The hotel and leisure industry in the Middle East and North Africa is thriving, with numerous leading global brands making investments in the area.

Our team of 20 specialists in hotel and leisure is the largest in the region, providing guidance on significant transactions and intricate issues.

Commercially savvy guidance

Our comprehensive knowledge of the industry allows us to deliver commercially savvy advice to our hotel and leisure clients, assisting them in achieving their business goals.

We take the time to comprehend our clients’ operations, financial status, and aspirations. This enables us to offer solutions and innovative ideas that foster their success – from guidance on business expansion and franchising preparation to identifying suitable suppliers and assembling teams for new project developments.

Expert guidance for all legal matters

Clients select us for our capability to address all their legal needs throughout the MENA region. Our multi-lingual attorneys operate in 10 jurisdictions and maintain strong relationships with regulatory bodies. In fact, we have contributed to drafting laws in several countries.

Our hotel and leisure team leverages lawyers from the Moores Rowland UAE network, including specialists in corporate structuring, banking, employment, and dispute resolution.

We collaborate with hotel owners, developers, operators, funds, investors, and other stakeholders within the hotel and leisure industry.

Our hotel and leisure services

•   Operator appointment
•   Acquisitions and disposals, mergers & acquisitions, joint ventures
•   Corporate structuring and long-term strategy planning
•   Franchise agreements
•   Project and operation licensing
•   Finance, funds and REITs
•   Hotel and resort development
•   Title / Strata structuring for mixed-use developments
•   Rental pool arrangements, serviced and branded residences
•   Timeshare and holiday homes
•   Refurbishment / renovation
•   IP, media and telecoms
•   Day to day operations including third party licensing and leases
•   Employment & HR
•   Dispute resolution

Examples of our hotel and leisure work

• Advising Abu Dhabi National Hotels on the landmark acquisition of five luxury hotels located in prime locations in Dubai from Emaar PJSC and negotiation of hotel management agreements with Emaar for continued operation of the hotels under the Address, Vida and Manzil brands. Our advice included due diligence of target assets, business operations and owning vehicles, construction, employment, insurance and operational matters, negotiation of hotel management and all ancillary agreements, share sale and related agreements.
• Advising a Qatar based investor in respect of settling an appropriate corporate structure to undertake investment into a hotel and branded apartments development on Jumeirah Palm, Dubai through acquisition of shares and creation of a joint venture arrangement with the existing owner/developer. This project included advising on confidentiality agreements, MOU, shareholder agreements, incorporation of various owner corporate vehicles in Dubai and undertaking due diligence of development project, together with execution of share transfer and dealing with all necessary Government bodies throughout.
• We work with many of the biggest brands in the region on the full range of legal issues. Our clients include Amazonico, Arts Club, Ce La Vie, Cipriani, Coya, L’Atelier De Joel Robuchon, LPM, Nusret, Paris Society Group, SushiSamba Dubai and Zuma