http://www.hotelchatter.com/ Hotel Reviews, Hotel Ratings, Hotel Openings en-us Copyright 2008 - SFO Media 2009-11-25T00:25:02Z HotelChatter HotelChatter http://www.hotelchatter.com/images/hcwhite.jpg http://www.hotelchatter.com/ http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/6/29/53945/2643 <![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/3873/Park_Hyatt_Jeddah_Pool.jpg" class="top"><p> <p>The <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Park%20Hyatt%20Hotels"><b>Park Hyatt</b></a> group have just added a new hotel in Saudi Arabia, with the <b>Park Hyatt Jeddah</b> opening up for business. As well as a five-star hotel there are also a Red Sea marina, club and spa in the complex so it sounds like a good vacation hotel, but they're also looking to get business travelers with fancy meeting facilities and a location close to Jeddah's financial district. <p>Creating this resort involved <b>reclaiming land from the Red Sea</b>, but Park Hyatt promises that they made sure to "retain the delicate surrounding marine life", and we sure hope that's true. Of course, the result is that the place has great views over the Red Sea and amandak 2009-07-01T10:16:16-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2009/5/13/75352/3395 <![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/6929/Reception_Lobby_b.jpg" class="top"><p> <p>The <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/tag/Raffles%20Hotels">Raffles group</a> is still <a href="http://www.raffles.com/EN_RA/LeftFooterNavigation/Media_Room/Press_Release/06052009.htm">planning to open</a> another exclusive-sounding hotel, and it's going to be in the holiest Islamic city of them all. The <b>Raffles Makkah Palace</b> is due to be opened in November 2009.<p>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.<p>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 amandak 2009-05-13T08:56:53-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2008/3/19/132857/348 <![CDATA[<p><img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/luthanspahotel.jpg" class="imgborder"><p><blockquote><p>For a country that goes to such great lengths to segregate unrelated men and women, it took Saudi Arabia a long time to hit on the idea of women-only hotels.</blockquote></p><p> So begins this Reuters <a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/lifestyleMolt/idUSL1954726520080319">article</a> about the <a href="http://www.luthanspa.com/en/about_us.htm"><b>Luthan Hotel &amp; Spa</b></a>, owned by 20 Saudi princesses and businesswomen, who believe the property is meeting a very big demand in the city of Riyadh. <p> Reuter's reports that the rooms, which start at $93 a night, are "delicately adorned" with incense candles, rose-red fabrics and bas-reliefs of cherubs. What's more, every person employed by the hotel, right down to the bellhop, is a woman, allowing for those of the female persuasion to pamper themselves away from "the jennm 2008-03-19T15:24:31-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/11/12/34212/729 <![CDATA[<img src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/3873/OrientalPalaceJeddah.jpg" class="imgborder"><p> <p>If you're becoming a fan of the Waldorf-Astoria Collection of hotels--think back to our hype on the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2007/11/3/151432/747/hotels/A_Desert_Getaway_to_the_La_Quinta_Resort_and_Club">La Quinta Resort</a> last week, also a part of this group--then we've got another deal for you that's just a touch more exotic.</p><p>Over in Saudi Arabia, the <a href="http://www.hotelchatter.com/"><b>Qasr Al Sharq</b></a> or Palace of the Orient hotel in Jeddah is also a member of the Waldorf-Astoria Collection. It's an exclusive place of just 46 suites and they're offering a four-night package at the moment which pretty much fits the idea of staying in a palace.</p><p>For just over US$5000, you'll get four nights in a junior suite and on your way into Saudi, VIP arrival at the airport--that means you amandak 2007-11-12T09:15:01-05:00 http://www.hotelchatter.com/story/2006/4/26/125131/969 <![CDATA[<p><img align="right" src="http://www.hotelchatter.com/files/admin/hilton_palace.jpg"><a href="http://www.hilton.com"><b>Hilton</b> </a> is set to open their first ever palace hotel in Saudia Arabia on May 15. <p>The Palace of the Orient, or Qasr Al Sharq, hotel will have only 46-suites (the largest guest suites in the region), personalized butler service and "unimaginable interior design aspects."<blockquote><p> Facing the Red Sea on the main Corniche, the palace is a nine-storey triangular shaped granite building with oriental architectural design. The palace comprises of two palace suites - each covering half a floor with two master bedrooms, a private sitting room, a large formal majlis, large dining room and kitchen, and a private health club that includes a gym, sauna and Jacuzzi.</blockquote></p><p> The ceiling is done Trump-style in 60kg of juliana 2006-04-26T12:55:43-05:00 Search HotelChatter string http://www.hotelchatter.com/search/