Once a palace, this five-star premier resort is now home to Jeddah’s largest convention space, attracting a host of international business guests. A huge fountain stands at the front of the grand and intricate building, found overlooking the water in the District Southern Corniche. Inside are 224 classically styled bedrooms and suites with pillow tops and iPod docks, arranged over its 18 floors of opulence. Antique furnishings, chandeliers and highly polished surfaces throughout create a sense of heritage and glamour, maintaining the Ritz-Carlton image, while incorporating Saudi influences. The hotel has a gentlemen’s spa, two restaurants, a tea lounge, an outdoor cocktail and a hookah bar.