Qasr Al Sharq takes delivery of furnishings and rare artwork in preparation for March opening
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, February 5, 2006: Guests will experience unimaginable luxury and traditional Arabian hospitality in the exclusive Qasr al Sharq, Hilton International's first palace hotel, and the first of its kind in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The palace, set to open in Jeddah next month (March 2006), is currently taking delivery of an array of furnishings, accessories, and artwork that is sure to be admired by connoisseurs from around the world.
Opulent details adorning every corner of the hotel and a highly personalised butler service will enhance a feeling of pure indulgence and a true sense of luxury. Handpicked crystal and porcelain china, intricate mosaics, upholstery of the finest fabrics from around the globe, and fine art are all unique aspects of Qasr al Sharq or 'Palace of the Orient', the super luxury accommodation offering located adjacent to the Jeddah Hilton.
"The design brief was to create an authentic Arabian palace of unparalleled luxury, representative of the opulence and hospitality associated with historical Arabia. Palace interior designers spent extensive time researching arabesque design and working to blend colour and texture created specially for Qasr al Sharq. We want our guests to be completely enveloped; this is not just about a nice hotel room, it is an entire sensory experience," said Marc De Beer, Hotel Manager, Qasr al Sharq.
The Palace's decorative ceilings boast 60 Kg of gold leaf, which took six months to painstakingly apply. Countless types and colors of marble were hand-picked from around the world to create mosaic-inspired flooring.
1,200 crystal vases designed in Italy in more than 25 different designs will be accentuated throughout the Palace, and guests will be able to choose from five different types of 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. Each duvet cover has more then one million stitched threads of this fine gold embroidery. Bathroom amenities include leading international brands Hermes and Acqua de Parma, and a variety of 20 different oriental-scented soaps have been ordered exclusively for the Palace bathrooms.
The interiors of Qasr al Sharq were designed by KCA International, an internationally renowned interior design firm, with prestigious projects in its portfolio including Dubai's Burj Al Arab, and the Madinat Jumeirah hotels and souq complex, and more recently, concourses within the new Dubai International Airport.
"The Arabian Gulf region has many flavours, and served as our inspiration in designing the Palace. From the opulent oriental dcor of the restaurant, to classical arches we utilise Arabian design traditions such as mashrabeyah traditional woodwork and specialised plaster and metalwork combined with rich upholstery fabrics from around the East and West. Artwork was chosen specially for each guest suite," explained Khuan Chew, from KCA International.
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Note to Editors:
Hilton International (HI), an operating division of the UK based Hilton Group plc, owns the rights to the Hilton brand name throughout the world, with the exception of the USA, where the Hilton brand is owned and managed by Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC).
HI currently operates 31 hotels in the Middle East - 17 hotels in Egypt, eight hotels in the UAE, four in Saudi Arabia and one each in Oman and Kuwait. Hilton's heritage in the Arabian Peninsula stretches back over 30 years, when it became the first international hotel brand to open a property in the UAE - the Hilton Al Ain in 1972.
The 46-suite Qasr al Sharq, or 'Palace of the Orient' will become Hilton's first palace property when it opens in March this year. New Hilton properties are under development in Doha - Qatar, a worldwide resort in Ras Al Khaimah - UAE, in addition to the Arabian Peninsula's first Conrad hotel in Dubai.
Hilton International operates 403 hotels, with some 261 branded Hilton and 142 under the mid-market Scandic brand. Under a joint venture agreement, Hilton International and the North American based Hilton Hotels Corporation (HHC) share responsibility for the Conrad brand, which includes 17 hotels in 12 countries. A global marketing alliance between Hilton International and Hilton Hotels Corporation extends the number of hotels operated by both companies worldwide to over 2,700 - over 500 of which are branded Hilton.
Hilton Worldwide Resorts is an upscale, global resort network with a collection of 57 resorts, located in exotic places, making up the world's largest global choice. Currently, 36 resorts are operated by Hilton International - including four all-inclusive Coral by Hilton resorts, 18 by Hilton Hotels Corporation and three by Conrad. Hilton International Grand Vacations Company presently operates four resorts in Scotland and Egypt, comprising 271 time-ownership units.
Hilton International employs over 71,000 staff in 80 countries. Committed to doing business in a responsible way, Hilton International's aim is to bring a positive benefit to the societies in which it operates through high quality services, economic growth, environmental protection, community involvement and employment.
For further information please visit our corporate website at www.hiltongroup.com or to download images please visit www.vismedia-online.com
The Hilton Reservations and Customer Care telephone numbers in the Middle East are as follows:
UAE - 8000 20000 11 Qatar - 800 97103
KSA - 800 82000 10 Egypt - 19009
Bahrain - 8000 4058 Jordan - 00 202 5805927
Kuwait - 371 1434 Lebanon - 00 202 5805928
Oman - 800 788788 Syria - 00 202 5805926
Qasr al Sharq Arabian Peninsula Press Office
Nick Wheywell / Mare Elston
ASDA'A Public Relations
Edelman exclusive Middle East affiliate
Tel: ++ 9714 3344550
Fax: 9714 3344556
n.wheywell@asdaa.com / m.elston@asdaa.com
© Press Release 2006
