The lobby of Assila, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Jeddah, is so striking, I almost forget I have a suite to get to. Something to do with the lattice screen doors, the soft chandelier lighting and the grand spiral staircase winking from the other side of the elevators, but it’s an incredibly inviting welcome.
The hotel is a modern masterpiece in the heart of Jeddah, yet its contemporary interiors don’t stray too far from warm and cosy. Designed to be a celebration of the city’s progress and to herald a new era of opulence and exclusivity, the property has earned itself a cultivated clientele that bed down here for both business and pleasure.
Stamping its creative mark on the city, the walls of the hotel are strewn with over 1,000 traditional and contemporary artworks (all by Saudi artists), letting guests discover Jeddah’s vibrant past and creative present with engaging visual aids.
Another stimulating visual aid arises in my Panoramic Suite which, as you can imagine, has spectacular eye-lines over the city. At 87 square metres sub-divided into different living spaces, there’s plenty of room to kick back in – or do business should you need. The sitting room has it own majlis-style seating area, ample enough to host 10 or so guests, while some comfy cushions casually strewn across the window bench are arguably the best seats in town, as you curl up with a coffee, come day or night, to pour over the city skyline.
The bedroom also has floor-to-ceiling windows, making your morning alarm far more palatable when waking up to these panoramas. The marble bathroom is, I might say, the pièce de résistance – an expansive marble-clad sanctuary, from wall to floor to sink to tub – with beautiful mashrabiya tiling giving it all a sense of place. With bath products from buzz beauty brand Byredo, you know the hotel has got its finger on the pulse.
The views get even better when you venture to the rooftop Pool Lounge on the 20th floor. Its cabanas sought-after havens for those seeking refuge from the city.
When you feel peckish, the adjacent restaurant, Aubergine, will fuel you with modern Middle Eastern-meets-Mediterranean grub, taking you from tacos and crispy calamari to tabbouleh and lamb chops. The doors are thrown open whenever the weather permits, giving winter dinners an alfresco air.
For a more formal dinner, Pampas serves up Argentinian food in dramatic contrast to the rest of the hotel. And when you’re after your morning caffeine hit, sip something strong on Il Caffè’s terrace to set you up for the day ahead.
When you’re ready to explore, head to Al Balad Historical District to learn about old Jeddah, its streets enriched with Hejaz culture. Then there’s Red Sea Mall for some luxury shopping and the world’s largest indoor fountain, AlKhayyat Center for all the designer boutiques and Jeddah Waterfront to see Al Rahma Floating Mosque. All in a day’s work!
HOTEL:
WHAT: Panoramic Suite
WHERE: Assila, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Jeddah
TEL: +966 12 231 9800