30 June 2016
JEDDAH: The rent for a hotel room for two, inclusive of meals, facing the Holy Kaaba ranges from SR70,000 to SR200,000 during the last 10 days of Ramadan. And the room without a view of the Grand Mosque fetches something between SR37,000 and 45,000. This has been revealed by Abdullah Al-Amiri, a booking agent at a hotel overlooking the Haram.

Since the beginning of Ramadan, the privileged few have reserved hotel suites overlooking the Grand Mosque, especially those facing the western and southern courtyards of Haram, said, a local press report.

Rivalry among hotels over the types of services, quality of furniture and high living standards is natural in the last 10 days of the holy month, as the rich prefer to visit Makkah during this period, leaving business headaches at home.

All five-star hotels overlooking the holy mosque are exempt from penalties for hiking rents during this period, something that has increased the competition in offering perks that befit the wealthy in terms of comfort, quality of food and even personal escorts.

Adding an extra bed to the room during the 10 days costs nearly SR5,000.

Al-Amiri revealed that some people have already reserved rooms for the last 10 days of Ramadan in 1438.

"Wealthy people are of different nationalities, but mainly from the Gulf region. The rest are Arabs and foreigners, including a number of very well-known sheikhs."

© Arab News 2016