Visitors to Riyadh will be familiar with the sight of the Al Faisaliah Tower ― the city’s first skyscraper that pierces the sky, its shard-like pyramid holding a large glass globe suspended high above the ground.
Fewer will know that at the base of the tower, connected by air-conditioned corridors, is one of Riyadh’s most prestigious properties ― the Al Faisaliah Hotel, run by Mandarin Oriental.
Perfectly located in the heart of Riyadh’s central Olaya district, the hotel provides a luxury service for business trips and tourists alike. The National checked in to see what's on offer.
The welcome
The hotel is in the centre of Riyadh, about a 40-minute drive from the airport, depending on the city’s notorious traffic.
On arrival, my bags are immediately collected by friendly door staff, who welcome guests into a grand lobby buzzing with informal business meetings and chats over coffee.
The check-in process is smooth and swift. After being given my key, the concierge, Tariq-Hussein, guides me to my room, providing an important update to the cricket scores along the way.
In the room I am greeted with a handwritten note from Richard Johnson, the hotel’s general manager, along with a plate of complimentary fruit.
In case that isn't enough, shortly after decamping, an immaculately dressed man arrives with a plate of complimentary Arabic sweets and an ice-cold glass of juice. He introduces himself as Thilak, the on-call personal butler for the room, setting a high standard of service that characterises the rest of my stay.
The neighbourhood
Al Faisaliah Tower is one of the stand-out features on the Riyadh skyline and is surrounded by hotels, businesses and restaurants in the heart of the city.
Just off the King Fahd Road, the hotel is a perfect central base for visitors wanting to explore the sprawling city, which has welcomed an influx of visitors since it began its tourism drive several years ago.
Although Riyadh is not a pedestrian-friendly place, there are several restaurants and cafes within walking distance of the hotel, including excellent pizza at La Rustica. And that’s without mentioning the range of restaurants and shops included in the Al Faisaliah Tower complex itself.
My stay coincided with the Noor Riyadh festival ― an impressive array of light-themed artworks scattered across the city, including the Al Faisaliah Tower itself, which lit up the night sky each evening.
First-time visitors to the Saudi capital may also want to visit the historic district of Diriyah, go shopping in the newly inaugurated Riyadh Boulevard, or head out into the desert on a guided tour.
The room
I am staying in a premium room with a king bed ― a deserving name, as the majestic bed swallows me.
The decor is fairly standard but well done, with welcoming light colours. It has a spacious bathroom with a walk-in shower and a large bath.
High-tech gadgetry controls everything you could need ― the bedside panel allows the guest to adjust the curtains, turn on various ambient lights and set alarms, all without leaving the comfort of the bed.
A walk-in wardrobe and in-room safe provide ample space for travellers needing to unload. The desk, coffee station and fast Wi-Fi make the room suitable for business trips.
The service
If quality service is your thing, this is the hotel for you.
Each room comes with a personalised butler on call 24/7. From providing refreshments to organising suit pressing, giving restaurant recommendations and advising on fashion choices, the dedicated butler provided an excellent service.
The complimentary coffee, tea and water was restocked frequently, and the room was cleaned to an exemplary standard.
Staff throughout the hotel were always friendly and helpful too.
The scene
The hotel has a 16m indoor swimming pool with a spa bath, steam room and ice plunge pool. There is also a gym with a range of machines and weights.
Women can indulge in the exclusive ladies-only Al Faisaliah Spa, enjoying a relaxing session at the Golden hammam or an aromatherapy massage. While the mood lighting of the wellness centre gives it a relaxing ambience, an outdoor pool with the opportunity to catch some Riyadh rays would be an excellent addition and provide a hang-out space.
The food
The hotel has a range of restaurants with diverse cuisines.
The star offering is The Globe, a spectacular dining experience high at the top of the Al Faisaliah Tower. Floating in a golden glass sphere resembling a giant disco ball, The Globe offers unparalleled panoramic views of the city.
We were welcomed to seats next to the window on a table adorned with a rose and a lamp, the lights of Riyadh at night sprawling out beneath us. The restaurant is pitched as "modern European" and offers a high-end global tasting menu ($230), a vegetarian menu ($84), and extensive options from the grill, as well as its standard a la carte menu.
The rib-eye steak ($154) was incredible ― 350g of tender beef in two cuts, served with an array of five garnishes. The lobster and truffle risotto ($107) was equally decadent, with high-quality ingredients bursting through.
Back down on earth, the other restaurants in the hotel also offer excellent quality. Breakfast is served at La Brasserie, with a wide-ranging buffet including dedicated acai, organic vegan and waffle and pancake stations, among others. There is also a diverse eggs menu ― the Moroccan shakshuka was superb.
Diners can also eat high-end Greek cuisine at Meraki, French-Mediterranean food at The LPM Restaurant, or Chinese dim sum at Yauachta. And for those staying in, the room-service menu is varied and vibrant ― the caprese salad was fresh and fruity.
Highs and lows
The first bite into the rib-eye steak at The Globe was a high in more ways than one.
The only disappointment would be that some elements of the wellness spa felt a bit neglected, especially the spa bath.
The Insider tip
Be ready for some vertigo-inducing views at The Globe ― looking down is not for the faint-hearted!
The verdict
Al Faisaliah Hotel provides luxury service in the centre of Riyadh, making it a perfect base for high-end tourists and business visitors alike. The Globe restaurant is a highlight worth splashing out on.
The bottom line
Room rates start from $517 per night. Eating at The Globe involves a minimum consumption fee of $77.
This review was conducted at the invitation of the hotel during the global coronavirus pandemic. It reflects hotel standards during this time, services may change in the future.
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
The five new places of worship
Church of South Indian Parish
St Andrew's Church Mussaffah branch
St Andrew's Church Al Ain branch
St John's Baptist Church, Ruwais
Church of the Virgin Mary and St Paul the Apostle, Ruwais
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
A State of Passion
Directors: Carol Mansour and Muna Khalidi
Stars: Dr Ghassan Abu-Sittah
Rating: 4/5
Brief scores:
Toss: Rajputs, elected to field first
Sindhis 94-6 (10 ov)
Watson 42; Munaf 3-20
Rajputs 96-0 (4 ov)
Shahzad 74 not out
Auron Mein Kahan Dum Tha
Starring: Ajay Devgn, Tabu, Shantanu Maheshwari, Jimmy Shergill, Saiee Manjrekar
Director: Neeraj Pandey
Rating: 2.5/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
MATCH INFO
Everton 2 Southampton 1
Everton: Walcott (15'), Richarlison (31' )
Southampton: Ings (54')
Man of the match: Theo Walcott (Everton)
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
SPEC SHEET
Display: 10.9" Liquid Retina IPS, 2360 x 1640, 264ppi, wide colour, True Tone, Apple Pencil support
Chip: Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 64/256GB storage; 8GB RAM
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, Smart HDR
Video: 4K @ 25/25/30/60fps, full HD @ 25/30/60fps, slo-mo @ 120/240fps
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR, Centre Stage; full HD @ 25/30/60fps
Audio: Stereo speakers
Biometrics: Touch ID
I/O: USB-C, smart connector (for folio/keyboard)
Battery: Up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi; up to 9 hours on cellular
Finish: Space grey, starlight, pink, purple, blue
Price: Wi-Fi – Dh2,499 (64GB) / Dh3,099 (256GB); cellular – Dh3,099 (64GB) / Dh3,699 (256GB)
England v South Africa schedule:
- First Test: At Lord's, England won by 219 runs
- Second Test: July 14-18, Trent Bridge, Nottingham, 2pm
- Third Test: The Oval, London, July 27-31, 2pm
- Fourth Test: Old Trafford, Manchester, August 4-8
What is a black hole?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
SPECS
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Company Profile
Company name: NutriCal
Started: 2019
Founder: Soniya Ashar
Based: Dubai
Industry: Food Technology
Initial investment: Self-funded undisclosed amount
Future plan: Looking to raise fresh capital and expand in Saudi Arabia
Total Clients: Over 50
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The five pillars of Islam
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Zidane's managerial achievements
La Liga: 2016/17
Spanish Super Cup: 2017
Uefa Champions League: 2015/16, 2016/17, 2017/18
Uefa Super Cup: 2016, 2017
Fifa Club World Cup: 2016, 2017
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
THE BIO
Mr Al Qassimi is 37 and lives in Dubai
He is a keen drummer and loves gardening
His favourite way to unwind is spending time with his two children and cooking
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
MATCH RESULT
Al Jazira 3 Persepolis 2
Jazira: Mabkhout (52'), Romarinho (77'), Al Hammadi (90' 6)
Persepolis: Alipour (42'), Mensha (84')
T10 Cricket League
Sharjah Cricket Stadium
December 14- 17
6pm, Opening ceremony, followed by:
Bengal Tigers v Kerala Kings
Maratha Arabians v Pakhtoons
Tickets available online at q-tickets.com/t10
Christopher Robin
Starring: Ewan McGregor, Haley Atwell, Jim Cummings, Peter Capaldi
Three stars
Crazy Rich Asians
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Constance Wu, Henry Golding, Michelle Yeon, Gemma Chan
Four stars
More on animal trafficking
Israel Palestine on Swedish TV 1958-1989
Director: Goran Hugo Olsson
Rating: 5/5
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The specs: 2017 Porsche 718 Cayman
Price, base / as tested Dh222,500 / Dh296,870
Engine 2.0L, flat four-cylinder
Transmission Seven-speed PDK
Power 300hp @ 6,500rpm
Torque 380hp @ 1,950rpm
Fuel economy, combined 6.9L / 100km
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Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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