Saudi Arabia: Women-only Hotel Opens in Riyadh Next Week
 

Riyadh, Mar 14:  The Luthan Spa and Hotel, a women-only hotel, the first of its kind in Saudi Arabia and the GCC, will be formally opened next week in the capital.

The hotel, completely owned and run by women, will offer modern residential and recreational facilities.

Princess Madawi Bint Mohammad Bin Abdullah, chairperson of the board of partners, told reporters that Prince Sultan Bin Salman, secretary-general of the Saudi Supreme Tourism Commission, will open the new hotel, located in northern Riyadh.

It consists of 25 luxury suites and rooms. It also houses restaurants, conference halls and lounges in addition to a European-style spa that offers healing therapies.

According to Princess Madawi, the idea to establish the hotel was mooted by a group of Saudi businesswomen as an ideal solution to the problems that Saudi women face when travelling.

"After taking the decision to open such a hotel, we travelled worldwide to gain first-hand information regarding the facilities offered to women at the luxury hotels there. Our packages include a wide range of massage techniques, body therapies and facial massages," she said.

Female staff she added, will provide guests with all the services related to accommodation and recreation. The hotel will feature "a superb" health spa, which includes a sauna and fitness centre, she added.

Difficult situation

Saudi women often travel across the kingdom on work-related business and, due to the kingdom's strict rules against gender mixing, are left in a difficult situation when checking in at hotels.

The kingdom's hotels usually only accommodate women who are either accompanied by male family members or who have the approval of their male guardians in the form of either an approval document stamped by the man's place of work or letter from a police station.

"The new hotel is a serious attempt to tackle such a situation," Princess Madawi said.

She said that the hotel will offer 150 types of health and beauty treatments and therapeutic services, of which three will be introduced for the first time in the kingdom. The fitness centre provides various types of services, including aerobics and yoga. Natural beauty products will also be on on offer.

The hotel also has a hall for social gatherings and weddings with the capacity to accommodate 250 women in addition to an internet café, Princess Madawi added.