The Saudi Royal family is one of the wealthiest entities in the world. It's no wonder that Saudi Arabia has its fair share of luxury hotels. The majority of The Kingdom (as the country is known to itself) of Saudi Arabia's top hotels offer luxury suites approaching $10,000 a night, though economy rooms can be found for less than $300.
The Waldorf Astoria group's Qasr Al Sharq is nestled in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's ancient city of Jeddah, abutting the Red Sea. The hotel's name means "Palace of the Orient" in Arabic, and it's accommodations are appropriately luxurious: crystal chandeliers, hand-tiled mosaic floors, cultured marble, red carpeted staircases, and on-call personal assistants and butlers. While Qasr Al Sharq rooms begin at the relatively reasonable rate of 1150 SAR per night (roughly $306), a night in the Qasr Royal Suite is 35,000 SAR (about $9,300).
Qasr Al Sharq
North Corniche Road
PO Box 7079
Jeddah 21462
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
966-2-659-9999
qasralsharqjeddah.com
Riyadh's Al Faisaliah Hotel boasts, among other things, the largest column-free banquet, conference and meeting rooms in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Al Faisaliah features 24-hour butler service and Saudi cultural treasures such as the ancient suits of armor that dot the coves of the hotel's halls. In celebration of its tenth anniversary, the hotel opened the South Wing in 2010. The addition features a women-only spa facility and a world-class Italian restaurant. A night in Al Faisaliah's Royal Suite is 16,800 SAR (around $4,500).
Al Faisaliah Hotel
P.O. Box 4148
King Fahad Road
Olaya, Riyadh 11491
Saudi Arabia
966-1-273-2000
alfaisaliahhotel.com
The Oberoi Madina is within convenient distance of the Prophet's Mosque and other sacred places within the city. The hotel offers traditional Saudi design and architecture tempered by old world elegance. Spacious common areas are decorated with chandeliers and mosaics, though unlike those of Al Faisaliah, they are rife with columns. Three restaurants---a coffee shop with a comprehensive lunch menu, an Islamic-designed restaurant with Indian and Arabic cuisine, and a tea room with a view of the Prophet's Mosque---make for diverse dining. A night in the Oberoi Madina's most expensive suite runs 8768 SAR (about $2,338).
Madina Oberoi
PO Box 1880,
Abizar Road,
Madina Almunawara,
Kingdom Of Saudi Arabia
(966)-4-828-22-22
oberoihotels.com
