Luxury 'prison for Saudi princes' Ritz-Carlton starts taking bookings again
Riyadh's five star Ritz-Carlton hotel, which recently housed US President Donald Trump, and which was used to accommodate detained Saudi princes since November 2017 has started taking bookings for February 2018.
Reuters reports that "an employee at the office taking bookings for the hotel, who declined to be named, told Reuters by telephone that bookings by the public would be accepted from February 14."
The hotel website is now accepting bookings from February 14 at 2,439 riyals (US $650) per night.
Reuters also reported that Saudi authorities were close to winding up a major part of the crackdown, which would allow them to return the Ritz-Carlton to normal operations.
In a statement, a spokesperson for the Marriott hotel group, which owns the Ritz-Carlton brand, said: "The hotel is operating under the directive of local authorities and not as a traditional hotel for the time being."
The group of detainees reportedly included military officials and government ministers and 11 princes, among them Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, whose net worth is estimated to be US$17bn, according to Bloomberg.
The hotel features 493 rooms and suites, is prominently situated next to the Diplomatic Quarter and adjacent to the King Abdul Aziz Convention Centre. Highlights include 49 two-bedroom Royal Suites, each measuring more than 425m2 and 50 one-bedroom Executive Suites at 95m2.