Al Hamra Real Estate Development (AHRED), a Ras Al Khaimah-based real estate developer in the Middle East, bagged both the Best Tourism and Leisure Project UAE and Best UAE Residential Property of the Year at the recent MEED Quality Awards for Projects.
AHRED won the Best Tourism accolade for its Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah while its Bayti development garnered the Property of the Year award.
“These awards help us to demonstrate exactly why we are the most successful developer in the northern emirates,” Benoy Kurien, general manager of Al Hamra Real Estate Development, told Gulf News Journal. “This reaffirms our commitment to designing and delivering world-class products across our residential and leisure portfolio and highlights our ability to deliver against the very best regional and international standards.”
MEED Quality Awards for Projects, held in association with the UAE's leading bank, Mashreq, are the first awards program in the GCC to recognize completed schemes in the realty sector. While deciding the winners, MEED deployed an independent judging panel consisting of members of the GCC Societies of Engineers to evaluate the outcome of the construction process, rather than the process itself.
Al Hamra’s Bayti development is a collection of 162 spacious homes designed and built with the family in mind. Batti, which means my home in Arabic, is located in amid three recreational parks, next to Al Hamra Championship golf course, white sandy beaches and the Al Hamra Marina in Al Hamra Village in Ras Al Khaimah. Here investors can choose from two types of Mediterranean-styled homes. The homes have spacious layouts with roof decks, balconies, two parking spaces for cars and gardens.
Bayti has implemented the latest sustainability and green technologies to achieve Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) certification. All homes have insulated walls, solar heating, energy sufficient water tanks and low-flow water fixtures. There is also CO detectors in each floor, environmentally friendly low-VOC paints and solar lighting to minimize environmental impact, all to reduce consumption while retaining and appreciating the value of the homes.
“The development is much more than just a home, with over 50 percent of the total area dedicated to green spaces,” Kurien said. “We have specifically created a community centered on family living and family values, whether it’s as a primary residence or second home.”
Waldorf Astoria Ras Al Khaimah, surrounded by desert, mountains and sea, promises adventure and relaxation. Only 50 minutes from Dubai, the award-winning resort is ideal for leisure getaways and offers palatial rooms with views over the Arabian Sea, stylish dining and an 18-hole championship golf course.
“It features 346 guest rooms and suites with facilities including the signature Peacock Alley lounge and its legendary timepiece, a range of entertainment venues, sophisticated conference and event facilities, luxurious spa experiences and a private white sand beach,” Kurien said.
For its innovative projects, he said, Al Hamra Real Estate Development received many significant awards last year as well.
At the prestigious Arabian Property Awards 2015, it picked up no less than six awards, including the respected Hotel Architecture category which was awarded to the Waldorf Astoria Hotel. It also won the Mixed-Use Architecture category for the $1 billion Falcon Island project; the Retail Architecture category award for Manar Mall shopping complex, which is currently under an impressive renovation and expansion plan; the Architecture Multiple Residence and the Golf Development categories; and the Residential High-Rise Development category award for Royal Breeze Residence.
“The Arabian Property Awards are part of the long-established International Property Awards, recognized as one of the most prestigious accolades in the residential and commercial property industries,” Kurien said. “The recognition highlights our outstanding quality and showcases our various developments to potential investors.”
Al Hamra Real Estate Development is currently working on a range of projects, including its Bayti Premium Properties, which is located on large corner plots and just a few steps away from the award-winning Par 72 Championship Al Hamra Golf Course and the Waldorf Astoria in Ras Al Khaimah.
The company is also expanding both Manar Mall and Al Hamra Mall. Manar Mall is doubling its GLA (Gross Leasing Area) to 60,000 square feet and is introducing new international brands and formats to the UAE. A spectacular waterfront expansion with a dancing fountain will also complement the new mall.
“In recent years we have witnessed high sales demand and robust occupancy for all of our competitively priced villas and townhouses,” Kurien said. "We offer a range of value-driven investment opportunities and solid and sustainable return. In doing so, we help to drive increased awareness of Ras Al Khaimah, and particularly, Al Hamra’s incredible real estate offerings in the emirate.”
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