The palatial Ritz Carlton, Riyadh, has hosted many world leaders and heads of state. The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh / Instagram
The palatial Ritz Carlton, Riyadh, has hosted many world leaders and heads of state. The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh / Instagram
The palatial Ritz Carlton, Riyadh, has hosted many world leaders and heads of state. The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh / Instagram
The palatial Ritz Carlton, Riyadh, has hosted many world leaders and heads of state. The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh / Instagram

Inside The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh, the palatial hotel hosting US President Donald Trump


  • English
  • Arabic

Live updates: Follow the latest on Trump's Gulf trip

This week, US President Donald Trump is embarking upon a Gulf visit, with stops in Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. His first destination is the Saudi capital, where he is expected to stay at the The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh.

There are many reasons why the US president would favour The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh as his choice of stay during his official visit to Saudi Arabia. For starters, he would be a returning guest at the luxury resort, having stayed there during his first foreign trip as President in 2017.

Secondly – while it's not a must, as security and logistics often take precedence – US Presidents generally prefer to stay in American hotels on their trips. The Ritz-Carlton is owned by Marriott International, the largest hotel company in the world, with headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland.

Its location, next to the Diplomatic Quarter, also makes it ideal for high-profile visitors.

History

Opened in 2011, The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh's location next to the Diplomatic Quarter makes it ideal for high-profile visitors. The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh / Instagram
Opened in 2011, The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh's location next to the Diplomatic Quarter makes it ideal for high-profile visitors. The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh / Instagram

Opened in 2011, The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh was always intended to be a hotel for visiting dignitaries with the hotel saying it envisioned it "as a royal guest palace for visiting heads of state".

It's also the first Ritz-Carlton hotel in Saudi Arabia.

Set on 21 hectares of land, the five-star property exudes old-world opulence. It is surrounded by landscaped gardens, including a courtyard with a 600-year-old olive tree flown in from Lebanon, a tree-lined driveway, parking space for more than 400 cars and a helipad.

Inside, the hotel boasts majestic suites and pastel-hued hallways awash with bronze statues and glittering chandeliers.

Location

The lavish lobby. The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh / Instagram
The lavish lobby. The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh / Instagram

The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh is in AlHada area next to the Diplomatic Quarter, an 800-hectare neighbourhood that houses many foreign embassies and several government departments. The hotel is also close to Al Yamamah Palace, the official residence of the King of Saudi Arabia.

And it is only a 35-minute drive from King Khalid International Airport.

Rooms

One of the room at The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh. The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh / Instagram
One of the room at The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh. The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh / Instagram

Guests can choose from 493 rooms, including one opulent Royal Suite, where President Trump is expected to stay.

The grand 418 sq m Royal Suite comprises separate living and seating areas. The huge dining area has a table that seats up to 14 people and an attached kitchen with all necessary features. There are also two bedrooms – one with a king bed and the second one with twin beds, each with their own ensuite bathrooms, as well as a fully furnished study.

Amenities

The heated indoor pool. The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh / Instagram
The heated indoor pool. The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh / Instagram

Guests at The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh can choose from three restaurants – the all-day dining buffet restaurant Al Orjouan, which serves an international menu; Chinese restaurant Hong; and Azzurro, which serves Italian food with a modern twist.

There's also the Chorisia Lounge – with an olive tree at the centre – which serves breakfast, as well as afternoon tea, and a cigar lounge called Turquoise.

A six-lane bowling alley is also available to book.

The Chorisia Lounge, with a 600-year-old olive tree. The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh / Instagram
The Chorisia Lounge, with a 600-year-old olive tree. The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh / Instagram

Other amenities include a fitness centre with a separate area for men and women, a heated indoor swimming pool and a spa offering a range of treatments, with separate facilities for men and women, including Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna.

Rates

Rooms at The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh start at 1,568 Saudi riyals ($418) a night, with the Royal Suite starting at about 20,000 Saudi riyals ($5,300) a night.

On May 5, The National tried to book a room for the week of Trump's visit, but the hotel was fully booked between May 10 and May 14.

How to help

Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo

Power: 247hp at 6,500rpm

Torque: 370Nm from 1,500-3,500rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 7.8L/100km

Price: from Dh94,900

On sale: now

UAE v Zimbabwe A, 50 over series

Fixtures
Thursday, Nov 9 - 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 11 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai
Monday, Nov 13 – 2pm, Dubai International Stadium
Thursday, Nov 16 – 2pm, ICC Academy, Dubai
Saturday, Nov 18 – 9.30am, ICC Academy, Dubai

Living in...

This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.

Moonfall

Director: Rolan Emmerich

Stars: Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry

Rating: 3/5

Business Insights
  • Canada and Mexico are significant energy suppliers to the US, providing the majority of oil and natural gas imports
  • The introduction of tariffs could hinder the US's clean energy initiatives by raising input costs for materials like nickel
  • US domestic suppliers might benefit from higher prices, but overall oil consumption is expected to decrease due to elevated costs
Play-off fixtures

Two-legged ties to be played November 9-11 and November 12-14

 

  • Northern Ireland v Switzerland
  • Croatia v Greece
  • Denmark v Ireland
  • Sweden v Italy
Race card for Super Saturday

4pm: Al Bastakiya Listed US$250,000 (Dh918,125) (Dirt) 1,900m.

4.35pm: Mahab Al Shimaal Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,200m.

5.10pm: Nad Al Sheba Conditions $200,000 (Turf) 1,200m.

5.45pm: Burj Nahaar Group 3 $200,000 (D) 1,600m.

6.20pm: Jebel Hatta Group 1 $300,000 (T) 1,800m.

6.55pm: Al Maktoum Challenge Round 3 Group 1 $400,000 (D) 2,000m.

7.30pm: Dubai City of Gold Group 2 $250,000 (T) 2,410m.

Coal Black Mornings

Brett Anderson

Little Brown Book Group 

Health Valley

Founded in 2002 and set up as a foundation in 2006, Health Valley has been an innovation in healthcare for more than 10 years in Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
It serves as a place where companies, businesses, universities, healthcare providers and government agencies can collaborate, offering a platform where they can connect and work together on healthcare innovation.
Its partners work on technological innovation, new forms of diagnostics and other methods to make a difference in healthcare.
Its agency consists of eight people, four innovation managers and office managers, two communication advisers and one director. It gives innovation support to businesses and other parties in its network like a broker, connecting people with the right organisation to help them further

Barcelona 3
Messi (27’, 32’, 87’)

Leganes 1
El Zhar (68’)

Rajasthan Royals 153-5 (17.5 ov)
Delhi Daredevils 60-4 (6 ov)

Rajasthan won by 10 runs (D/L method)

'Avengers: Infinity War'
Dir: The Russo Brothers
Starring: Chris Evans, Chris Pratt, Tom Holland, Robert Downey Junior, Scarlett Johansson, Elizabeth Olsen
Four stars

The Greatest Royal Rumble card

50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias

Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match

WWE World Heavyweight ChampionshipAJ Styles (champion) v Shinsuke Nakamura

Intercontinental Championship Seth Rollins (champion) v The Miz v Finn Balor v Samoa Joe

United States Championship Jeff Hardy (champion) v Jinder Mahal

SmackDown Tag Team Championship The Bludgeon Brothers (champions) v The Usos

Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt

Casket match The Undertaker v Rusev

Singles match John Cena v Triple H

Cruiserweight Championship Cedric Alexander v Kalisto

MATCH INFO

Europa League semi-final, second leg
Atletico Madrid (1) v Arsenal (1)

Where: Wanda Metropolitano
When: Thursday, kick-off 10.45pm
Live: On BeIN Sports HD

Our legal consultants

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

From Conquest to Deportation

Jeronim Perovic, Hurst

The stats

Ship name: MSC Bellissima

Ship class: Meraviglia Class

Delivery date: February 27, 2019

Gross tonnage: 171,598 GT

Passenger capacity: 5,686

Crew members: 1,536

Number of cabins: 2,217

Length: 315.3 metres

Maximum speed: 22.7 knots (42kph)

The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

Dust and sand storms compared

Sand storm

  • Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
  • Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
  • Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
  • Travel distance: Limited 
  • Source: Open desert areas with strong winds

Dust storm

  • Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
  • Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
  • Duration: Can linger for days
  • Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
  • Source: Can be carried from distant regions
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
DUBAI%20BLING%3A%20EPISODE%201
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECreator%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENetflix%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EKris%20Fade%2C%20Ebraheem%20Al%20Samadi%2C%20Zeina%20Khoury%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Results

International 4, United States 1

Justin Thomas and Tiger Woods (US) beat Marc Leishman and Joaquin Niemann (International) 4 and 3.

Adam Hadwin and Sungjae Im (International) beat Xander Schauffele and Patrick Cantlay (US) 2 up.

Adam Scott and Byeong Hun An (International) beat Bryson DeChambeau and Tony Finau (US) 2 and 1.

Hideki Matsuyama and C.T. Pan (International) beat Webb Simpson and Patrick Reed (US) 1 up.

Abraham Ancer and Louis Oosthuizen (International) beat Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland (US) 4 and 3.

Signs%20of%20%20%20%20%20%20%20heat%20stroke
%3Cul%3E%0A%3Cli%3EThe%20loss%20of%20sodium%20chloride%20in%20our%20sweat%20can%20lead%20to%20confusion%20and%20an%20altered%20mental%20status%20and%20slurred%20speech%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EBody%20temperature%20above%2039%C2%B0C%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EHot%2C%20dry%20and%20red%20or%20damp%20skin%20can%20indicate%20heatstroke%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EA%20faster%20pulse%20than%20usual%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EDizziness%2C%20nausea%20and%20headaches%20are%20also%20signs%20of%20overheating%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3Cli%3EIn%20extreme%20cases%2C%20victims%20can%20lose%20consciousness%20and%20require%20immediate%20medical%20attention%3C%2Fli%3E%0A%3C%2Ful%3E%0A
Most sought after workplace benefits in the UAE
  • Flexible work arrangements
  • Pension support
  • Mental well-being assistance
  • Insurance coverage for optical, dental, alternative medicine, cancer screening
  • Financial well-being incentives 
Updated: May 13, 2025, 1:23 PM`