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.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
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Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
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Attacks on Egypt’s long rooted Copts
Egypt’s Copts belong to one of the world’s oldest Christian communities, with Mark the Evangelist credited with founding their church around 300 AD. Orthodox Christians account for the overwhelming majority of Christians in Egypt, with the rest mainly made up of Greek Orthodox, Catholics and Anglicans.
The community accounts for some 10 per cent of Egypt’s 100 million people, with the largest concentrations of Christians found in Cairo, Alexandria and the provinces of Minya and Assiut south of Cairo.
Egypt’s Christians have had a somewhat turbulent history in the Muslim majority Arab nation, with the community occasionally suffering outright persecution but generally living in peace with their Muslim compatriots. But radical Muslims who have first emerged in the 1970s have whipped up anti-Christian sentiments, something that has, in turn, led to an upsurge in attacks against their places of worship, church-linked facilities as well as their businesses and homes.
More recently, ISIS has vowed to go after the Christians, claiming responsibility for a series of attacks against churches packed with worshippers starting December 2016.
The discrimination many Christians complain about and the shift towards religious conservatism by many Egyptian Muslims over the last 50 years have forced hundreds of thousands of Christians to migrate, starting new lives in growing communities in places as far afield as Australia, Canada and the United States.
Here is a look at major attacks against Egypt's Coptic Christians in recent years:
November 2: Masked gunmen riding pickup trucks opened fire on three buses carrying pilgrims to the remote desert monastery of St. Samuel the Confessor south of Cairo, killing 7 and wounding about 20. IS claimed responsibility for the attack.
May 26, 2017: Masked militants riding in three all-terrain cars open fire on a bus carrying pilgrims on their way to the Monastery of St. Samuel the Confessor, killing 29 and wounding 22. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attack.
April 2017: Twin attacks by suicide bombers hit churches in the coastal city of Alexandria and the Nile Delta city of Tanta. At least 43 people are killed and scores of worshippers injured in the Palm Sunday attack, which narrowly missed a ceremony presided over by Pope Tawadros II, spiritual leader of Egypt Orthodox Copts, in Alexandria's St. Mark's Cathedral. ISIS claimed responsibility for the attacks.
February 2017: Hundreds of Egyptian Christians flee their homes in the northern part of the Sinai Peninsula, fearing attacks by ISIS. The group's North Sinai affiliate had killed at least seven Coptic Christians in the restive peninsula in less than a month.
December 2016: A bombing at a chapel adjacent to Egypt's main Coptic Christian cathedral in Cairo kills 30 people and wounds dozens during Sunday Mass in one of the deadliest attacks carried out against the religious minority in recent memory. ISIS claimed responsibility.
July 2016: Pope Tawadros II says that since 2013 there were 37 sectarian attacks on Christians in Egypt, nearly one incident a month. A Muslim mob stabs to death a 27-year-old Coptic Christian man, Fam Khalaf, in the central city of Minya over a personal feud.
May 2016: A Muslim mob ransacks and torches seven Christian homes in Minya after rumours spread that a Christian man had an affair with a Muslim woman. The elderly mother of the Christian man was stripped naked and dragged through a street by the mob.
New Year's Eve 2011: A bomb explodes in a Coptic Christian church in Alexandria as worshippers leave after a midnight mass, killing more than 20 people.
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
Tamkeen's offering
- Option 1: 70% in year 1, 50% in year 2, 30% in year 3
- Option 2: 50% across three years
- Option 3: 30% across five years
