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29 March 2024

A holiday on Riyadh’s rooftop

Published
By Reena Amos Dyes

(SUPPLIED)   

 

If you are one of those people who just love to be pampered and waited upon hand and foot, then your next holiday should be in Saudi Arabia. This is because you will never experience the kind of hospitality anywhere else that you get at Riyadh’s Al Faisaliah Hotel.

 

Don’t believe it? Then try this for size. First, the Lord Norman Foster-designed 874 feet landmark hotel at the heart of the city’s Olaya district, has won three nominations in the World Travel Awards as the Middle East’s Leading Hotel, Saudi Arabia’s Leading Business Hotel and Saudi Arabia’s Leading Hotel.

 

Second, you won’t find the usual offering of executive floors that most hotels use these days to attract higher-paying businessmen and other travellers.

 

Third, the hotel has a 24-hour butler service and it’s not just for the guests who book themselves in the VIP suites. It’s for everyone who stays in the hotel.

 

Giving a few instances about the kind of service the butlers provide to the guests Costas Gavriel, Director of Sales and Marketing, Al Faisaliah Hotel told Emirates Business: “A couple stayed at the hotel recently to celebrate their 30th anniversary and booked a table in one of the restaurants.
 
Without either of them knowing, the butler arranged for a private table to be set up outside, with amazing views of Riyadh, music and personal waiter, with a specially prepared meal by the chef. Similarly a group of people from CNN got a nice surprise when they recently stayed at the hotel.
 
The hotel staff downloaded the CNN logo from the internet and had it embossed onto chocolates which were then kept in each guest’s room.

 

“Also, when guests bring photographs of their family with them they receive a nice surprise when they return to the hotel for a second stay. The butler takes the photographs of the family from them, scans and frames them and hangs them around the room, so that they feel at home,” said Gavriel.

 

But its butler service is not the only thing that the hotel is famous for, the three-story dome restaurant The Globe that sits atop the Al Faisaliah Tower also comes highly recommended.

 

Gavriel said: “The dining experience at The Globe restaurant is unrivalled in the Kingdom. The Globe serves exceptional food high above the city so that guests can enjoy breathtaking views while they eat. Many guests enjoy following their dinner in The Globe with a cigar in the Cigar Lounge, sitting on seats made from shark skin.”

 

However, the jewel in the crown are the $3,750 (Dh13,762) per night Royal Suites.

 

Gavriel said: “The royal suites have been designed by Lord Foster. Guests are able to enjoy the luxurious décor with top-of-the-range technology, breathtaking views of the city from a private terrace, high level of security and exclusive toiletries from Lady Primrose, in the vast space of the suite.”

 

The stunning suites come with a four-poster master king-bedded room with a private dressing area and separate twin accommodation.

 

The Royal Suites have a private dining room ideal for hosting events for up to 10 guests, satellite TV, video and CD players and opulent bathrooms with steam showers and a sunken Jacuzzi.

 

“Massages are also available in the suites by trained therapists,” Gavriel said.

 

Other amenities at the hotel include a health club with a 20-metre indoor pool, isotonic weight machines, sauna, steam room, needle showers, state-of-the-art cardiovascular equipment, relaxation area, as well as an exclusive spa.

 

So pamper yourself at this stunning Rosewood property and give yourself a holiday to remember.