by Donald Wood
Last updated: 11:21 AM ET, Wed January 22, 2020
Marriott International announced Wednesday it has signed a landmark deal to bring the first Fairfield by Marriott hotel to the Middle East and Africa region with a 2,600-room property in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
The agreement with Nahdet Al-Mashaer has the opening of the new Fairfield by Marriott Makkah Al Naseem scheduled for 2023, with construction on the facility already underway.
When the Makkah property opens to the public, it will become the largest Fairfield hotel in the world and help Marriott expand into the growing religious destination of Makkah. It is expected to welcome guests visiting on pilgrimage and business.
"We are thrilled to be working with Nahdet Al-Mashaer to create a distinctive Fairfield by Marriott that will serve Makkah, the sought-out destination for rising numbers of religious pilgrims," Marriott Chief Development Officer Jerome Briet said in a statement. "We expect this hotel will become a popular destination, especially given the strong demand for high-quality lodging in the Holy City."
The Fairfield by Marriott Makkah Al Naseem will feature public spaces and lounge areas designed with the Fairfield brand's Modern Calm aesthetic and other amenities, such as complimentary hot breakfast and coffee, a fitness center and a lobby market.
Saudi Arabia is currently Marriott's second-largest market in the Middle East, and the Fairfield by Marriott brand now has more than 1,000 open hotels in the United States, Latin America, Mexico and Asia.
In November, Marriott also announced it would introduce three of its global hospitality brands to Thailand, marking the addition of three hotels comprised of nearly 1,550 rooms expected to open between late 2020 and 2024.
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