Rezidor SAS has announced plans to open two Hotel Cerruti properties in the Middle East.

Hotel Cerruti, Rezidor SAS’s new lifestyle brand, has been created in partnership with the Cerruti fashion house and the latest projects takes the Cerruti portfolio to five, with the opening date of the first due to be announced soon.

The new properties will be located in Dubai and Kuwait, with the other three under development in Europe – in Vienna, Dusseldorf and Brussels.

Cerruti Dubai, opening in early 2005 and situated close to the beach in Dubai’s Media City, will offer 137 individually designed rooms, a wine and cocktail bar, contemporary trattoria, outside swimming pool with a terrace bar and boardroom facilities.

Cerruti Kuwait, in the city’s Salmiya development, will open in 2006 and offer 350 individually designed rooms and views over the Gulf.

Facilities will include a trattoria, café with terraces, spa and fitness suites, rooftop swimming pool and meetings and events facilities.

President and CEO of Rezidor SAS, Kurt Ritter, said: “We see great opportunities in the Middle East region for the development of our portfolio of brands.

“The introduction of Cerruti to this part of the world is an exciting next step and will bring a whole new type of hotel experience to the Gulf.”

Rezidor SAS operates five brands, Park Inn, Country Inn, Radisson SAS, Cerruti and Regent, with a portfolio including 220 hotels in operation and under development in 40 countries.

The company aims to have 700 hotels in its estate by 2012. Details: www.rezidorsas.com