The world’s largest Courtyard by Marriott hotel is coming to Saudi Arabia, though some travelers won’t be able to visit.
Marriott International announced it has signed an agreement with Al Qimmah Hospitality Company and Amwaj Real Estate Company, both subsidiaries of BinDawood Trading, to open a 2,179-room Courtyard by Marriott Hotel in the Holy City of Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
The property is expected to be completed in 2026 and will be branded as the Courtyard by Marriott Makkah Al Naseem. The property looks more like a Las Vegas casino hotel rather than a Courtyard and, once complete, the 2,179 guest rooms will be spread across seven inter-connecting towers.
While almost 2,200 rooms is no doubt a massive property, to put things into perspective, the Courtyard by Marriott Makkah Al Naseem will be one-third of the size of the MGM Grand Las Vegas.
The hotel is expected to include a restaurant with capacity to accommodate more than 1,800 guests, a lobby lounge and The Market, Courtyard’s signature Grab n’ Go market.
Chadi Hauch, Regional Vice President, Lodging Development, Middle East, Marriott International, had this to say about the upcoming property:
“We are pleased to build on our relationship with Al Qimmah Hospitality and BinDawood Trading with this landmark agreement to open the world’s largest Courtyard by Marriott in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This agreement underscores Marriott International’s commitment to supporting the growth of the Kingdom’s tourism sector and reinforces the continued demand we are seeing for our portfolio of brands in the Holy City of Makkah.”
Makkah, also known as Mecca, is a holy city for Muslims and non-Muslims are prohibited from entering the city. So, while I won’t be staying there, I’d love to see a review of the property once it’s complete. Not that I expect a Courtyard by Marriott to be groundbreaking but rather I’m interested to see what a brand that has 100-200 room properties does with a 2,200 room one.
Summary
The largest Courtyard by Marriott in the world is coming to the holy city of Makkah, Saudi Arabia. The new property will be outfitted with roughly 2,200 rooms and is expected to open in 2026. While I can’t visit I’m interested to see photos of this property once it is completed.
(Image courtesy Marriott International)