Top ten hotel openings in the Middle East 2010 (#2)

Raffles Makkah Palace – Once in a while a project comes along that really captures the imagination and Raffles Makkah Palace is one of them. The hotel is situated in the very heart of Makkah and is part of the Mecca Royal Clock Tower development. Occupying 15 floors of the 32-story tower and containing 211 suites, the property offers panoramic views of the Grand Mosque and the Ka’aba below, and is situated just a few steps away from the main entrance to the Grand Mosque, King Abdulaziz Gate. Inside lies the spiritual heart of Islam, the Ka’aba (or House of God) said to have been built by Abraham and his son Ishmael around 2000 BCE. The Abraj Al Bait Complex, which contains Raffles Makkah Palace, also includes a premium four-story shopping mall, a commodious prayer hall that can accommodate up to 10,000 people, a convention centre for 1500 people, a museum and even a lunar observatory. The hotel offers something new at the very top end of the market for the pilgrims entering the Kingdom year after year. FAST FACT: The clock face on the tower is the largest in the world measuring 43m x 43m.  Click here for full article and photos from Arabian Business.com….