Each year, more than 15 million Muslims make the pilgrimage to Mecca, the holiest city in Islam. It makes sense that the city will be home to what is planned to be the largest hotel in the world.
According to Architectural Digest, the Abraj Kudai hotel is designed by consulting firm Dar Al-Handasah. With 10,000 rooms, the hotel will far surpass the current title of world’s largest hotel by room count—the 6,198-room MGM Grand in Las Vegas.
A budget of $3.5 billion is expected to complete the hotel in the Manafia area of Mecca’s central zone, less than two miles from the Masjid al-Haram, Mecca’s holy mosque.
In addition to guest rooms, the 645,830-sf, 12-tower complex will include a shopping center, restaurants, helipads, and a convention center.
Rapid development in Mecca has raised concerns about historical preservation. For example, an Ottoman citadel from the 18th century was demolished to make room for the behemoth Abraj Al Bait Towers, a government-owned megatall building complex.
The Abraj Kudai is scheduled to open in 2017.
Related Stories
| Feb 15, 2013
Hotel project pipeline up 5% in January
The number of hotel rooms in the construction or planning phases rose 4.9% in January compared with year-ago stats. Rooms actually under construction increased 38.3% compared with January 2012.
| Feb 5, 2013
5 forces driving hotel investment
Jones Lang LaSalle’s Hotels & Hospitality Group believes that signs point to an on-going uptick in Americas hotel transactions activity sooner rather than later. They identify the five forces that will drive the hotel investment market during the next five years.
| Jan 16, 2013
SOM’s innovative Zhengzhou Greenland Plaza opens
The 2.59-million-square-feet building houses a mixed-use program of offices on its lower floors and a 416-room hotel.
| Nov 11, 2012
Greenbuild 2012 Report: Hospitality
Hotel boom signals good news for greener lodging facilities
| Oct 5, 2012
2012 Reconstruction Award Silver Winner: Residences at the John Marshall, Richmond, Va.
In April 2010, the Building Team of Rule Joy Trammell + Rubio, Stanley D. Lindsey & Associates, Leppard Johnson & Associates, and Choate Interior Construction restored the 16-story, 310,537-sf building into the Residences at the John Marshall, a new mixed-use facility offering apartments, street-level retail, a catering kitchen, and two restored ballrooms.
| Jul 20, 2012
2012 Giants 300 Special Report
Ranking the leading firms in Architecture, Engineering, and Construction.
| Jul 20, 2012
Global boom for hotels; for retail, not so much
The Giants 300 Top 10 Firms in the Hospitality and Retail sectors.
| Jul 17, 2012
KM/Plaza changes name to Plaza Construction
Lands new projects including the Perry South Beach Hotel and Dadeland Mall Kendall Wing Expansion.
| Jun 25, 2012
Living green wall planned for InterContinental Chicago
Project, with price tag of $2 million to $3 million, needs council approval.
