This room is part of an elegant hotel lobby which actually seems more like a lovely intimate living room in someone’s home. From what I have been told, the Qasr Al-Sharq Hotel was originally built as a private residence for a Saudi prince and his wives and children, however by the time the construction was complete, his family had grown by leaps and bounds and the building was too small to accommodate them all. So now this is the home of this gorgeous and opulent hotel, which is part of the Waldorf-Astoria Collection. I haven’t been lucky enough to stay overnight here yet, but I did spend an afternoon as a guest in the amazing women’s spa which occupies the penthouse floor of the hotel which is located on the Corniche right on the Red Sea here in Jeddah. The Spa by Clarins is an exclusive full-service ladies health club, with an amazing view of the expansive turquoise blue sea. To read more about the spa and the hotel and to see more photos, please see the post “A Day at the Spa,” that I wrote on my other blog, Susie’s Big Adventure.
About This Blog, and About Me: Susie of Arabia
Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is KSA's 2nd largest city and is located on its west coast, right on the Red Sea. I moved here in 2007 with my Saudi hubby. This journal reflects the things that I see here, life through my eyes, my lens.
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JEDDAH DAILY PHOTO 
Very opulent and glitzy! I wish we could have coffee and treats there!
Whoever told you the story about the prince and his family was lying to you. It was always meant to be a hotel, which is why it is adjacent to the Hilton. I had the pleasure of staying there once, but I must say I enjoyed the Hilton more.
The person who told me this story is the wife of one of the architects who designed the building. The Hilton is also very nice too. I don’t think I’d mind being a guest at either hotel!
I noticed right away that some of the chairs are placed where you could potentially have your back to someone. Does that rule not count in a public setting where there might be groups that are strangers to each other?
I’m not exactly sure what rule you are talking about. This is a very closed and private society – they are not prone to just speaking to total strangers.
Sorry – I meant like how in a living room, all the seating would be against walls so no one would have their back to anyone because it is disrespectful. I know strangers wouldn’t talk to each other, but I didn’t know if it would still be disrespectful to have your back to someone.
It’s true that in most homes here the seating areas are around the room against the walls. One of the reasons for this is to have any open area in the middle for prayer times. I would think that in hotels, airplanes, and restaurants, or at conferences, etc., having one’s back to others would not be considered disrespectful. There is really no way around it.