When the prestigious Aloft Dubai South in the United Arab Emirates opened on October 15, 2018, guests, visitors and staff at the new hotel were already protected by an advanced video surveillance system with Arecont Vision Costar megapixel cameras.

The Aloft Dubai South is located in the heart of Aviation City, in the sizzling new Dubai South district. The hotel is notable not just for its 145 loft-inspired rooms, but also for its tech-savvy approach, fresh design, funky decor and “buzz-worthy” happenings.   The hotel features a guest-oriented open space which is intended as a social hub for music, design and tech enthusiasts, along with the hip WXYZ bar, tech-forward Tactic rooms, the international cuisine Nook restaurant and for satisfying guest cravings 24/7 at Re:fuel.  The hotel also features the Re:charge gym and Splash pool.

The security system protects people and property by ensuring complete facility surveillance, from the basement through the ground level and up seven more floors and then onto the roof. The Arecont Vision Costar cameras were installed in accordance with the Dubai Police Security Integration Regulatory Authority (SIRA) approval and by meeting Marriott International’s Security and Safety Requirements.

All 160 Arecont Vision Costar cameras selected are 1080p from the MegaIP™ series. They are a tailored mix of MegaBall®, MegaDome® and MicroBullet®  family models that are deployed throughout the entire facility in both public and secure areas to provide outstanding coverage.

While other vendors’ cameras were considered, in the end the customer and Dubai Police SIRA-authorized consultant opted to employ only Arecont Vision Costar cameras. The system offers both local monitoring and a full-coverage video feed to the Dubai Police SIRA. Marriott International also needed to be sure that the surveillance system delivered the highest guest satisfaction and safety, while ensuring the hotel and its assets are protected 24/7.

The evaluation process was quite lengthy. It required interviews of other Arecont Vision Costar customers and physical inspection of local surveillance projects using the cameras.  Each model of camera was also submitted to Marriott International for approval and validation of product quality.

Aditya Rajaram is Managing Director of Radar Holdings, which owns the new hotel.

“We conducted a vigorous study of Arecont Vision Costar and other suppliers.  We found Arecont Vision’s backend delivery and logistics in complying with our requirements to be far superior than others,” states Rajaram. “Furthermore, we received references from other local businesses such as other Marriott hotels and Al Nabooda Automobiles for their Audi and Porsche showrooms and service centers.”

“The overall feedback we received from our reference checks were that the Arecont Vision Costar cameras are highly reliable, stable and with high quality, and that product support and service was very superior,” continues Rajaram. “Those are all things we required for the hotel.”

The Arecont Vision Costar cameras cover the facility’s basement, with pump room, diesel tank room, fire pump room, electrical backup generator room, high voltage room, surveillance system control room, and the staff and security entrance. Also protected are the receiving area, food & beverage and alcohol storage areas, Building Management System room, cash drop and cashier’s safes, security deposit room, engineering stores, the rooftop mechanical rooms and other Back of House areas.  The public area coverage extends to the lobby and open space, WXYZ bar, Nook restaurant, corridors, and all entrances and exits.  Finally, all external areas including the parking entrance areas and the pool deck are also covered by the megapixel cameras.

The Arecont Vision Costar cameras scored highly on a number of other items, including simplified installation, reduced number of cameras required due to high quality 1080p resolution, the low profile of the cameras, integration pre-testing with the selected VMS system, and a multi-year warranty all added up to a strong return on investment (ROI) calculation.  The cameras were also praised for their proven reliability, day/night capabilities with advanced color low light technology, and Wide Dynamic Range for areas with challenging lighting conditions.  These benefits combined to require less manpower and reduce the cost of both installation and ongoing operations while providing outstanding overall situational awareness.

“Arecont Vision cameras have already been crucial in supporting us in two loss prevention issues,” says Rajaram. “We had a burst pipe in the lobby during construction, and the cameras were able to help us identify the exact source and timeline of the leak due to the quality and clarity of the video.

“Furthermore, we had another incident where a delivery truck struck one of our pylons. The Arecont Vision Costar camera was able to very clearly catch the damage and identify even very minor details of the number plate and driver in order to file the necessary loss prevention complaint.”

Rajaram continues: “In both of these situations, we were very satisfied with the outcome that the cameras were able to deliver.  We were able to seamlessly pass on the necessary images and video to Marriot’s Global Loss Prevention Team, ensuring that the appropriate action was taken for insurance purposes.”

The surveillance system was installed both on time for the hotel’s opening and on budget.  Customers, visitors, staff and the facility are well protected by the surveillance system employing the Arecont Vision Costar cameras as guests enjoy their stay at this modern and stylish new hotel.

Case study contributed by Arecont Vision Costar.