After receiving more than 125 entries, the AHEAD MEA judging panel has revealed their 2025 shortlist, comprising projects that span the length and breadth of the region.

The winners will be revealed at AHEAD MEA, where leading hoteliers, architects and designers from across the region will gather for an industry reunion.

The ceremony will take place at Bluewaters Forum, Dubai on 3 November 2025. To secure your spot, tickets are available to purchase here subject to availability.

Bar, Club or Lounge

Rose Bar at Delano – Dubai, UAE
Dubai Holding / Ennismore / Elastic Architects

Litt Club at Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab – Dubai, UAE 
ADD Mind / Jumeirah Group / Killa Design / Verhaal 

Mercury Rooftop at Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach – UAE
H&H Development / Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts / Sundukovy Sisters 

Mica Bar at Desert Rock Resort – Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Oppenheim Architecture / Studio Paolo Ferrari  

Event Spaces

Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof – South Africa
Growthpoint Properties / Hilton / DHK Architects / KM2K Architecture & Interior Design / Yes& Studio 

Gem Forest Hotel, MGallery – Nairobi, Kenya 
Gordhanbhai Patel / Accor / Studio Infinity / Sundukovy Sisters 

Sofitel Cotonou Marina Hotel & Spa – Benin  
Echo Marina Sopie / Accor / Moke Architecten / Sundukovy Sisters 

Guestrooms

Delano – Dubai, UAE
Dubai Holding / Ennismore / Elastic Architects

Desert Rock Resort – Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Oppenheim Architecture / Studio Paolo Ferrari 

Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab – Dubai, UAE
Dubai Holding / Jumeirah Group / Killa Design / HBA 

Shebara Resort – Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Killa Design / Studio Paolo Ferrari 

Hotel Conversion

Canopy by Hilton Cape Town Longkloof – South Africa
Growthpoint Properties / Hilton / DHK Architects / KM2K Architecture & Interior Design / Yes& Studio 

Chichele Presidential Lodge – South Luangwa National Park, Zambia 
Chichele Safaris / Chiawa Safaris / Fox Browne Creative in partnership with Jack Alexander Studio 

Sofitel Cairo Downtown Nile – Cairo, Egypt 
International Company for Touristic Investments / Sofitel / ElGhoneimi International 

Hotel Newbuild

Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab – Dubai, UAE
Dubai Holding / Jumeirah Group / Killa Design / LTW / HBA / AvroKo 

The Lana and The Residences, Dorchester Collection – Dubai, UAE
Omniyat / Dorchester Collection / Foster + Partners / Gilles & Boissier 

Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay – M’diq, Morocco 
Primarios / Royal Mansour / GCA Architects / Muza Lab 

Waldorf Astoria Doha West Bay – Doha, Qatar 
Harinsa Qatar / La Jolla Group / Hilton Worldwide / HBA 

Hotel Renovation

Conrad Bahrain Financial Harbour – Manama, Bahrain 
Hilton Worldwide / LW Design 

Delano – Dubai, UAE 
Dubai Holding / Ennismore / Accor / Elastic Architects

Jumeirah Beach Hotel & Al Bahar Villas – Dubai, UAE 
Dubai Holding / Jumeirah Group / La Bottega 

Sheraton Jumeirah Beach Resort – Dubai, UAE 
Jumeirah Group / Marriott International / M Atelier 

Waldorf Astoria Cairo Heliopolis – Cairo, Egypt 
Gulf Egypt for Hotels and Tourism SAE / United Real Estate Co of Kuwait / Waldorf Astoria / TRDL / Upperworth Studios 

Landscaping & Outdoor Spaces

Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab – Dubai, UAE
Dubai Holding / Jumeirah Group / Killa Design / LTW / HBA / AvroKo 

Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay – M’diq, Morocco 
Primarios / Royal Mansour / GCA Architects / Muza Lab 

The Ritz-Carlton Rabat, Dar Es Salam – Morocco 
Sienna Investment / Marriott International / WATG / Arjitec / Wimberly Interiors / Coopers Hill 

Lobby

Delano – Dubai, UAE
Dubai Holding / Ennismore / Accor / Elastic Architects

Desert Rock Resort – Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Oppenheim Architecture / Studio Paolo Ferrari 

Rove Al Marjan Island – Ras Al-Khaimah, UAE
Marjan Island / EMAAR / MMAC Design Associates 

Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay – M’diq, Morocco 
Primarios / Royal Mansour / GCA Architects / Muza Lab 

Lodges, Cabins & Tented Camps

Chichele Presidential Lodge – South Luangwa National Park, Zambia 
Chichele Safaris / Chiawa Safaris / Fox Browne Creative in partnership with Jack Alexander Studio 

Silverback Lodge – Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, Uganda 
Marasa Africa / Hesse Kleinloog 

Singita Milele – Grumeti, Tanzania 
Milton / Grumeti Game Reserve / Singita / Hart Howerton / Swain Street & Co. / HesseKleinloog / Milton 

Wilderness Bisate Reserve – Volcanoes National Park, Rwanda 
Wilderness / Nicholas Plewman Architects & Associates / Artichoke Interior Design / Waldman Studios 

Resort 

Desert Rock Resort – Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Oppenheim Architecture / Studio Paolo Ferrari 

Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve – Ummahat Islands, Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Marriott International / Foster + Partners / Wimberly Interiors 

Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay – M’diq, Morocco 
Primarios / Royal Mansour / GCA Architects / Muza Lab 

Shebara Resort – Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Killa Design / Studio Paolo Ferrari   

Restaurant

Café Boulud Restaurant at Four Seasons Hotel Riyadh at Kingdom Centre – Riyadh, Saudi Arabia 
Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts / The Dinex Group / Rockwell Group 

Maison Revka at Delano – Dubai, UAE
Dubai Holding / Paris Society / Ennismore / Accor / Rivas / Laleh Amirassefi 

Nyra Restaurant at Desert Rock Resort – Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Oppenheim Architecture / Studio Paolo Ferrari 

SUSHISAMBA at Conrad Bahrain Financial Harbour – Manama, Bahrain 
Hilton Worldwide / LW Design 

Spa & Wellness

Banyan Tree Spa at Banyan Tree – Dubai, UAE
Dubai Holdings / Banyan Group / BLINK Design Group 

Desert Rock Resort – Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Oppenheim Architecture / Studio Paolo Ferrari 

Le Medi Spa at Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay – M’diq, Morocco 
Primarios / Royal Mansour / GCA Architects / Muza Lab 

Guerlain Spa at One&Only Le Saint Géran – Mauritius 
The Investment Corporation of Dubai / Kerzner International / Guerlain / BLINK Design Group 

Suite 

Delano Penthouse at Delano – Dubai, UAE
Dubai Holding / Ennismore / Accor / Kling / La Bottega  

Desert Rock Resort – Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Oppenheim Architecture / Studio Paolo Ferrari 

Two Bedroom Villas at The Ritz-Carlton, Ras Al Khaimah Al Wadi Desert – UAE
RAK / Marriott International / H+A / Desert Leisure 

Shebara Resort – Tabuk Province, Saudi Arabia 
Red Sea Global / Killa Design / Studio Paolo Ferrari 

Sustainability 

andBeyond Mnemba Island – Zanzibar, Tanzania 
andBeyond Travel / Fox Browne Creative in collaboration with Nicholas Plewman Architects 

Five Luxe – Dubai, UAE
Five Real Estate / FIVE Hotels and Resorts / AE7 / Russell Sage Studio / Ashley Sutton Design / Hafezi-Lopez Architects / Grapes Design / Goshá Buro 

Turaco Ngorongoro Valley, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel – Ngorongoro Conservation Area, Tanzania 
Opulent Parks / Opulent Hotel Group

www.aheadawards.com

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