The Best Resorts in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

A beach-grazing villa with a private terrace and an outdoor jacuzzi is the entry-level accommodation here. If you upgrade, you’ll get 140sqm (1,507sqft) of space and a private swimming pool, while the Royal Villa is a gigantic four-bedroom luxury pad with Red Sea views and access to a private sandy beach. The opulent Narci Spa is the largest in Jeddah at 1,200sqm (12,917sqft), with facilities for men and women. The sleep-inducing massage is a great option to combat jet lag.

At the InterContinental, absorb all of the gold-dipped Arabian glamour and rose-petal romance you can handle. Here, you’ll have front-row seats to the Red Sea and King Fahd’s Fountain, the tallest of its kind in the world. Several malls are close by for shopping sprees, as is King Abdulaziz International Airport. The hotel’s restaurants specialise in everything from authentic Brazilian barbecue to fresh seafood caught locally.

This hotel brand has roots in the Kingdom. With such a strong connection to the historical and religious landmarks in Jeddah, Makarem Annakheel has an appointed “spirituality concierge”. This opulent resort attracts the jet-set crowd and sits in north Obhur, a 15-minute drive from the airport. Accommodation ranges from luxury villas and apartments to deluxe hotel suites. The village environment feels homely and quaint, with plenty of green space and a private marina. It also has an impressive inflatables zone for kids and a water park.

As far as luxury resorts go, you can’t get more swish than staying on an exclusive piece of paradise. The Mövenpick Jeddah Al Nawras offers an exotic private-island experience, just off North Corniche Road in the city. Here, the Red Sea is all yours, with the best views enjoyed from your private pool and garden along the hotel’s stretch of ocean-facing villas. Embrace all this secluded peace while knowing that you’re within easy reach of the city’s modern malls, traditional souks and a slew of fancy restaurants.

The sturdy unapologetic tower at the centre of this five-star hotel-former palace is pure Jeddah. It sits in a prime waterfront position opposite King Fahd’s Fountain. From the drama of the carved wooden entrance to the concert-hall-size marble lobby and palatial rooms, this is decadence in an overt form, but somehow never gaudy. The two restaurants are beautiful; one focusses entirely on the herb basil while the other showcases the wonders of gourmet salt through an in-house selmelier (salt expert).

The Jeddah Hilton Hotel is a 388-room luxury juggernaut on the corniche that overlooks the Red Sea. Everything about this hotel is opulent. Take a dip in the incredibly ornate pools, flanked by striped loungers, before retiring to your plush room. The sweeping sea views are best appreciated from Amwaj, the top-floor French fine-dining restaurant. A stroll around the tropical gardens or a shiatsu massage in the spa will help you shed any residue of real-life stress.

You’re in good hands with the first Luxury Collection Hotel by Marriott in Saudi Arabia. Assila seamlessly blends traditional Arabian hospitality with the modern demands of well-heeled guests. That’s why you won’t feel let down by the award-winning spa (for him and her) with everything from facials and massages to make-up services ahead of glam dinners. Eateries include Pampas, an Argentinian grill; Aubergine for Arabic Mediterranean cuisine; and Coco’Ba, an in-house chocolaterie and bakery.