The Ritz Carlton Hotel Company has opened their first hotel in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. As part of their aggressive expansion in the Middle East market they have managed a fantastic start in Saudi Arabia and are all reared up to cater to luxury travel and travelers. The Ritz Carlton Riyadh is a 493 room hotel in the Diplomatic Quarters adjacent to the King Abdul Aziz Convention Centre. Originally conceived as a royal guest palace for visiting dignitaries and heads of state, the hotel is appropriately palatial. The architecture is modeled on traditional palaces and elegant Arabian residences
The main building sits on 52 acres of landscaped gardens. The driveway leading to the main building is a kilometer long and there is a massive fountain in front. There are several other fountains in the gardens that boast of native palms and 600-year old olive trees from Lebanon. Herve Humler, president and chief operations officer of The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. believes that the location of the hotel offers many significant advantages to visiting guests and dignitaries. The luxury hotel company had been scouting for the right location for several years before this site was finalized.
Ethnic textures and vibrant colors have been used extensively in the interiors. There are 49 Royal Suites measuring 4,574 square feet that come with two bedrooms. The Executive suites have only one bedroom but are equally opulent. There are 50 such suites that measure 1,022 square feet. The hotel features several restaurants serving Lebanese, Asian and Italian cuisine. Another highlight of the hotel is a cigar lounge that offers the widest selection of Cuban cigars in Saudi Arabia. In addition, the hotel boasts of an indoor six-lane bowling alley, indoor swimming pool and men’s health club with three treatment rooms.
Via: gadling
