This hotel came recommended by an ex-customer (customer at a previous place of employment), as it is very close to their office (in Faisaliah Tower). It was certainly a step up from the Sheraton I stayed at the first time I came to Riyadh, and until this last trip I have stayed at the Al Khozama every time I came here.

The hotel is, if not THE first hotel in the area, certainly one of the first. It has that “old hotel atmosphere”, which I find very attractive. Unfortunately, the rooms are very small (even if you book a business room) with a single bed. The bathrooms are in desperate need of renovation - though they are clean. I always paid 700 Rial for the room including breakfast. An airport pickup runs a very attractive 80 Rial.

Breakfast (which is very important to me) is excellent, with a good mixture of Arabic and Western foods. Sometimes (but not every time I stayed), eggs are made to order. The quality of food is superb.

The hotel is within a short walking distance to Faisaliah Mall, which offers a large food court - subsequently, I’ve never had lunch or dinner at the hotel. The hotel does offer two pools, one is an outside pool that has always been full of leaves or other debris every time I looked, the other is in the health club and is quite good for doing some laps (length is probably about 20m). The Gym, also in the health club, is pretty good, with a row of treadmills as well as some weight machines and free weights. The negative aspect: the health club is in a building that is part of the Faisaliah complex, i.e. across a (non-busy) road from the hotel.

Should you book the hotel, be sure to demand a room towards the rear. The hotel is right on __, which is very busy day and night and will - unless you’re used to heavy city traffic - keep you up at night.

The hotel is absolutely okay, but there are better ones to be had, at a lower price (for example: Hilton Garden Inn).

Internet access is free in the room (wired) and in the lounge (wireless).

Tags: Riyadh