UAE’s Emirates Palace Company (EPCO) has announced that Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group will be responsible for the management of Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi as of January 1, 2020, Invest-Gate reports.

“We are delighted to enter this fresh chapter with Mandarin Oriental, whose operational expertise will further enhance the guest experience in line with our leadership’s example to continue striving for excellence and extending world-class hospitality to anyone visiting or living in the UAE,” Mohamed Al Junaibi, chairman of EPCO, said in a statement on December 16.

The property will go through a phased renovation to upgrade its facilities to an ultra-luxury level and further elevate the positioning of the property. However, the hotel will remain open to guests.

Opened in 2005, the hotel comprises 302 rooms and 92 suites, with over nine international restaurants and featuring state of the art leisure facilities.

EPCO noted that awarding the new management contract was based on a highly competitive tender process, managed by JLL, an American commercial real estate services firm.