Marriott International today celebrated the re-launch of its landmark property, the Riyadh Marriott Hotel. Opened in 1980, located in the heart of Riyadh, and operating under the flagship Marriott Hotels brand, the Riyadh Marriott Hotel was Marriott International’s first property in the Middle East and Africa.
“I am delighted to celebrate this historic milestone with the re-launch of our beautiful Riyadh Marriott Hotel. This property is iconic for Marriott International and for the city of Riyadh. Mr. Marriott himself signed the deal and visited Riyadh back in 1979 when the hotel was under construction,” said Alex Kyriakidis, President and Managing Director, Marriott International Middle East and Africa.
“The Riyadh Marriott Hotel is a beacon. It showcases our authenticity as a company, our roots and the strength of our partnership with SHARACO, the owners of the property for more than 30 years. With the refurbishment, the hotel also symbolizes and showcases our vision, as we continue to innovate and lead the future of travel,” continued Mr. Kyriakidis.
With the completion of the extensive, 1.5-year brand refresh the Riyadh Marriott Hotel has been taken to a new level of style and sophistication.
“We are very pleased to see our shared vision with Marriott International come to life. Our refurbished five-star property is evidence of our commitment to continued innovation in guest services and experience,” said Dr. Badr Al-Badr, CEO, Saudi Hotels and Resorts Company (SHARACO).
The newly refurbished Riyadh Marriott Hotel features one of Marriott Hotels’ signature new innovations – the ‘Great Room’ – which is being rolled out across all hotels in the region.
“The Hotel has been transformed to reflect the brand’s new positioning to cater to the next generation of travelers who blend work and play, demand style and substance, and require technology to stay connected,” said Muin Serhan, General Manager for the Riyadh Marriott Hotel. “The Great Room at the Riyadh Marriott Hotel is stunning with an Arabian oasis atmosphere. Our guests can socialize, unwind, work or dine in this up-scale space where they can enjoy the ambience created by the spectacular light installations, Mashrabiya wooden screens, glass mosaics, water feature and plush seating. The area is work-ready too with hot desks, private meeting spaces and free guest Internet access 24 hours a day.”
Other new features and amenities at the Riyadh Marriott Hotel include:
- 418 newly-remodeled rooms incorporating modern furnishings with a contemporary look, neutral colours and accents of the brand’s iconic red. Smart lighting and high-tech facilities including jack-pack technology are also provided.
- The Atrium Café in the Great Room for relaxed meals and drinks throughout the day.
- A newly-designed contemporary executive lounge for dining, relaxing and working with a skyline view of the city of Riyadh. The lounge offers complimentary food and beverages throughout the day. Fully equipped business center facilities, a private meeting room and high-speed Internet are also free of charge for guests staying on the executive floors.
- Introduction of a ladies-only gym, where our female guests can workout on the latest LifeFitness equipment.
- Bodyline, Riyadh’s largest hotel gym with LifeFitness equipment overlooking the impressive heated, indoor swimming pool and luxurious jacuzzi. This builds on the existing spa treatment zone and, squash and rooftop tennis court facilities.
- Stunning new Royal Suite and exclusive crew lounge.
- Terrace Grill fine-dining steakhouse. A MENA Travel Award winner and the only restaurant in Riyadh specializing in “Angus Beef”.
- MENA Travel Award winning Makarim Conventions Center with grand ballrooms to facilitate business conferences, weddings and other social events.
At present, there are 500 Marriott Hotels and Resorts in nearly 60 countries around the world. Marriott Hotels currently operates 16 hotels in 7 countries in the Middle East and Africa with a total 5,397 rooms. By 2017, there will be a further 13 properties across the region, raising the room count by nearly 3,000 rooms.
In Saudi Arabia, the Marriott Hotels brand is represented with locations in Riyadh, Jeddah and Madinah, with a new property in Makkah scheduled to open by Q4 of this year. This new five-star property is located near the Grand Mosque in the Jabal Omar development.
Marriott International operates under four lodging brands across the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Marriott Hotels, Marriott Executive Apartments, Courtyard by Marriott and The Ritz-Carlton, and currently has seven properties in Riyadh, Jeddah, Madina and Jazan with 1,651 rooms. There are a further seven properties scheduled to join Marriott International’s portfolio in the Kingdom by 2017, bringing in new brands and new cities, bringing the total room count to 4,125:
- 83-unit Residence Inn by Marriott Jazan (2014)
- 540-room Makkah Marriott Hotel (2014)
- 210-room Courtyard by Marriott Riyadh Olaya Street (2015)
- 639-room JW Marriott Hotel Makkah (2016)
- 370-room JW Marriott Hotel Jeddah (2016)
- 432-room Courtyard by Marriott Makkah (2017)
- 200-room Courtyard by Marriott Riyadh North (2017)