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Raffles Makes Mecca Pilgrimage Comfortable, Full of Ice Cream

The Raffles group is still planning to open another exclusive-sounding hotel, and it's going to be in the holiest Islamic city of them all. The Raffles Makkah Palace is due to be opened in November 2009.

If you're on a pilgrimage, this is the ultimate in luxury stopovers: Apparently the Raffles will be just a three minute walk from the Kaaba within the Al Masjid al Haram, the spot where everyone will be headed.

The hotel itself will occupy the 11th to 26th floors of the Abraj Al Bait Complex, and is slated to include 198 suites. Something that impresses us no end is that there'll be an average of three staffers per suite and 24-hour butler service, so finding refreshments after a wearying pilgrimage will be no problem at all.

On the culinary front, the Raffles Makkah Palace has a couple more ways to impress us. There'll be a dedicated chocolate room in the restaurant with pralines and truffles made to order, as well as an icecreamery offering personalized ice cream creations. Whatever chocolate and ice cream you want? Talk about religious experiences.