You Will Always Feel This Hotel Is From the Future: ME Dubai by Meliá on Zaha Hadid’s Enduring Vision

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From Zaha Hadid’s futuristic architectural vision to sustainability initiatives, digital guest services and the growing use of artificial intelligence, ME Dubai by Meliá is positioning itself at the intersection of design, technology and modern luxury hospitality.

Speaking exclusively to Travel and Tour World (TTW) at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) Dubai 2026, Gyunay Alieva, Director of Sales & Marketing at ME Dubai by Meliá, outlined how the property is differentiating itself in Dubai’s competitive luxury hotel market while also responding to changing international travel demand.

The interview was conducted by Apratim Ghoshal, Senior Editor, TTW, during ATM Dubai 2026.

A hotel defined by Zaha Hadid’s vision

At the heart of ME Dubai by Meliá’s identity is its architecture.

Alieva described the property as one of the most iconic buildings and creations associated with the late architect Zaha Hadid, whose influence extends throughout the hotel rather than being limited to its exterior.

The property forms part of The Opus by Omniyat in Dubai’s Business Bay area. The distinctive development is recognised for its glass cube structure and dramatic central void, while ME Dubai occupies the hotel component of the development.

What makes the hotel particularly distinctive is the extent of Hadid’s design involvement. According to Alieva, the architect’s vision encompasses not only the exterior but also the hotel’s interior and individual design elements.

“Everything inside the rooms is custom-made as per her sketches and design for the hotel,” Alieva explained during the interview.

This creates a continuous design language between the building and its interiors. Guests are therefore not simply staying inside a building designed by a renowned architect; they are experiencing a property in which the architectural concept extends into the rooms and other interior spaces.

The hotel combines that design heritage with Meliá’s lifestyle luxury positioning and what Alieva described as the warmth of Spanish hospitality.

That combination of futuristic architecture and Spanish-inspired hospitality forms a major part of the hotel’s positioning within Dubai’s luxury market.

A futuristic design designed to stay fresh

For Alieva, the architecture also directly influences the guest experience.

She described the interiors as modern and minimalist, with a luxury aesthetic designed to create a relaxed environment.

The colour palette has a specific connection to Dubai. Beige represents the Dubai desert, while dark blue represents Dubai at night.

Guests can consequently experience different atmospheres depending on the room environment and their preferences.

Alieva also believes the minimalist nature of Hadid’s designs gives the property an advantage over hotels based on shorter-lived design trends.

Rather than relying on a style that could quickly become dated, the hotel’s futuristic aesthetic is intended to remain contemporary for years to come.

Even after a decade or more, she said, guests should continue to feel that the property is modern.

“You will always feel that this hotel is from the future,” she said.

That futuristic quality is particularly significant in Dubai, a destination where architecture itself has become an important component of the visitor experience.

Sustainability moves beyond the hotel room

Design is only one part of ME Dubai by Meliá’s strategy.

Sustainability has also become increasingly important to the property, with Alieva highlighting Meliá’s broader sustainability focus as well as the hotel’s own initiatives.

She said ME Dubai received a Silver Award in the Dubai Sustainability Award this year, positioning the property among hotels working to strengthen their sustainability practices.

Technology is being used as part of this strategy.

The property aims to minimise its reliance on plastic and uses glass bottles instead. Alieva said the hotel currently does not use plastic in the manner traditionally associated with hotel operations.

The property also supports Dubai’s sustainability programmes, with reusable materials and waste being directed towards appropriate government and municipal channels where possible.

Sustainability is therefore being incorporated into operational practices rather than treated solely as a marketing message.

Digital technology is changing the guest journey

ME Dubai by Meliá is also using technology to reduce friction in the guest experience.

After checking in, guests can scan a QR code and access the hotel’s application. The application provides access to a range of services, including food ordering and room controls.

Guests can use the system to open and close curtains and switch lights on and off.

The application can also provide information when someone rings the guest’s door, allowing the guest to check who is outside without necessarily having to physically open the door.

The approach reflects the hotel’s wider technology-led positioning, where digital tools are intended to make the stay more convenient while also reducing unnecessary physical processes.

UAE remains the strongest market

While Dubai continues to attract visitors from around the world, ME Dubai by Meliá is seeing particularly strong demand from the UAE market.

Alieva identified the UAE as the property’s number-one market, including local residents and Emiratis.

At the same time, the hotel maintains a broad international source-market mix.

Among the markets highlighted during the interview were Russia, the United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, Belgium, Italy and Spain.

Spain remains an important market given Meliá’s Spanish heritage, although Alieva said it has not yet returned to the property’s top three source markets.

More importantly, the hotel is seeing new markets gain momentum.

Turkey, Brazil and Africa emerge as growth markets

Alieva said the property’s source-market landscape has been changing from month to month.

Turkey, which was previously not a particularly strong market for the property, has now developed into a stronger source market.

Demand from Brazil has also emerged as a notable development. Alieva described the growth of Brazilian travellers as surprising for the property, indicating that the market was not previously among its major sources of business.

The hotel is also receiving visitors from African markets including Nigeria, Senegal and Kenya.

These developments demonstrate the increasingly diversified nature of Dubai’s international visitor base and ME Dubai by Meliá’s own demand profile.

The Opus: A Dramatic Architectural Statement

At the heart of The Opus is its enormous central void, framed by curved glass and crossed by an asymmetric bridge approximately 71 metres above ground.

The void incorporates around 4,300 individual glass panels, including flat, single-curved and double-curved units. After dark, individually controlled LED lighting transforms the façade into a constantly changing visual feature, giving the building a distinctive presence on Dubai’s skyline.

The project’s architectural significance was recognised in 2021 when The Opus, home to ME Dubai, received the Hotel Design of the Year award at the INDEX Design Awards.

Inside ME Dubai’s Futuristic Guest Rooms

ME Dubai features 74 rooms and 19 suites, with interiors that continue the fluid aesthetic established by Hadid.

Curved forms, sculptural furniture and integrated bathroom designs create an environment that feels markedly different from conventional luxury hotels. Among the distinctive pieces designed for the property are the Opus beds and Petalinas sofas and Ottoman pods.

The bathrooms further reinforce the concept, featuring Hadid-designed elements from the Vitae collection created for Noken Porcelanosa.

For travellers interested in design, these details make the hotel more than a place to stay; they turn the guest room into part of the architectural experience.

Dining, Wellness and Lifestyle

ME Dubai also combines its design credentials with a lifestyle-oriented hospitality offering. Central, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant, reflects Meliá’s Spanish heritage, while The Opus complex has hosted internationally recognised restaurants including ROKA and The MAINE.

Guests also have access to wellness and leisure facilities including a spa, gym and outdoor swimming pool.

The hotel’s central Business Bay location provides convenient access to Downtown Dubai, the Burj Khalifa, Dubai Mall and the Dubai Water Canal, making it relevant to both leisure and business travellers.

A Distinctive Dubai Hospitality Experience

ME Dubai by Meliá stands apart because architecture is not treated as a backdrop. Zaha Hadid’s vision is embedded throughout the property, from the monumental Opus structure to the furniture, bathrooms and guest rooms.

For travellers seeking a stay defined by design, innovation and Dubai’s futuristic identity, ME Dubai offers an experience that goes beyond traditional five-star hospitality. It is a hotel where Zaha Hadid’s architectural language becomes part of the journey itself.ME

India becomes an increasingly important opportunity

India represents another market where the hotel is seeing growth.

Alieva said ME Dubai had not previously focused heavily on the Indian market. Following new market activations in India, however, the property has started seeing continued growth.

The development could become strategically important as Dubai remains one of the most accessible international destinations for Indian travellers and continues to attract Indian leisure, business and luxury travellers.

For ME Dubai, the expansion of Indian demand provides another opportunity to diversify its international customer base.

AI is coming to the guest experience

The next major technology development for ME Dubai by Meliá is artificial intelligence.

Alieva confirmed that the property has already begun implementing AI in internal processes, particularly in sales and marketing.

However, she made clear that AI has not yet been fully implemented for the guest experience.

That is part of the hotel’s future roadmap, with the technology being developed through Meliá’s head office.

One expected application is a more seamless check-in process. AI is expected to help make check-in easier and more efficient for guests once the relevant systems are introduced.

Alieva said the hotel expects its new AI systems to be in place by the end of 2026.

AI is already being used internally to support the hotel’s sales and marketing functions, including the MICE segment. According to Alieva, the technology can help teams generate automatic replies to clients and support business-generation processes.

A new chapter for Dubai luxury hospitality

ME Dubai by Meliá’s strategy reflects several of the forces reshaping Dubai’s luxury hospitality sector.

Its greatest differentiator remains the architectural legacy of Zaha Hadid, whose futuristic vision extends from the building’s exterior into its interiors and bespoke design elements.

At the same time, sustainability is becoming embedded in hotel operations, digital technology is simplifying guest interactions and AI is beginning to transform internal business processes.

Perhaps equally significant is the changing composition of demand. While the UAE remains the property’s strongest market, growth from India, Turkey, Brazil, Nigeria, Senegal and Kenya demonstrates how the hotel’s international customer base is evolving.

As ME Dubai by Meliá moves towards its next phase, the property is effectively bringing together four defining elements of contemporary luxury travel: iconic architecture, personalised hospitality, sustainability and technology.

And with AI-powered guest services now in the pipeline, the hotel appears determined to make its futuristic reputation extend beyond its Zaha Hadid-designed walls and into the way travellers experience luxury hospitality itself.