Dubais Greenest Hotel Open Today

School children today helped open Dubai’s most environmentally friendly hotel – opening up the chance for thousands of other youngsters to learn about green issues at the eye-catching new city landmark.

For months specialists have been installing the giant “hanging garden” on the outside of the new Novotel Dubai Al Barsha, which is on Sheikh Zayed Road and next to the Sharaf DG Metro Station metro station in Barsha.

Fitted with a unique irrigation and plant feeding system, it is environmentally friendly as it is an alternative to the use of concrete and brings to light the importance of nature in a bustling city.

The hotel is now open and this morning local schoolchildren visited for a tour during which they were taught about the benefits of the hanging garden in tackling green issues.

Novotel Dubai Al Barsha general manager, Phillipe Montaubin, said: “We would love to see as many people come here to learn what we are trying to achieve with the hanging garden – not just children but adults as well.

“In the last few months we have had so many people taking pictures as the outside of the hotel really stands out. Now we can explain to the public why it has been installed.

“Hotel openings are usually about being the biggest or best but we are doing something different with the hanging garden and so far the feedback has been really positive.”

The Novotel has been launched mainly for business travellers and designers have also been creating meeting rooms that help stimulate the brain through a multi flexible environment and unique offerings such as massages and ’playrooms’ to recuperate during meeting breaks.

Mr Montaubin added: “The hanging garden really brings a calmness and fresh feel to the hotel and we have taken that approach throughout the design and ethos of the hotel"

One of the mothers who joined the tour, Mitzy Davey, said : "It is wonderful to see greenery in the city beyond the parks and now as part of the Dubai skyline. My daughter is enthralled by the plants growing down the side of the building, and will definitely start the green conversation in our household"

The Novotel Dubai Al Barsha is the fifth Novotel property from the Accor Group to open in the United Arab Emirates and has 465 guest rooms, five food and beverage outlets, ten meeting rooms and host of leisure facilities.

Emirate:  Dubai

Date: Nov 10, 2013

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