During our Umrah trip this past December, we stayed at the Conrad Makkah. The hotel opened last summer and appears to be a Category 8 Hilton, with award rates being 70,000 points per night. It’s located in the Jabal Omar area, next to the Hyatt Regency, Hilton, and Marriott hotels.
While all four hotels are in identical towers on the same street, I think the Conrad Makkah had the best views, since it has an unobstructed view of Masjid Al-Haram.
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December is a busy period in Mecca since the weather is cooler. Room rates were initially around $400 per night. Thanks to the Hilton Winter Sale, we secured rates of $300 per night – a terrific value for an Arrival Miles redemption!
While writing this review, it occurred to me that most of you will never get a chance to stay at the Conrad Makkah. Hopefully you’ll enjoy reading this review and get a feel for what it’s like.
Getting from Jeddah Airport to the Conrad Makkah
While Uber services Jeddah’s airport, passengers have to take a cab to a different terminal in order to meet the driver in the designated spot. One of the Afghan luggage guys negotiated a rate of $90 with a Yemini driver we met outside. Since UberXL fares were $140 each way, this was a bargain.
Conrad Makkah lobby
The lobby at the Conrad Makkah was absolutely gorgeous. Really, if I wasn’t there for Umrah I would probably just sit in the lobby all day long and stare at my surroundings…before getting escorted off the premises.
The lobby also featured a cart with complimentary water and dates. During this trip, I became kind of obsessed with dates. They were everywhere and of all the different varieties, the ajwa dates were probably my favorite.
Conrad Makkah check-in
I had booked two standard rooms in addition to a Haram View Suite for our four-night stay at the Conrad Makkah. The reservation was made less than 18 hours before we arrived, so I was surprised when they upgraded all of our rooms to Haram View Suites. We were checked in by Hanieh, a Saudi local who was an absolute sweetheart. Anytime we ran into her during our stay, she was nothing short of nice and helpful.
Hannah apologized for not being able to accommodate our request for three adjacent rooms, “since we only have two suites on each floor.” Everyone agreed that having a suite with an awesome view was a nice trade-off for not having adjacent rooms. They did manage to give us two suites next to each other and one on a higher floor.
Conrad Makkah Haram View Suite
I was not prepared for the incredible view when we walked in. The curtains were pulled back and there right in front of us was Masjid Al-Haram.
The suite itself was stunning from every aspect – the decor, lighting, and even the doors with their intricate carvings.
The staff sent up an extra bed that fit perfectly next to the living room desk.
The living room was stocked with complimentary snacks: A tower of delicious baklava, a bowl of fruit, and small plates of candied fruits on the desk. The housekeeping staff always offered to replenish all of these items, but we only took them up on it once. Refilling two trays filled with sweets was a dangerous game – even if we did walk almost five miles every day.
The living room featured a nice little media center, with a TV, lots of power outlets, two USB ports, a Nespresso machine and four free bottles of water.
Shortly after our arrival, I discovered that the rooms were outfitted with a speaker system that broadcast the Adhan from Masjid Al-Haram. When it woke me up at ~5 AM every morning, I did not mind because the muezzin at that particular hour had the most calming, peaceful, beautiful voice I’d ever heard. It didn’t wake me so much as it gently lifted me out of sleep.
Haram View Suite master bedroom
The master bedroom in the Haram View Suite was spacious. It was furnished with a King bed, floor-to-ceiling windows, and plenty of storage space.
There was closet space on both sides of the bathroom doors. There was sufficient storage space for the three of us sharing the room.
The bathroom was also large, with a shower to the left, the toilet area to the right, and a large double sink in the middle. The two types of bath products (one was vegan) were very nice.
It’s worth noting that Hilton does let guests choose between multiple brands. If you’re not particularly fond of the bath products you find in your bathroom, you can use the Conrad Concierge App to request alternatives.
Conrad Makkah housekeeping
The housekeeping staff not only did a superb job at cleaning our suite, but the housekeeping manager came by every evening to ask if it had been done to our satisfaction.
In the evening, they would walk up and down the halls, spraying a very pleasant fragrance. When they saw a woman walking by alone, they always looked down out of respect. Overall, this hotel gave off an extremely safe vibe and they tried especially hard to make women feel at ease.
Conrad Makkah on-site doctor
On the day we left for our trip, my sister got an especially nasty cough that just kept getting worse. I called the concierge to find out if there was a doctor or hospital we could visit nearby. He informed me that we could either visit the hospital in the Abraj Al Bait complex across the street or wait for their on-site doctor to arrive at 9:00 AM that morning.
After specifying who was sick and what was wrong, he informed me that the doctor could either come up to the room with a female nurse or we could go to his office. My mom and sister went to the doctor’s office and reported a positive experience. He gave her medication, a shot, and prescribed her antibiotics that she was able to pick up at the pharmacy inside the building.
The doctor’s visit, along with the medication, cost just $60. And no, you can’t charge your doctor’s visit to the room to earn Hilton points. I asked. 🙂
While my sister was at the doctor, I heard a knock on the door. I opened it to find a staff member carrying a tray of ginger tea and honey. It was from Esra’a at the Hilton Honors desk, which also included a handwritten get-well note, which I thought was very thoughtful.
For the next few days, whenever we ran into a staff member at the hotel, they asked about my sister’s health: The hotel manager, Esra’a, Hanieh, and the Hilton HHonors manager. At every turn, the level of service at this hotel was superb.
Conrad Makkah executive lounge
One of the reasons I chose the Conrad Makkah for Umrah was because of the hotel’s impressive executive lounge and restaurant.
While our three rooms at the Conrad Makkah were booked under two Hilton HHonors Diamond and one Gold account, all of us received executive club lounge access. In addition, we were offered breakfast at the Al Mearaj restaurant, which I think beat the Hilton Sydney in terms of the most amazing breakfast buffet I’ve ever experienced.
The Conrad Makkah’s executive lounge was deserted the few times I went there. The lounge serves breakfast, afternoon tea, and evening appetizers. The afternoon tea spread wasn’t super extensive, but that’s probably because most guests centered their day around prayer and slept in 4-hour increments.
I often slept through lounge hours, which were 6:00 AM to 10:30 AM for breakfast, 3:00 to 5:00 PM for afternoon tea, and 6:00 to 8:00 PM for evening refreshments.
The Conrad Makkah Executive Lounge was pretty spacious, with a very pleasant floral/citrus smell always permeating the air. The staff was super attentive. They would pull out chairs as guests approached their tables, bring a glass when a guest would grab a drink, and even offer to bring the food to the table while encouraging guests to select more items.
At one point I was taking photos of the lounge and the manager walked over, looking concerned. He asked if everything was ok with the food and I told him I was just taking photos for friends and family.
Telling him I was going to share them in a blog post would probably have made him nervous, but this answer seemed to reassure him.
Afternoon tea
The afternoon tea usually consisted of some sandwiches cut into small pieces, a small selection of fruits, as well as drinks. It was very basic, but again, most people skipped afternoon tea at the club lounge. It was always deserted.
Two hot dishes, sushi, salad, and vegetables were usually served in the evenings. It was all perfectly sufficient for a light dinner. I personally preferred to eat on-site whenever possible because there wasn’t much in the way of food outside of the hotel – just a lot of fast-food restaurants. From what I heard, there was a 50/50 chance of getting food poisoning after eating there.
Conrad Makkah Al Mearaj restaurant
Did I mention I really liked the breakfast at Conrad Makkah’s Al Mearaj restaurant? Because I think I made more rounds at the buffet than the Kaaba (excuse me while I get struck by lightning).
This wasn’t your typical breakfast buffet: It was breakfast, lunch, dinner, and everything in between. Literally, there was nothing that they didn’t have at this buffet.
The space was absolutely gorgeous and the dining room was tastefully decorated. Despite the large groups that often came in, we never had to wait for a table.
The service was always attentive. Although service in the Middle East is generally slow, the staff at Al Mearaj was quick. I’d order a latte, and it would arrive minutes later.
Al Mearaj breakfast buffet spread
The buffet spread at Al Mearaj was massive. There was a section with Indian food, Arabic food, kid food (i.e. fries, chicken nuggets, tater tots), typical breakfast fare (the chicken sausage, baked beans, and veal bacon were my favorites), an omelette station, an entire section dedicated to bread, a juice station, a vast humus spread, pancakes, waffles, crepes, Nutella….it was endless. And all of it was high quality.
Breakfast was served daily between 6 a.m. to 11 a.m., but the busiest period was 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. Most people would have breakfast after finishing Fajr prayers at Masjid Al Haram around 6 AM.
So really, a line formed at Al Mearaj shortly after opening. However, the restaurant offered plenty of seating, so getting a table was never a problem.
Al Mearaj drink options
There was really nothing Al Mearaj didn’t offer—except iced coffee. They did, however, offer iced chocolate and strawberry milk, which was oddly popular. After my stay, I really came to appreciate the stations where omelettes, pancakes, waffles, and crepes were prepared on demand.
I totally took these things for granted until I got to the Pullman Zamzam Hotel Medina, where the attendant basically just mixed eggs in a bowl and burned them to the point where the fire alarm went off!
Overall, the Executive Lounge and Al Mearaj Restaurant at Conrad Makkah were both excellent. The club lounge selection may not have been as extensive during afternoon tea, but it was perfectly appropriate considering most guests weren’t even around during those hours.
But overall, I would say the quality of the food, not to mention the service, at both places was above and beyond what I’ve experienced at most other hotels (except, maybe the Conrad Bali).
Bottom line
Overall, the Conrad Makkah is an awesome hotel and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a great hotel experience in Mecca. In an upcoming post, I will also review the Conrad Makkah’s Executive Lounge and Al Mearaj Restaurant.
This is all good Ariana. But you go to Mecca for the Kaaba, not the hotel and the luxuries. The idea is to replenish your soul.
You are so right but there is no harm in added luxuries. Yes, replenish your soul but that doesn’t have to torture yourself. I would take advantage of all the luxuries that will make my experience very comfortable. I think the key here is humility and one should not forget that.
And trust me, the privilege of staying at a hotel like this was not lost on me. I remember looking out on the street one morning at thousands of people walking towards the Masjid for Fajr prayer. These people were staying in hotels that were much further than ours and had walked who knows how long to get here. It really dawned on me how lucky we were to be staying so close, and that it meant we had to take advantage of this opportunity by attending all the prayers at the masjid.
Of course, but you need a place to sleep. Considering I redeemed points for this trip, I don’t think I was wasteful or took away from the spiritual aspect of this trip. If anything, being so close to Masjid Al Haram gave us an opportunity to attend every prayer in the mosque. Also, my grandmother couldn’t walk great distances because of her knee and the location and amenities of this hotel made things so much easier for her.
Wow! Nice view of the Masjid from the living room!
Thanks for the nice review!
Glad you enjoyed it!
That is an incredible view! As a non-Muslim I know I will never have the privilege of seeing Mecca in person but I love to learn about the experience from people who go!
Glad to hear it, Beth!