<p>The world’s largest hotel is set to open in the Islamic holy city of Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, in 2017. The desert fortress-style Abraj Kudai hotel, a $3.5 billion project, will house 10,000 rooms, 70 restaurants, a shopping mall, ‘royal floors’, prayer halls and a convention centre, all spread among 12 separate towers topped with helipads.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The focal point, however, will be the central dome, expected to be one of the largest in the world. As the site of the hotel is only about a mile from the Masjid al-Haram, the largest mosque in the world, the 45-storey Abraj Kudai is expected to host many of the millions who converge on Mecca (the birthplace of Prophet Mohammed) for the annual Haj pilgrimage. <br /><br />Two of the hotel’s 12 towers will offer five-star facilities and the other ten will provide four-star accommodation. Five of the floors will be strictly off limits to guests and reserved entirely for the Saudi royal family.<br /><br />Inside, London-based design practice Areen Hospitality has been given the daunting task of decorating the vast spaces. The Abraj Kudai Hotel is being built in the Manafia district near Mecca’s Grand Mosque, and is funded by the Saudi Ministry of Finance and designed by the Dar Al-Handasah group, an international project design management and supervision consultancy.</p>
<p>The world’s largest hotel is set to open in the Islamic holy city of Mecca, in Saudi Arabia, in 2017. The desert fortress-style Abraj Kudai hotel, a $3.5 billion project, will house 10,000 rooms, 70 restaurants, a shopping mall, ‘royal floors’, prayer halls and a convention centre, all spread among 12 separate towers topped with helipads.<br /><br /></p>.<p>The focal point, however, will be the central dome, expected to be one of the largest in the world. As the site of the hotel is only about a mile from the Masjid al-Haram, the largest mosque in the world, the 45-storey Abraj Kudai is expected to host many of the millions who converge on Mecca (the birthplace of Prophet Mohammed) for the annual Haj pilgrimage. <br /><br />Two of the hotel’s 12 towers will offer five-star facilities and the other ten will provide four-star accommodation. Five of the floors will be strictly off limits to guests and reserved entirely for the Saudi royal family.<br /><br />Inside, London-based design practice Areen Hospitality has been given the daunting task of decorating the vast spaces. The Abraj Kudai Hotel is being built in the Manafia district near Mecca’s Grand Mosque, and is funded by the Saudi Ministry of Finance and designed by the Dar Al-Handasah group, an international project design management and supervision consultancy.</p>
