Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, April 26, 2006: Hilton International's first ever palace hotel is set to open on May 15th and promises discerning travellers unmatched levels of luxury, exclusivity and Arabian hospitality.

Conveniently located adjacent to the Jeddah Hilton, the 46 all-suite premier property is set to re-define the booming tourism and hospitality sectors in Saudi Arabia, with a host of first-ever services and amenities such as the largest guest suites in the region, a unique personalised butler service and unimaginable interior design aspects of a most spectacular calibre, to name a few.

With government focus shifting to domestic tourism as a highly promising source of income, the opening of Hilton's 'Palace of the Orient' could not have come at a better time: "It is an established fact that the Kingdom is relying on domestic tourism as an important source of income. 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 KSA," said Marc de Beer, Manager of Qasr Al Sharq.

Nearly 4.5 million Saudi nationals travel abroad every year, a fact that has spurred the Saudi tourism authority to encourage KSA nationals to travel within the Kingdom: "Qasr Al Sharq will offer seasoned travellers, who know exactly what they want, the highest standards of luxury and sheer exclusivity. We believe that Saudi nationals will account for 95 per cent of all our guests", said Marc de Beer.

Qasr Al Sharq will offer guests a dreams-come-true lodging experience set in the heart of Arabia. Facing the Red Sea on the main Corniche, the palace is a nine-storey triangular shaped granite building with oriental architectural design. The palace comprises of two palace suites - each covering half a floor with two master bedrooms, a private sitting room, a 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 audio-visual equipment, WiFi internet access and automated controls for lighting, curtains, temperature control and refreshment centers. 

Exclusivity Redefined:

At Qasr Al Sharq, the lavish hospitality experience starts even before guests make it through the Palace gates as they are introduced to a unique world of exclusivity the moment they land.  Luggage retrieval and airport transfer via a luxury limousine driven by specially trained chauffeurs, ensures that every minute detail of their stay is taken care of.

Another industry first is the personalised butler service, the first such top level, personalised service in any hotel in the Kingdom. A loyal staff of 17 butlers ensures that each and every individual need and request is fully met, 24 hours a day.

"Our guests will be among the most discerning. Their needs will run the gamut of high tech solutions for global communications and conferencing, to dietary needs, to strictest privacy and security arrangements, and an entire array of individual considerations and preferences. 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," explained de Beer.

Interiors: Lavish and refined 

Saudi Arabia's first palace hotel is an authentic Arabian palace of unparalleled luxury, representative of the opulence and hospitality that is historical Arabia. Interior designers spent an extensive time researching arabesque designs and working to blend colour 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 60Kg of gold leaf, which took six months to painstakingly apply.  Countless types and colours of marble were handpicked from around the world to create the mosaic-inspired flooring. 1,200 crystal vases designed in Italy in more than 25 different designs add to the sheer 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. 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. 

Dining: Indulge the Senses

Guests can experience the best of Middle Eastern cuisine at Mataam Al Sharq oriental restaurant, served in a sumptuous setting. Located on the second floor, and overlooking the Red Sea, it has 100 seats with private dining facilities available for 10 to 30 guests. 

The palace's other restaurant, Bice, is a world-renowned elegant Italian restaurant serving traditional Italian food. Located on the second floor overlooking the Red Sea, it accommodates 96 seats with a private dining room for 12 guests. Both Mataam Al Sharq and Bice are open for lunch and dinner.

"It is an honour to be associated with what will become the region's most luxurious hotel.  Levels of service at the palace will be second to none, and will provide a benchmark for the industry, both within the Middle East and abroad," concluded de Beer.

-Ends-

Note to Editors:
Hilton Hotels Corporation is the leading global hospitality company, with nearly 2,800 hotels and 475,000 rooms in more than 80 countries, with 150,000 team members worldwide. 

More than 2,300 hotels are owned, managed or franchised in the USA with a portfolio of some of the best known and highly regarded hotel brands including Hilton, Conrad, Coral by Hilton, Doubletree, Embassy Suites Hotels, Hampton Inn, Hampton Inn & Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Hilton Grand Vacations, Homewood Suites by Hilton and The Waldorf=Astoria Collection.

Outside the USA, the company operates 261 hotels branded Hilton and 129 under the mid-market Scandic brand. 

The company 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 May this year. Later this year will also see the opening of the first phase of a Worldwide Resort in Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. New Hilton properties are also under development in Doha marking the company's first foray into Qatar, and the Arabian Peninsula's first Conrad hotel in Dubai, in addition to a beach club, also in Dubai.

For more information about our company, please visit www.hiltonfamily.com. 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                      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
Rami Halawani / Anoushka Misra
ASDA'A Public Relations
Edelman exclusive Middle East affiliate
Tel: ++ 9714 3344550
Fax: 9714 3344556
r.halawani@asdaa.com / a.misra@asdaa.com

© Press Release 2006