Hotel Mandarin Oriental di Riyadh

The Mandarin Oriental in Riyadh was, hands down, one of the best hotel experiences I have ever had. This is a lot for me to say, since Saudi was my 65th visited country. The staff were truly amazing and were always there to help you out in every way possible. When asking where something is, they will not tell you … they will personally bring you there. Even if it is in one of the other buildings. It is easy to see that the management places service as a number one priority. As you wander around the hotel you will notice that every section is carefully designed and offers a new interesting feature to please the eye. Now, of course, the dining. On our first evening we had dinner in the Al Faisaliah tower in “The Globe” restaurant. Of course, we did enjoy the stunning views of the city on the observation deck before dinner. We selected the sampler meal with the cocktail matching which was very exquisite. The main dishes were the Chilean Salmon and the Australian lamb. The meal finishes off with a rich hazelnut chocolate dessert. For breakfast and dinner the following day we went for the buffet selections at “The Brasserie” which is located in the main building, The selections for both meals would take too long to describe here. From delicious Lebanese cuisine to a selection of Chinese, Italian and, naturally, traditional Arabic foods, there is something for everyone. The food is laid out with such detail and interesting placements … almost like a museum of food. The rooms are luxurious and, again, very stylish and detailed. From the heated toilet seats that open up when you enter and night lights that follow your movements when you are up late, they seem to have everything covered. The rooms are kept meticulously clean and well stocked with free water (and chocolates) several times a day. In the unlikely event that you do run out of something you can call your personal butler and he will be there quickly to provide what you need. The beds are large and comfortable and have all the pillows you could possibly need. The hotel has the usual spa and workout facilities and has pretty much everything you could want. There are, however, separate spa and gym facilities for men and women so if you are there with a spouse, you will be working out by yourself (consider this your alone time). So there you have it. If you are ready to feel pampered and well taken care of and are looking for a truly luxurious experience then you have to look no further than “The Mandarin Oriental Hotel” in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.