JEDDAH, 28 April 2006 -- Hilton International's first palace hotel is set to open on May 15. Located adjacent to the Jeddah Hilton on the Corniche, the 46 all-suite Qasr Al-Sharq boasts a host of services and amenities including the largest guest suites in the region, a personalized butler service and "unimaginable interior design aspects of a most spectacular caliber."
Recent statistics reveal that domestic tourism could generate around SR101 billion by 2020. "And we believe that Qasr Al-Sharq will play a significant role in shaping the future of high-end tourism in the Kingdom," its manager Marc de Beer told Arab News yesterday.
Nearly 4.5 million Saudi nationals travel abroad every year, a fact that has spurred the Kingdom's tourism authority to encourage its nationals to travel within the Kingdom. "Qasr Al-Sharq will offer seasoned travelers, who know exactly what they want, the highest standards of luxury and sheer exclusivity. We believe that Saudi nationals will account for 95 percent of all our guests," de Beer said.
Qasr Al-Sharq comprises two palace suites - each covering half a floor with two master bedrooms, a private sitting room, large formal majlis, large dining room and kitchen, and a private health club that includes a gym, sauna and Jacuzzi - in addition to eight royal suites, 12 executive suites and 24 junior suites all of which are fully equipped with state-of-the-art technology for audiovisual entertainment, WiFi internet access and automated controls for lighting, curtains, temperature control and refreshment centers.
"At Qasr Al-Sharq, luggage retrievals and airport transfers will be done via a luxury limousine driven by specially trained chauffeurs," he said, adding that a staff of 17 butlers will ensure that each and every individual need and request is fully met, 24 hours a day. "This hotel is a palace and it will be run as one. The service is not comparable to a hotel stay. The personal butler and round the clock housekeeping and dining services are all integral parts of any guest experience at Qasr Al-Sharq," de Beer added.
Interior designers spent an extensive time researching arabesque designs and working to blend color and textures created specially for Qasr Al-Sharq, so that guests are completely enveloped in a rich sensory experience. The palace's decorative ceilings boast 60 kg gold leaf, which took six months to painstakingly apply. Countless types and colors of marble were handpicked from around the world to create the mosaic-inspired flooring. Some 1,200 crystal vases designed in Italy in more than 25 different designs add to the luxury of the palace, and guests will be able to choose from five different types of precious chinaware including Raynaud, Rosenthal and Artichaut. All beds are adorned with 600-thread count cotton linens designed in Venice. The texture resembles satin, and gold thread embroidery is custom designed to compliment the room dcor.
By K.S. Ramkumar
© Arab News 2006
