The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. continues to expand into the Middle East market with their first hotel in Saudi Arabia, The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh. The 493 room hotel in the Diplomatic Quarter is adjacent to the King Abdul Aziz Convention Centre.
Of course, the ...Click on a label to read posts from that part of the world.
Saudi Arabia
The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh opens, featuring bowling alley and cigar bar
The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company, L.L.C. continues to expand into the Middle East market with their first hotel in Saudi Arabia, The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh. The 493 room hotel in the Diplomatic Quarter is adjacent to the King Abdul Aziz Convention Centre.
Of course, the ...Interesting indoor spaces around the world
I love the outdoors, to the extent that I tend to bypass or overlook exceptional indoor spaces when I'm traveling or recounting a great trip. Fortunately, Lonely Planet author/former Gadling contributor Leif Pettersen's recent list on LP's website has reminded me that---as ...A journey to Mecca
The pilgrimage to Mecca, or the "Hajj", is a once-in-a-lifetime journey required by all followers of Islam. Each year, millions of pilgrims make the journey to Mecca in Saudi Arabia to pay respects to their religion, resulting in a tidal wave of visitors, traffic and ...
10 countries Americans need advance visas to visit
We live in an increasingly borderless world and we have access to many countries that were closed (or non-existent) 20 years ago. As reported earlier this week, Americans are especially lucky with access to 169 countries visa free. Still, there are still many countries that ...New world's tallest building planned for Saudi Arabia
Less than two years after the Burj Khalifa opened in Dubai, Saudi Arabia's Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has announced a new world's tallest building to be built on the Red Sea resort town of Jeddah. The Saudi building is planned to be 172 meters (564 feet) taller than the Burj ...How to get a second passport
A second passport sounds glamorous. And in point of fact, it is glamorous. There's no debating the matter. Possessing a second passport gives its bearer bragging rights and the ability to feel a wee bit like a spy, especially when he or she is traveling with both passports ...Pop-up restaurants: dining for a new decade
First, it was underground supper clubs. Now, everything's coming up pop-ups. As with food trucks, this form of guerrilla cheffing borne of economic need has become a global phenomenon. Equal parts dinner party and dinner theater, a pop-up refers to a dining establishment ...Strictest dress codes - 5 countries with fashion police
Earlier this week, the "Burqa Ban" went into effect in France. Since passing into law, several burqa draped women have already been arrested, and the symbolic law is causing an uproar among the Muslim population of France and beyond. However, France is not the only ...What are the top five cities for business travel?
Some cities are better for doing business than others, it seems. Of course, business travelers (well, professionals in general) all have their preferences. Having done my time in Omaha, Winnipeg and London (Ontario), I can tell you that some places are better than others. ...The Arab revolution: the reaction of one Muslim community
For the past few weeks, headlines all over the world have been dominated by the so-called Arab Revolution, a wave of anti-government protests across the Middle East. I'm living in the Ethiopian Muslim community of Harar and locals here are absorbed in the events. Sitting in ...Video: Saudi King Abdullah's arrival procession--it's grand
Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz returned to Saudi Arabia Wednesday after a 3 month stint abroad for medical treatment. Hundreds of men in white performed a traditional Bedouin sword dance on carpets laid out at the airport. With uprisings against government ...
The burqa and niqab: can travelers get used to anything? Should they?
Travel broadens the mind, at least for most people. As we explore different cultures and beliefs we see that for the most part they're OK. While there are always local customs we just can't follow, in general the more we travel, the more accepting we become.
But how ...Adventure travel meets faith: cycling to Mecca for the Hajj
Two Muslims from South Africa mixed adventure travel and spirituality this year by cycling to Mecca for the Hajj. Natheem Cairncross, 28 and Imtiyaz Haron, 25, cycled through South Africa, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Kenya, Turkey, Syria and Jordan. ...Photo of the Day (11.16.10)
This Sunday marked the beginning of the Hajj, the world's largest annual pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia. As the fifth pillar of Islam, the pilgrimage is a religious duty that must be carried out by every able-bodied Muslim that can do so. Saudi officials have ...Which country loves to work? See who doesn't take vacation time
A friend of mine asked me a few days ago when I last went on vacation – a real one. I struggled to remember the last time I went on a trip and didn't write or, before that, keep up with what was going on at the office. After stopping and focusing, I remembered a ...List of World Heritage sites continues to grow
The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, also known as UNESCO, has added more sites, including several cultural locations, to its ever expanding World Heritage list. The additions were made this past weekend when the organization concluded the ...Hotel cooking classes let you savor travel memories at home
You know what they say..."take only pictures, leave only memories." But what if you want to take it home with you? That searing pad ka prow that leaves a film of sweat on your brow, a fragrant bouillabaisse, schnitzel so thin and crisp it practically floats?
What you need ...Terrible seat assignment kills airline passenger
When Nas Air flight XY 720 from Beirut landed in Riyadh, airport workers found just how severe having the worst seat on the flight can be. The passenger wasn't alive any more, of course ... oh, and he was found on the landing gear. The corpse, ostensibly cold, has been ...Seven new hotels around the world from Fairmont in 2010
This year promises to be exciting for fans of the Fairmont. New properties are set to open in London, China and many other cities, each with a distinct style. There's no question that the Fairmont has the art and science of hospitality mastered, so these new properties are ...Homesick Indian man locks himself in airplane bathroom for a free trip back home
An Indian man working as an airplane cleaner in the Saudi city of Medina was feeling so homesick, that he locked himself in the bathroom of an Air India plane for a free trip back home.
The man was discovered 30 minutes into the flight, most likely when the flight ...
