Preparing for a business trip to the Middle East? CNBC has made it easy to search out the very best hotel for the trip.
CNBC Travel and the market data firm Statista today release a rating of the “Best Hotels for Business Travelers” within the Middle East.
That is the primary rating of its kind between CNBC and Statista, which also jointly released hotel rankings in Europe today. Asia-Pacific rankings were published in September.
In total, we analyzed greater than 10,000 four- and five-star hotels in 117 locations to provide lists corporate travelers can trust. We did this using a three-step process:
- Asking business travelers and hotel industry professionals to reply a CNBC reader survey which ran from May 3 to June 7, 2022.
- Reviewing greater than 1 million hotel data points, which included objective information (location, business facilities, food, leisure activities and room characteristics) and subjective reviews (gathered from Google, TripAdvisor, Expedia and similar web sites).
- Weighting the information to prioritize the hotel characteristics deemed most significant within the reader survey.
For full details on our research methodology, click here.
From Abu Dhabi to Tel Aviv, here is the complete list of the winners within the Middle East in PDF format — complete with final scores — a few of that are highlighted below.
Alternatively, you possibly can search by city or country using the table here:
Abu Dhabi
- Rosewood Abu Dhabi
- Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi — Yas Island
- 4 Seasons Hotel Abu Dhabi at Al Maryah Island
- W Abu Dhabi — Yas Island
- Beach Rotana Residences
Rosewood Abu Dhabi
Source: Rosewood Abu Dhabi
Rosewood Abu Dhabi is the brand’s only hotel within the United Arab Emirates. With fewer than 200 rooms and suites, it is not huge, yet it has seven on-site restaurants and lounges. Bookings that include access to the Manor Club include greater than the standard lounge fare: all-day food and evening cocktails, yes — but in addition early check-ins, spa discounts, boardroom usage and a fitness consultation with a private trainer.
Ankara
- Alegria Business Hotel
- Holiday Inn Ankara — Cukurambar
- Ankara Atli Hotel
- Ankara HiltonSA
- Occidental Ankara
The Alegria is all business — as befits its name. Opened in 2020, the hotel blends contemporary decor with easy conveniences. Though it has fewer than 150 rooms, the hotel has the facilities of a big hotel, with a restaurant, rooftop bar, spa, gym and event spaces.
Doha
- Alwadi Hotel Doha MGallery
- The St. Regis Doha
- JW Marriott Marquis City Center Doha
- Mondrian Doha
- Park Hyatt Doha
Alwadi Hotel Doha MGallery
Source: Alwadi Hotel Doha MGallery
Guests find little fault in the primary MGallery-branded hotel to open in Qatar. They praise its service, food and site within the Msheireb downtown district and shut to Souq Waqif, Doha’s most famous market. It has 4 restaurants — including high-quality Arabic food at Sofra and the poolside O’Glacee — plus a rooftop bar with cocktails inspired by flavors from 28 countries.
Dubai
- Sheraton Grand Hotel Dubai
- Jumeirah Living World Trade Centre Residence
- Waldorf Astoria Dubai International Financial Centre
- Pullman Dubai Creek City Centre Residences
- Grand Plaza Movenpick Media City
Sheraton Grand Hotel Dubai
Source: Marriott International
There are 4 Sheratons in Dubai, however the Sheraton Grand Hotel Dubai is the just one with the brand’s “Grand” distinction. Launched in 2015, the designation was created to tell apart standout Sheraton hotels, and this hotel was among the many first ten properties to receive the label. The 54-story tall hotel has a bar and pool on the rooftop, plus a ballroom that may seat 400.
Istanbul
- Raffles Istanbul
- The Ritz-Carlton Istanbul
- Witt Istanbul Suites
- The Leos Residence
- Akgun Istanbul Hotel
Butler service at Raffles Istanbul
Source: Raffles Istanbul
With a fancy address on the Zorlu Center, Raffles Istanbul tops CNBC’s hotel list in Turkey’s largest city. Every room comes with a private butler, available 24 hours a day. There are indoor and outdoor swimming pools, an on-site helipad and “meet and greet” airport service that fast-tracks travelers through passport control.
Izmir
- Svalinn Hotel
- Izmir Marriott Hotel
- Wyndham Grand Izmir Ozdilek
- Radisson Hotel Izmir Aliaga
- Renaissance Izmir Hotel
The Svalinn Hotel is a practical and popular alternative for business travelers in Izmir. Room rates are low, but accolades are high. It has the amenities that business travelers value — an on-site restaurant, bar and patisserie — all just just a few miles from Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport.
Jeddah
- Assila, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dschidda
- Radisson Blu Hotel, Jeddah Al Salam
- Adagio Aparthotel Jeddah Malik Road
- Boudl Quraish
- Vivienda Jeddah
Assila, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Dschidda
Source: Marriott International
Business travelers may miss having space when staying in city hotels, and Assila has them covered. It’s got rooms and suites, but in addition one- to four-bedroom apartments. A part of Marriott’s “The Luxury Collection” hotels, the hotel’s business center is anything but an afterthought — it is a vibrant space awash in natural sunlight with copying and printing services.
Jerusalem
- American Colony Hotel Jerusalem
- The Inbal Jerusalem
- Mamilla Hotel
- David Citadel
- Waldorf Astoria Jerusalem
American Colony Hotel Jerusalem
Source: American Colony Hotel Jerusalem | Mikaela Burstow
The American Colony Hotel is more akin to a house than a hotel. The unique portion of the hotel was the previous palace of a pasha — or high-ranking Ottoman official — and his 4 wives. During its 120-year history, the hotel added three more buildings, including the Cow Byre, a former barn which now has suites with private terraces.
Mecca
- 4 Points by Sheraton Makkah Al Naseem
- InterContinental Dar Al Tawhid
- Raffles Makkah Palace
- Hilton Makkah Convention Hotel
- Park Inn by Radisson Makkah Aziziyah
4 Points by Sheraton Makkah Al Naseem
Source: Marriott International
4 Points by Sheraton Makkah Al Naseem is a big hotel with all of the bells and whistles of a branded hotel — a fitness center, 24-hour room service and dry-cleaning services. And with suites with living rooms and marble bathrooms for around $125, the worth is correct for business visitors who’re watching their travel budgets.
Riyadh
- Radisson Hotel Riyadh Airport
- Movenpick Hotel And Residences Riyadh
- Vivienda Hotel Villas Granada
- Marriott Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter
- Riyadh Diplomatic Quarter — Marriott Executive Apartments
Radisson Hotel Riyadh Airport
Source: Radisson Hotel Riyadh Airport
Travelers landing in Riyadh who wish to avoid the half-hour automotive ride to the town can stay on the Radisson Hotel Riyadh Airport — it’s just five minutes from King Khalid International Airport by automotive. Rooms are generous with space, starting from entry-level ones measuring 670 square feet to sprawling villas with offices and personal pools.
Tel Aviv
- The Norman Tel Aviv
- The Drisco Hotel
- Ink Hotel
- The David Kempinski
- The Jaffa Tel Aviv
A phenomenal mix of old and latest, The Norman Tel Aviv opened in 2014 after an eight-year renovation of its two buildings — the fashionable principal constructing and a historic residential constructing round the corner. Guests in its 50 rooms and suites have access to a rooftop infinity pool, two restaurants and a bar, plus same-day dry-cleaning services.
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— Natalie Tham contributed to this report.