Al Marwa Rayhaan By Rotana

“excellent”

It was excellent staying in Rotana, and I would like to appreciate and thank Miss Aya, who is a wonderful employee, for her support and for doing her best to welcome us Thanks so much

““A Truly Remarkable Culinary Journey at Makkah Rotana””

Heartfelt appreciation to Executive Chef Hakimul Islam for the incredible food and amazing hospitality at Makkah Rotana. Every bite was a delight, and the care and passion behind the cuisine truly stood out. A wonderful dining experience!”

“Amazing dining experience”

A wonderful dining experience we had in the main restaurant terrace with the exceptional view of Al haram. Special thanks to Mr. Alaa Eldeeb the restaurant manager and his team. Also with the kitchen team for the delicious food 🍱

“A November tale of light, shadow, and sacred horizons at Al Marwa Rayhaan by Rotana”

Some journeys to Makkah begin with intention. Mine began with intention and an email, quiet and unassuming, yet heavy with meaning. Before my feet touched the cool marble of the Haram in November, kindness arrived through Ms Arwa Khalid. Her warmth and clarity felt like an early blessing of Umrah.… lisää

Some journeys to Makkah begin with intention. Mine began with intention and an email, quiet and unassuming, yet heavy with meaning. Before my feet touched the cool marble of the Haram in November, kindness arrived through Ms Arwa Khalid. Her warmth and clarity felt like an early blessing of Umrah. When circumstances forced me to cancel my non refundable booking, I accepted the loss without hesitation. A month later, when life found its balance again, she restored my reservation and adjusted the lost advance without being asked. In that single act, Al Marwa Rayhaan by Rotana earned my trust long before I ever reached its doors. I am a loyal IHG Priority, Accor ALL, and Marriott Bonvoy traveler, rarely drawn outside those familiar constellations of hospitality. Yet my cousin and his wife returned earlier this year praising Al Marwa with such sincerity that I listened. Their admiration is not easily earned. I checked in late on the night of November twentieth, stepping into the morning of the twenty first. The lobby glowed with marble and warm light, holding within it the spiritual pulse of the city. The check in process was smooth, though I was required to make full payment upfront. For someone accustomed to five star hotels within the Clock Tower vicinity, where settlement at checkout is the norm unless otherwise requested, this felt unusually rigid. I complied, though the formality lingered like an unnecessary pause in a sacred rhythm. Room 1619 on the sixteenth floor opened not like a room but like a supplication answered slowly. I had booked a one bedroom partial Kaaba view suite. Instead, I was given two connecting rooms, one generous, one modest, joined by a foyer. There was one main bathroom and a powder room with a shower. The Kaaba revealed itself partially, but Masjid al Haram unfolded in full splendor, a vast sacred panorama that turned every dawn into devotion. That view carried a silence that settled the soul. Inside the suite, however, the harmony faltered. The space was said to be designed by Tonino Lamborghini, yet time had not been merciful. The mattresses sagged as if exhausted by years of bearing unspoken stories. Bed frames were stained, though the linens themselves were clean. Cupboards were chipped. Wallpaper peeled away quietly, like memories letting go. The furniture felt weary, as though it had been forgotten between pilgrimages. Despite being labeled a suite, there was no true sitting area beyond a few armchairs and a small coffee table. The kitchen remained locked throughout the stay, its presence more symbolic than useful. More troubling were the tiny insects hidden within the carpet. My family and I developed rashes on the very first day. I bought insecticide myself and sprayed the suite thoroughly. The situation improved, yet the unease stayed behind, invisible but persistent. The bathroom carried its own discomforts. There was leakage in the commode, a broken towel bar in the powder room, and if the powder room was not cleaned daily, a stale odor crept in quietly. The most unsettling discovery was mould on the bathtub shower curtain. That single sight robbed me of the courage to step into the bathtub entirely. I used the powder room shower for the rest of my stay. For a hotel charging five star rates within the sacred radius of the Clock Tower, the experience felt so misplaced that it seemed as if this room was reserved for non paying guests, despite the substantial amount I had paid and the standard I rightfully deserved. Room service delivered paper cups and plastic cutlery when I requested proper glasses and utensils. The moment felt surreal, almost undignified. I eventually purchased my own glassware to restore a sense of normalcy. In a hotel presenting itself as five star, this should never be necessary. When the bathroom floor flooded due to a blocked drain, I called the reception and spoke with Mohammad Makkawi, to whom I explained the issue. He immediately sent housekeeping to resolve the problem. I am thankful for his prompt resolution. The concierge department became the most disheartening chapter of my stay. Communication was strained due to limited English proficiency, but the defining moment arrived at checkout. A concierge staff member came to my floor and stood outside my suite, refusing to step even a single pace inside. I carried every piece of luggage myself from the foyer to the trolley in the corridor. Despite visible space, he refused to load my hand carry bags, handed me the luggage tag with visible disinterest, and walked away. It felt less like service and more like indifference. At the reception, Ms Tala appeared largely disengaged. When I asked for help setting my Uber location, she redirected me to the concierge with little interest. The concierge, either unable or unwilling to understand English or even read Google Translate, attempted instead to steer me toward the hotel’s rent a car service. I returned to Tala to explain that the concierge could not understand a word, only to be sent back again with the flat response that this was not a reception matter. As frustration mounted, Ilyas stepped in. With genuine kindness, he personally accompanied my sister and me to the taxi stand and helped us arrange a ride. I regret not noting his department, but I remain sincerely grateful and pray he is rewarded for his kindness., The second encounter with Tala came when I requested a receipt for the payment made at check in. She refused outright, stating that receipts are only issued at checkout. It was incorrect, but I chose silence over argument with an absurd fool. Later that night, after Tala’s shift had ended, I approached Ammar and simply asked for my receipt without giving any background or reference. He printed it immediately with a warm smile, effortlessly dissolving the earlier misrepresentation that Tala had spread. Nawaf also assisted me during check in and with my vehicle permit. These individuals reminded me that hospitality, when practiced sincerely, still exists here. Housekeeping became a quiet source of reassurance. Rakeeb and Habib worked with consistency, respect, and care, restoring order where they could. And then there was the restaurant, the true soul of Al Marwa Rayhaan. Breakfast on the terrace overlooking Masjid al Haram transformed each meal into reflection. The food was excellent, but the pastries were unforgettable. Chef Imran Javed deserves special recognition. His cinnamon roll alone could soften the strongest resolve. The service team, Rahat, Abdul Barak, Mamoon Ar Rasheed, and Uloomuddin, were attentive and gracious. The two ladies at the host desk welcomed us warmly every morning. Mahmoud stood out quietly. Noticing my father’s difficulty due to age, he immediately offered to arrange breakfast trays delivered to our room for him. We declined, but the gesture remained with us. Mahmoud ran the restaurant floor with calm authority and genuine care. If this hotel has a heartbeat, it lives there and beats through Mahmoud. I left Al Marwa Rayhaan by Rotana carrying two truths. One, it offers one of the most breathtaking views in the world and a restaurant team that embodies hospitality at its finest. Two, its rooms and certain service departments fall noticeably short of five star expectations, not even meeting basic three star standards, especially given its sacred location. Would I return. Possibly. But for very specific reasons. For the terrace restaurant that nourished both body and soul. And for the eternal horizon of Masjid al Haram that wrapped my November mornings in reverence. Al Marwa Rayhaan by Rotana is a hotel of contrasts. Beauty and neglect. Grace and oversight. Light and shadow. With renewed rooms, sincere training for the concierge department, and protection of its finest staff, it has the potential to truly reflect the sanctity of the city it overlooks. Until then, it remains a November story told between devotion and disappointment, with Masjid al Haram eternal outside the window.

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