Marriott International Inks Deal to Open Eight Hotels in Saudi Arabia
Marriott International announced it has signed an agreement with Rua Al Madinah Holding Company to open as many as eight hotels in the Holy City of Madinah in Saudi Arabia.
The new openings will comprise approximately 4,400 rooms across eight of the hotel giant’s well-known brands, including The Ritz-Carlton, JW Marriott, Marriott Hotels, Westin Hotels & Resorts, Le Méridien Hotels & Resorts, Four Points by Sheraton, Aloft Hotels and Courtyard by Marriott.
The properties will be located in close proximity to the Prophet’s Mosque, Al Masjid An Nabawi, as part of the Rua Al Madinah Project, which seeks to enhance the travel experience for visitors to Madinah. The development is expected to cover 1.5 million square meters, including 47,000 new rooms by 2030.
The Ritz-Carlton, Rua Al Madinah will boast 151 luxe rooms and suites including a signature Ritz-Carlton suite, multiple dining concepts, a 500-square-meter ballroom, a fitness center and Ritz Kids space while the JW Marriott Rua Al Madinah will house 252 guestrooms and suites in addition to multiple dining concepts, a fitness center and meeting spaces.
The Madinah Marriott Hotel Rua Al Madinah will offer travelers another 450 spacious guestrooms and suites on top of dining, recreation, and meeting facilities; Le Méridien Rua Al Madinah will boast 533 modern guestrooms and suites as well as three dining concepts in addition to recreation and meeting facilities while The Westin Rua Al Madinah will feature 361 rooms and suites, three dining outlets, a fitness center, a kids club, and meeting facilities.
Finally, Four Points by Sheraton Rua Al Madinah is expected to add 777 modern rooms and apartments, two all-day dining concepts, spacious meeting facilities, and a fitness center while Aloft Rua Al Madinah and Courtyard by Marriott Rua Al Madinah will house a combined 1,810 rooms and suites, 1,100 square meters of meeting space and multiple dining and recreation offerings.
“There is a strong demand for high-quality hotel accommodation in Madinah and we are delighted to work with Rua Al Madinah Holding Company to support the enhancement and diversification of the city’s hospitality landscape,” Satya Anand, President, Europe, Middle East & Africa, Marriott International, said in a statement. “This multi-deal agreement also strengthens our footprint in Saudi Arabia where we continue to see strong growth momentum in line with the Kingdom’s vision for its tourism sector.”
“The agreement with one of the world’s leading hospitality operators brings the Rua Al Madinah project a step closer to realizing its ambitions to further enrich Madinah city’s Hajj and Umrah services,” added Eng. Ahmed Al Juhani, CEO of Rua Al Madinah Holding Company. “This collaboration will culminate in the launch of eight new hotels and nearly 4.400 rooms that will serve both residents as well as visitors from around the world looking to visit Madinah.”
Marriott’s portfolio in Saudi Arabia currently includes 36 properties and more than 10,000 rooms across 11 of its brands.