Jeddah

For centuries the gateway to Mecca, Jeddah carries a merchant soul. The coral-stone houses of historic Al-Balad, the long Corniche, Red Sea waters and a new generation of cultural and coastal projects create a city where ancient trade memory and Saudi Arabia's opening to the world converge.

For centuries Jeddah was the port through which pilgrims and merchants reached Mecca, some eighty kilometres inland. Its historic quarter, Al-Balad, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site: tall houses of coral stone with carved wooden rawasheen balconies, built to catch the sea breeze, line narrow lanes and souqs. Nasseef House, where King Abdulaziz once stayed, is among the finest.

North of the old town the city stretches along a Corniche of parks, sculptures and promenades, with King Fahd’s Fountain throwing its jet high above the sea. Further north, the creek at Obhur leads to beach clubs and marinas, and offshore the coral reefs of the Red Sea offer some of the region’s best diving.

Jeddah is warm and humid all year. The most comfortable months run from November to March, when days are pleasant and evenings ideal for walks through Al-Balad and along the Corniche. December brings the Red Sea International Film Festival to the historic district, and the Formula One Saudi Arabian Grand Prix is held on the Corniche circuit in spring.

From May to September the heat and humidity are intense, and the city lives mostly indoors and after dark. Ramadan and the Hajj season shape the rhythm of the city: Jeddah’s airport and hotels are especially busy around the pilgrimage, and travel is best planned with those dates in mind.

Jeddah’s leading hotels face the Red Sea along the Corniche north of the old town. The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah is a palace-scaled house set in gardens on the waterfront; Park Hyatt Jeddah – Marina, Club and Spa sits beside its own marina; and Waldorf Astoria Jeddah – Qasr Al Sharq rises as a domed palace on the sea.

LVXVRY books The Ritz-Carlton, Jeddah through Marriott STARS & Luminous, Park Hyatt Jeddah through Hyatt Privé and Waldorf Astoria Jeddah through Hilton for Luxury — at the official hotel rate, with the privileges each programme attaches to the stay. LVXVRY also arranges visits to Al-Balad and onward travel to AlUla and the Red Sea coast.