Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group has signed a management agreement with Al Khozama Company to handle operations of the Al Faisaliah Hotel in Riyadh. Once rebranded and renovated, it will be the group’s first hotel in the Kingdom.
The group will take over management in Q1 2021 but will not reflag to Mandarin Oriental Al Faisaliah, Riyadh until the end of that year when refurbishments to guest rooms and public areas are complete.
“The Al Faisaliah Hotel has been a leading light in Saudi Arabia’s hospitality sector since opening its doors 20 years ago. We are pleased to be partnering with Mandarin Oriental to further develop the hotel and to create the most luxurious and sophisticated property in the region,” said Khalid Abuhaimed, CEO of Al Khozama.
“We are delighted to further strengthen Mandarin Oriental’s presence in the Middle East by introducing the brand to Saudi Arabia and bringing the Group’s legendary service to Riyadh,” said James Riley, group chief executive of Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group. “We look forward to collaborating with the Al Khozama Company in transforming the hotel into the city’s most exclusive luxury property,” he added.
The hotel features 321 keys, with the new interiors being done by New York’s Adam Tihany Design. Once finished, the hotel will have ‘refreshed’ restaurants, lounge and bars, including a top floor venue giving views of the capital.
Mandarin Oriental has a compact presence in the Middle East, with the Mandarin Oriental Jumeira Dubai and Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi. Both of which only came into the MO portfolio last year.
The Jumeira property was hailed Hotelier Middle East’s Hotel Team of the Year in 2020. Each and every department had something to celebrate this year and last, whether it’s the F&B venues exceeding monthly budgets, the marketing team making the hotel the most publicised Mandarin Oriental hotel worldwide, the HR team promoting more than 70 employees in the first year of operation or the housekeeping department raising funds for charity, this hotel had a phenomenal start. And, with some of the strongest guest occupancy rates of the entire group, this success is set to continue.