db group, one of Malta’s leading hospitality groups, is making its mark on the global stage through a landmark joint venture in the United Arab Emirates.

The group has announced that its subsidiary, SD Hotel Investments Holdings Limited, has entered into a 50:50 joint venture with RAK Hospitality Holding LLC (RAKHH), a Ras Al Khaimah-based entity owned by the emirate’s Investment and Development Office. The newly formed joint venture company, HR Hotel FZ LLC, has secured a partnership with global hospitality brand Hard Rock International to develop the UAE’s first-ever Hard Rock Hotel & Residences.

Set to open in 2028, the five-star destination will be located in Ras Al Khaimah’s Beach District. The project will feature approximately 300 hotel rooms and 400 branded residences, along with multiple restaurants, a rooftop bar, conference and event spaces, a beach club, swimming pools, a gym, and a full-service spa.

This move marks a significant milestone for SD Holdings Limited, best known locally for operating three well-established hotels – the db Seabank Resort & SPA in Mellieħa, the db San Antonio Hotel & SPA in Buġibba, and The Melior Boutique Hotel in Valletta. The group also runs several restaurants across the island including Westreme, Amami, Blu Beach, AKI Restaurant, Nine Lives, LOA, Sonora, and the Amami Food Bar at the University of Malta campus. Additionally, it operates under the Hard Rock Café and Starbucks franchises in Malta.

Beyond its domestic hospitality operations, SD Holdings also holds investments in associates that provide catering and healthcare services to hospitals, retirement homes, and airlines. 

The Ras Al Khaimah project signals the group’s first major foray beyond Maltese shores and into the Middle Eastern hospitality market.