This review has been updated as a general review of the Hyatt Regency Makkah Hotel. I initially stayed in the hotel during Ramadan 2015, and I have been there several times since then.
I have also redeemed some of the best loyalty points there for Ramadan. The hotel has always upgraded us to suites when we have status and has a nice lounge to relax in.
In my opinion, the Hyatt Regency Makkah is one of the best hotels in Makkah, and the competition is generally high.
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As I mentioned earlier, we hadn’t planned to go for Umrah during Ramadan, but I was keeping an eye on the Hyatt Regency Makkah because I really wanted to visit the property. I recently wrote a comprehensive guide with all the new hotels that are coming soon, and this one just opened. The initial opening date was set for July 15th, which seemed a bit odd since it was the end of Ramadan.
However, they changed their opening to the first day of Ramadan, with only one tower and 11 floors open to the public. I believe the total open capacity was around 270 rooms.
I couldn’t believe they had availability for points and cash, especially since a single night in the hotel cost 4200SAR (£570). Needless to say, I did a happy dance!
The property is in the new Jabal Omar development. If you are taking a taxi from the train station or from Jeddah airport, your driver can easily find it.
Ideally, avoid arriving at the property during Friday prayer—basically in the morning and lunchtime—because traffic can make getting to the hotel take a long time.
The lobby is impressive and you can see that the property is finished to a high standard. There are plenty of places where you can sit and relax and I love that even though it is an open space it is quite nicely separated. There is a nice cafe which was not open during Ramadan but the view of the new Haram extension is awesome. I did a short Periscope from the cafe which you can watch here.
The check-in process was very smooth, and the staff was lovely. This was our longest stay in a hotel, as we usually only stayed for a maximum of five days. By the end of our trip, we felt like part of the family and made friends with many of the staff. I will try my best not to be biased about this property. As a new property, there were, of course, some issues, which I will sum up at the end.
As a Diamond member, I received a room upgrade to a high-floor partial-view room along with a complimentary breakfast. However, during Ramadan, the breakfast was replaced with an iftar dinner.
Since we have been back several times and the hotel is now fully operational, we have had several upgrades, and there is still a breakfast option for Globalist.
Surrounding area
The Hyatt Regency is within the Jabal Omar development. It is one of my favourite areas to stay in Makkah, and I have a full YouTube video with this for you to watch.
There are so many amazing hotels now there, including the Conrad, Hilton Suites, Jumeirah, Convention Hilton, and many more openings. They have a supermarket and shops in the mall, and it is only a 5-minute walk to the Haram Gates.
The hotel is located next to the Hilton Suites, which is in the same development. You have access to the Haram on the street and mall level. You exit into the mall and then onto the street next to the Haram, which is just opposite the Intercontinental.
There is a BinDawood supermarket, where you can find everything you need from food to home goods. It is easy to pop down and buy supplies if you need to bring them into your room. There are also shops and a food court on the top floor which also has Al-Baik, the most famous fast food chain, which I am not a fan of personally.
It is approximately 2-3 minutes walk to the King Fahad Gate and into the haram, but you could also use some of the other entrances for quicker access.
The room
The room was very nice and spacious. Upon entering, you see a big mirror, which is great. There is also a large wardrobe. I really appreciate having a big wardrobe as it was one of my complaints about the Hilton Makkah. Many families come for Umrah with a lot of luggage, or even if they are in groups with 2-3 people in the room, you need space to store your possessions.
Plus, pilgrims usually stay for a week or more, so it is essential to have enough space and not have to walk around your suitcases.
I really liked the style of the room at the Hyatt – it had a minimalistic design which I found very appealing. The clean lines and lack of clutter made the room feel spacious. The floor-to-ceiling windows were great as they provided a full view, although I wish we had a better view.
Unfortunately, the view was partially obstructed by the Intercontinental, but we still had a nice view of the Clock Tower. One small issue was that if we had a side view, people from neighbouring rooms could potentially see in, so it’s important to pull the light curtain for maximum privacy, especially if wearing a hijab.
Fortunately, this wasn’t a problem for us as the adjacent properties are still under construction.
I found a lovely amenity kit in the room, filled with sweets and delicious Bateel dates, which quickly became my favorite.
One great thing about our room was the empty fridge, perfect for storing our own drinks and snacks. I hope they keep it this way for families. Many hotels fill the minibar with their own items, leaving no room for your drinks.
I also appreciated the empty chest of drawers, providing plenty of storage for our things.
During our recent stay at the Hyatt Regency in Makkah, we found our bathroom to be incredibly spacious, possibly due to the corner room we were assigned. I must say, I have no complaints about that. The amenities provided were exactly what you would expect from a Hyatt Regency hotel. The shower was generously sized and had excellent water pressure.
However, we did notice a slight odour in the bathroom, which we suspected was coming from the pipes. After bringing this to the attention of the staff, they promptly addressed the issue, significantly reducing the unpleasant smell. Considering the hotel is newly established, I have no doubt they will take the necessary steps to address this.
Overall, our experience at the Hyatt Regency in Makkah was a positive one, and we look forward to visiting again.
Restaurants
There are two restaurants in the hotel, but only one was open during our stay. The buffet during Ramadan was extensive and very good. Blame it on the 10 hours of fasting, but my favourite part was the dessert section, of course.
The chef must be one of the nicest chefs ever and has such great energy and passion for his role. He would go around and talk with the customers, making them feel really welcome, which I think was a great touch and made them feel cared for.
Iftar dinner was excellent, with a wide variety of food available for those of us who had been fasting for a long time. The restaurant serves three meals a day: breakfast, lunch, and dinner. We also tried the breakfast after Ramadan, which was quite good.
Although it mainly featured Arabic options with not many Western choices, the selection was still satisfying. I was informed that the breakfast would be à la carte, which I prefer since I can order anything I want.
The view from the restaurant is amazing. You can see the Haram and the sun shining. We spent hours there talking and making new friends. The staff were always polite and helpful. Since it’s a new place, they are still learning, so they forget some small things or orders at times, possibly due to the language barrier.
I did have a couple of things lost in translation when I placed my order, but it wasn’t a big deal. As soon as I mentioned it, they rectified the issue right away.
Cleaning
One difference I noticed at the Haram properties is the pattern of guests. Since it’s a religious site, most worship happens at night, especially during the summer. We used to go to pray at 10 pm and then return to our room at 10 am to sleep. We would wake up at 3 pm, pray, and repeat the ritual.
However, the staff would sometimes come into our room to clean without knocking because we were sleeping. This was not acceptable, but perhaps it was my fault for not putting the “do not disturb” sign on the door. I think addressing this issue and potentially offering a nighttime cleaning service or turn-down service would be a good option for Makkah hotels, especially during Ramadan.
Positives
High standard
The hotel is finished to a very high standard. I loved the Arabic influence and art around the hotel, and it gave me some decorative ideas of making something modern and beautiful.
The property at the moment is between 9,000 and 12,000 points which is a great deal considering how much the cash price can be.
Staff
Despite some challenges in communication, the staff were excellent. They were always helpful and enthusiastic, which is great since not all staff members are like that. They greeted guests with a smile and made them feel welcome right away, from the porter to the General Manager. I want to be transparent that I became friends with some of the managers at the property. However, I try to consider the perspective of other customers who may not have the same relationship with the staff. From what I observed, there was a good level of service provided to all guests.
Location
Redeeming Points for Hyatt Regency Makkah
This is what we paid in 2015 it is one of my best redemptions on par with the Waldorf Astoria Maldives.
The property is not cheap on cash but a very good value on points for 15,000 points or 7,500 + $100. I spent 8 nights there, and I paid a fraction of what it would have cost me in cash—actually £4,500 vs 60,000 points £550. This must have been by far one of my best hotel redemptions ever—the reason why I love this hobby. To top it up, I received 1/3 of my points back with the new Hyatt summer promotion.
As of 2024, the required points per night are between 9,000 and 12,000. Sadly, they restrict Ramadan redemptions, but it is still a good value during peak seasons like Christmas or Western holidays.
I have stayed several times at the hotel since 2015, and it is still one of my favourite properties in Makkah, especially if you have Hyatt status since the upgrades we have had are pretty amazing.
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Ahsan malik
Monday 26th of June 2023
Hi Thanks for the review. I also booked this hotel for next year on points. 99k points for 7 nights standard room king. But I don't see the diamond status. Now it's globalist as a higher status. So do u get free breakfast and lounge access os a globalist or not?
Muslim Travel Girl
Monday 10th of July 2023
Yes you do, I need to change that as it is a mistake from Hilton! Different name. Globalist is their highest