Hilton's First Palace Hotel to Open 15 May 2006

Hilton International’s first ever palace hotel is set to open on 15 May 2006. Conveniently located adjacent to the Jeddah Hilton, the 46 all-suite premier property is aiming to re-define the booming tourism and hospitality sectors in Saudi Arabia, with a host of special services and amenities such as some of the largest guest suites in the region and a unique personalised butler service to name but 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, facing the Red Sea on the main Corniche, 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 centres.

“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.

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 hand picked 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 décor. 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.

Guests can also 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 an 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.

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