The name Jumeirah might not be familiar to most, but its flagship hotel should be. The now-iconic, sail-shaped Burj Al Arab in Dubai leads the Dubai-based company's portfolio of owned and/or operated luxury, award-winning hotels.

In January, Jumeirah assumed management of the Essex House, a New York City landmark hotel, its first foray into the U.S. luxury market. The company is embarking on a $50-million renovation and refurbishment of the hotel, one of the city's first Art Deco buildings, located on Central Park South.

While the company's hotels bear the Jumeirah brand, the company is committed to preserving and nurturing a distinctive character and guest experience for each. This mission statement is conveyed through Jumeirah's tagline: “Stay Different.”

Last September the company announced plans to expand its network of international sales offices and launch a private label GDS code for all its hotels, ending its association with Leading Hotels of the World. “The introduction of ‘JT’ as the private label code for Jumeirah is another important step towards global recognition for our brand and our individual hotel experiences,” says Bill Walshe, chief sales and marketing officer for the company.