Raffles Makkah Palace

Coordinates: 21°23′21″N 39°51′28″E / 21.389082°N 39.857912°E

Raffles Makkah Palace
General information
Location	Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Address	King Abdul Aziz Endowment Mecca, Saudi Arabia
Opening	August 12, 2014
Owner	Raffles Hotels & Resorts
Height	58 m (190 ft)
Technical details
Floor count	18
Design and construction
Architect	Areen Hospitality
Other information
Number of rooms	209
Website
Raffles Makkah

Raffles Makkah Palace is a hotel located in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. The 18-story hotel is a 5-star luxury hotel operated by Raffles Hotels & Resorts, which is under the Fairmont Hotels and Resorts corporate umbrella. The property is located directly adjacent to Masjid al-Haram, the Grand Mosque, and offers easy access to King Abdulaziz Gate, which is the main entrance to the mosque.

History

Construction on the hotel began in 2009 and was officially opened on August 12, 2010. The exterior and interior of the hotel were designed and constructed by Areen Hospitality, a London based firm.^[1] The design goal was to incorporate touches of local Saudi Arabian architecture and culture.

While Raffles Makkah Palace is managed by Fairmont hotels & Resort, Kingdom Hotels International and Colony Capital LLC both remain key shareholders in the property. The hotel is also a part of the Kind Abdul Aziz Endowment, which has the goal to modernize the city in catering to the Hajj pilgrims.^[2] The property is located close to various tourist attractions such as Masjid Al-Haram, Kaaba, Jabal Al Nour (Mountain of Light), Al Jamarat, Jabal Thawr, and Abraj Al Bait Shopping Mall.

Restaurants

Raffles Makkah Palace offers 4 food and beverage options:

• Al Majlis – A Levantine fine-dining restaurant with an eastern Mediterranean-influenced menu.
• Al Qasr – An à la carte restaurant featuring an Arabic, Indian, Moroccan and western cuisines.
• Narjes Tea Lounge – A casual lounge serving a light snacks, teas, and coffees.
• The Creamery – An artistic and family-friendly café

Awards and accolades

Raffles Makkah Palace has won a variety of luxury hospitality awards including:

• Raffles Makkah Palace Honorable Mention – The Middle East Interior Design Competition (2013)^[3]
• 2013 Middle East’s Leading Luxury Hotel (World Travel Awards)^[4]
• 2012 Middle East’s Leading Luxury Hotel (World Travel Awards)^[5]
• 2011 World’s Leading Luxury All Suite Hotel (World Travel Awards)^[6]
• 2011 Middle East’s Leading Luxury Hotel (World Travel Awards)^[7]

Footnotes

1. "Areen Hospitality" Retrieved 11.04.2014
2. "Abraj Al Bait" Retrieved 11.04.2014
3. "2013 The Middle East Interior Design Competition" Retrieved 11.04.2014
4. "Middle East's Leading Luxury Hotel 2013" Retrieved 11.04.2014
5. "Middle East's Leading Luxury Hotel 2012" Retrieved 11.04.2014
6. "World's Leading Luxury All Suite Hotel 2011" Retrieved 11.04.2014
7. "World's Leading Luxury All Suite Hotel 2011" Retrieved 11.04.2014