuristic W Hotel at the heart of Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island theme park district. Although the Hampton is only a four star hotel, it got the same attention to detail from dwp as its glitzier counterparts.

“The design stages are pretty similar as well as the timeline,” says Kurniawan. “the process starts from the concept till tender stage. And the whole design process until the tendering stage took 24 weeks for this project, excluding all the approval and review processes.

“The brief was to create a beach experience, and this came from the project team, whilst still respecting Hilton brand standards. A memorable and relaxed family orientated resort hotel with a strong sense of place. A beach-front holiday location, primarily catering to the needs of tourists from Europe and travelers from the local region. A welcoming, fun design inspired by a unique beach-front location.”

The theme even permeates the corridor carpets which look like they are covered with water splashes whilst colorful surfboards hang on the walls. This continues in the rooms which are about as far from a typical Hampton design as you can get. Instead of cookie-cutter furniture, there are mirrors which appear to be hung on the wall with shipping rope. Arty rowing oars also decorate the walls next to pictures of sharks and vinyl records of summer time tunes in box frames.

A huge LED television is set into the wall which is standard nowadays but the connection panel next to it isn’t. That allows you to hook up your laptop to the TV through an HDMI socket. There are USB charging ports there too as well as others alongside the plug sockets next to the bed. Touch panels control the lights, the air conditioning and digital do not disturb sign. The panels even light up when your hand gets close to them so you don’t get disturbed by glowing displays when you’re trying to sleep.

The sofas and seats are in pale blue, orange and lime pastel colours and the lamp shades look like nets in the rooms too. The wooden decking on the floor and blue swirls on the carpets complete the theme and make the rooms look like beach huts. Fittingly, the bathrooms get in on the act too as they have stone walls and framed stencils of coral hanging on them. No expense has been spared as even the standard rooms have walk-in overhead rain showers and vintage-looking red kettles and minibars from chic brand Schneider.

The Hampton’s curtains even reinforce the theme as they fade from a deep blue (handily the chain’s corporate color) at the bottom to a cream above, representing the sand and the sky. The end result bears a strong resemblance to the Endless Summer resort which opened at Universal Studios Orlando in 2019. It’s high praise indeed given that Endless Summer is one of the newest and most groundbreaking themed hotels in the world thanks to its intricate theming yet modest price-point.

There is good reason for the similarity as both have a similar driving force. In the case of the Hampton, Kurniawan says this involves “taking the beach as the hero and the main element and carrying it into the interior spaces.” When you open the curtains in the rooms you’re met with the real thing as all of the rooms have large balconies overlooking the sea and the hotel’s 750-meter stretch of sandy private beach. No stone has been left unturned as the music beside the beach and the wave-shaped infinity pool is even piped in through speakers hidden inside artificial rocks.

“As part of the design, we also ensure that the artworks, sculptures and accessories that have been placed in the property match the concept,” says Kurniawan. “Most of the time those small things that are not always the main aspect of design are forgotten and in the end become an afterthought.” Not in the Hampton.

The buffet sits under soaring wooden parasols with some tables appearing to be in beach huts. There’s also a diner called the Claw which sits inside a crab shack. Fishing nets hang from the ceiling, American road signs hang on the walls, there’s a genuine juke box, free pinball machines and a Buckin’ Bronco.

The outdoor tables have built-in mini barbecue pits and the drinks come in jars rather than glasses. It’s rustic but the food is far from rudimentary. The American fayre of burgers, tacos and s’mores is finely made and delicate despite being filling. For those with deeper pockets there’s a Karma Kafe by the upscale Buddha-Bar which is not the kind of establishment you usually find in a Hampton. The same goes for the hotel’s spa which is home to seven treatment rooms with separate wet areas for men and women.

You might think that having a budget brand on a deluxe property would be a challenge. However, the hotel’s general manager John Riad says it’s actually one of its biggest strengths as the Hampton brand is so widely known and it’s unexpected quality gives it a USP which spreads by word of mouth.

“The Hampton brand is universally recognized among guests and franchisees for its thoughtfully designed accommodations and its commitment to providing a consistently friendly and reliable experience everywhere travelers need and want to be. By choosing the Hampton by Hilton brand, we can leverage the power of the brand name in a new upscale innovated concept to attract guests and benefit from the power of word of mouth to boost the hotel’s name and reputation and attract new markets.”

He adds that the hotel’s “international key source markets are predominantly Germany, CIS, Czech Republic and the UK. We are always keen on focusing on the local market. Over the summer period, we also saw a steady flow of guests from the UAE which demonstrated the reliability of the domestic market.” It is reflected in the hotel’s financial results.

In its first year, the hotel attracted more than 300,000 guests but in the past six months alone it has broken its room and revenue record. Riad says that the food and beverage team played a vital role in this success by generating the highest revenue to date. No doubt the hotel’s eye-catching theme gives it an advantage over its rivals, especially as many guests won’t be expecting it. With a mid-market hotel like this, Wynn will have its work cut out for it but it has one of the strongest hands of them all.

Last year Wynn promoted Derek Sands, president of its Asian division, to executive vice president of the UAE. Sands is one of the most experienced leaders in the international casino sector with more than 25 years of experience leading and completing large scale projects in Macau, Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Australia. Sands started his career in 1987 as an electrical engineer for the State Rail Authority in Sydney and over the next 25 years rose through the ranks of engineering firms across Hong Kong and Macau, ultimately becoming Asia Pacific chief operations officer of JBA, now known as NV5 Technical Engineering & Consulting Solutions.

In 2014 Wynn hired him to become building services director for its blossoming Asian division which got off the ground in 2006 with the opening of the Wynn Macau. It was followed by an all-suite tower expansion four years later and then the Wynn Palace, the brand’s second luxury integrated resort which opened in Macau in 2016. Sands was integral to this development which made him the logical choice for the UAE role.

Soon after he moved to the country, award-winning architects HKS were appointed to design Wynn’s inaugural Middle Eastern resort. Usually responsible for renovating and designing deluxe hotels like the Four Seasons Ocean Club in the Bahamas and the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos, HKS also developed the masterplan of Resorts World Sentosa Island, home of Universal Studios Singapore.

Commenting on the appointment, Marjan LLC chief executive Abdulla Abdooli, said that “the new resort will be the first of its kind in the region offering guests exceptional accommodations, dining and entertainment in a truly spectacular setting.” It is no exaggeration.

The 1,000 feet-tall hotel will be Wynn’s first-ever beachfront resort which is an enviable USP. It hasn’t been lost on Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority CEO Raki Phillips. In May last year he said “it’s possible for this Wynn to be the greatest hit out of all of them, and I’ll tell you why. No other Wynn resorts are on the beachfront. It’s actually the brand’s first proper resort.”

In addition to the casino and 1,500 rooms, suites and villas, the resort will be home to 24 food and beverage outlets, a spa, an events center, a high-end shopping esplanade and themed entertainment attractions including a flagship theater production and nightly son et lumière shows. The resort is a crucial pillar of RAK’s push to boost tourism’s contribution to its GDP to about a third compared to a reported 5% which came from accommodation and food activity in 2019.

Testimony to this, Craig Billings recently said that “we studied the opportunity in the UAE and we’ve grown increasingly convinced in the customer’s willingness to spend on luxury hotel, food and beverage, wellness and entertainment experiences. But I expect Wynn Al Marjan island to be much more akin to our Las Vegas operations, driving meaningful non-gaming revenues.”

Julie Cameron-Doe, Wynn’s chief financial officer, added that the project is expected to generate approximately $450 million to $600 million of steady earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization. Location is the key to this as the UAE is conveniently positioned right between the top two global gambling destinations of Macau and Las Vegas, giving it a catchment area clear of major competitors.

It means that RAK isn’t just home to one of the world’s most anticipated themed resorts but is also one of the greatest areas of growth potential in the Middle East. Perhaps the best indication of Wynn’s ambitions is that it recently reportedly registered trademarks to ‘Arabian Strip’ and ‘Marjan Strip’ suggesting that it sees the same potential in RAK as Las Vegas. That really is a big bet.