Raffles Makkah Palace, Saudi Arabia

 

Raffles Makkah Palace, Saudi Arabia.  In August 2010, Raffles Makkah Palace opened in the new Abraj Al Bait Complex – a seven tower community in the very heart of Makkah, the world’s holiest city for around 1.6 billion Muslims. The hotel’s 209 suites - all with legendary Raffles Butlers - have panoramic views of the Grand Mosque.  It is here that the spiritual heart of Islam, the Ka’aba , or House of God, lies and is said to have been built by Abraham and his son Ishmael around 2000 BCE. King Abdulaziz Gate, the main entrance to the Grand Mosque, is just steps away.  The design of the hotel draws inspiration from the heritage and culture of the Middle East, while keeping with Raffles’ style of having each hotel reflect in a way a sense of its destination.  The Raffles Creamery serves a mixture of ice cream customized upon request, on an open terrace overlooking the Haram.  There is also a stylish tea salon ‘’Narjes’’ and two restaurants; Al Majlis, serving Middle Eastern cuisine and Al Qasr, serving food with a combination of Moroccan, Arabic and Indian flavours.  With a well equipped business centre and state-of-the-art meeting rooms, the hotel is perfect for the business traveller.  The Abraj Al Bait Complex, in which Raffles Makkah Palace is set, also has a department store, a prayer hall that can accommodate up to 10,000 people, a convention centre for up to 1,500 people, a parking garage for over 1,000 vehicles, a museum and a Lunar Observatory.

At a glance: 209 suites; 3 restaurants; 1 tea lounge; spa; his and hers fitness centres; Wi-Fi www.raffles.com/makkah