The room where the King of Saudi Arabia lived. The Saudi king made money for Moscow luxury hotels
The King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, has settled in Moscow with oriental luxury. MIR 24 correspondent Vladimir Seroukhov visited a fashionable hotel, which was completely purchased by the monarch.
The King of Saudi Arabia at night in the hotel " Ritz Carlton"on Tverskaya Street with its large delegation - more than a thousand people. This is the monarch's first visit to Russia, and the luxury with which it is carried out is simply amazing. The delegation will travel around the city in cars of the most prestigious brands - top-end Mercedes, BMW, Jaguars and other luxury cars. The cost of each ranges from 6 to 10 million rubles - one might say, an apartment on wheels. There was even a story that the number of cars in the escort was equal to the number of letters in the king’s name, and it was quite complex - Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud.
The dear guest himself stayed in one of the most prestigious hotels in the capital, the Ritz Carlton, and simply bought up all 334 rooms. The most luxurious of them costs 112 thousand rubles per day. The monarch will most likely feel cramped in one, even a luxury, room. He probably bought the whole floor for himself. By the way, the interiors of the Ritz were remodeled in the Arabic style; many brought their own carpets and furniture with them. The entire hotel per day will cost the king 14 million rubles per day, for 4 days (the length of his visit) - about 60.
However, the Ritz alone, of course, is not enough, so for the duration of the visit, all hotels in the center of Moscow are booked for accompanying persons - the Four Season, the National, and the Marriott.
It is estimated that hosting the retinue will cost an additional 160 million rubles. We add the price of the Ritz and we get that the delegation’s accommodation alone comes out to a quarter of a billion rubles.
Although this amount looks small compared to the multi-billion dollar contracts and investments that will be discussed in the Kremlin, which, by the way, the sheikhs, princes and ministers who will live near Red Square all these days have a wonderful view of.
It is believed that the king of Saudi Arabia descends from the Prophet Muhammad himself. The monarch arrived in Moscow wearing a keffiyeh - a cotton or silk scarf with a colored pattern, traditional for Eastern men.
King Salman's clothing is always the national loose shirt, ankle-length. It's called "tobe". And a long cloak - mishlakh, without which the king never goes out. The king's cloak is most often gold in color, but can be green or brown.
Interestingly, all Saudi Arabian officials are required to wear national clothes during visits abroad. This was done in order to emphasize the national identity and introduce the world to the traditions of the kingdom.
Saudi Arabia occupies about 80 percent of the Arabian Peninsula. Due to the fact that its borders are not clearly defined, the exact area of the country is not known. According to various sources, it can range from 1,960,582 km² to 2,240,000 km². Which puts it 13th in size in the world.
Saudi Arabia is often called the land of the “two holy holy places.” There are two main cities for Muslims - Medina. By the way, Saudi Arabia is one of the three modern states, named after their rulers. IN in this case referring to the Saudi dynasty.
The Kingdom is a world leader in oil sales and production. Yes, only largest deposit country - Gavar can accommodate almost 5 million Olympic swimming pools. The country's oil reserves amount to 260 billion barrels.
It is profitable to take in Saudi Arabia. Banks issue them at only 2% per annum. Since the Koran prohibits usury, the specified percentage goes only to cover the operating expenses of the bank.
In Saudi Arabia, everything that is directly or indirectly related to witchcraft and magic is prohibited. This is considered a serious crime and may be punishable by death penalty. The government takes the magical threat so seriously that it has even banned the Harry Potter books.
Widespread in Saudi Arabia. In 2015, the authorities held them every other day. In most cases, execution is carried out by cutting off the head with a scimitar. Diera Square in the center of Riyadh – famous place public beheadings, known locally as “chop-chop square.”
Salman Al Saud is the first Saudi monarch to visit Russia. They are preparing for his visit with all care. Special billboards with greetings even appeared at Vnukovo airport
King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdul Al Saud. Photo: Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Saudi king flies to Russia. Salman Al Saud will be the first Saudi monarch to set foot on our soil. Can we say that the arrival was delayed and what to expect from Saudi delegation?
For several days now, billboards with Russian text and Arabic script have been hanging near the Vnukovo airport: “We welcome the custodian of two Islamic shrines in Russia,” and in the background is a smiling King Salman Al Saud. In Russia, people have been waiting for the monarch. Previously, Putin met only with Crown Prince Mohammed in 2004 in Moscow and two years ago in Sochi. And then, finally, the king himself. Why only now?
Professor of the Department of International Economic Relations, Institute of Asian and African Countries, Moscow State University. Lomonosov“This is connected with many things, because when the Crown Prince was here, we agreed, say, to create a joint fund in the field of oil. There are very large funds involved; both sides must invest over $1 billion. Among other things, the king of Saudi Arabia understands perfectly well that it is necessary to negotiate with Russia on Syrian issues. The king must test the waters to see how far our ties with the same Iran go, and whether Iran will lay claim to some special role in Syria after the completion of the military operation against the Islamic State.”
Salman is 81 and rarely travels outside the country. According to Arab media, after suffering a stroke, the monarch suffered greatly. It is believed that the king suffers from Alzheimer's disease. However, Salman's condition does not change the status of the meeting.
Associate Professor, Department of General History, Russian State University for the Humanities“The Queen of England visited us in 1994, but this is the first time the Saudi king is coming. This means everything will be widescreen. There will be a guard of honor, there will be a whole range of pompous protocol events. They can even give you a mini-tour. It all depends on the state of health of the king; it is not so much the guards who are important there as the doctors. Yes, he is of advanced age, plus he is a sick man. Ours, too, have probably prepared some kind of ward at the Central Clinical Hospital just in case, it’s just not advertised.”
All the rooms of the Ritz Hotel were purchased for the king.-Carlton until October 7th. It’s not just a delegation flying: the entire color of the country. For example, during a March visit to Japan, the king traveled to Tokyo on ten planes and transported 450 tons of luggage. Former Russian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Andrei Baklanov talks about the intricacies of the Saudi protocol:
Andrey Baklanov former Russian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia“The Saudis are distinguished by their particularly painstaking approach to preparing and conducting top-level visits. Everything must be planned out and then, according to this carefully thought-out scenario, implemented. They first send a large advance group to the country where the event will take place, which works in different areas of the program. Accompanies pretty a large number of family members of the ruling dynasty and officials - employees of ministries and departments, and business representatives, and simply people who perform technical services.”
The king’s visit will be such that one can only sympathize with Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, who will also arrive in Moscow.
The retinue of the King of Saudi Arabia during his visit to Moscow will occupy all the available rooms of five-star hotels around the Kremlin and Red Square, including one of the hotels completely. Business FM reported this on October 4.
Visit royalty will last from 4 to 7 October. Already, in the area of Manezhnaya Square, Lubyanka and Kuznetsky Most there are no vacancies in five-star hotels, such as Four Seasons,St. Regis and National - those where the delegation from Saudi Arabia will stay. In total, the Saudi mission will number about a thousand people. And for the king himself, all rooms at the Ritz Carlton hotel were purchased until October 7.
In the questionnaire for a survey of capital travel agencies organized by BANKO based on the results summer season, for the first time two additional questions were included, the answers to which made it possible to find out the preferences of retail in the field of MICE tourism and working with VIP clients.
As Yunis Teymurkhanly, the owner and general director of the St. Petersburg Helvetia Hotel, told the website, such measures are dictated by the requirements of the protocols for accommodating persons of this level. “As a rule, figures of this magnitude stay in official residences on the territory of the visited states, where maximum security can be ensured. But the final choice of accommodation facility is determined by the protocol of the two countries. The monarch's delegation may have its own security considerations and transport accessibility. In addition, the dining facilities at the Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton hotels exceed those of a state residence typically afforded to guests of this caliber. The king will probably invite politicians and journalists. In this case, his own cooks can provide food not only for a large delegation, but also for guests,” the expert said.
On October 4, an unusually high density of traffic police officers could already be observed on Moscow roads, which was probably due to increased security measures. According to Vadim Prasov, vice-president of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers of Russia, traffic difficulties will likely arise in the center, but Moscow, as a capital city, is accustomed to this. “The delegation is really large, and none of the high-status guests wants to live in three-ruble apartments.” Hoteliers, naturally, will not have any objections,” the expert commented.
On Booking.com, rooms at the Ritz Carlton hotel as of October 8 can cost from 35 to 112 thousand rubles per night. The hotel has 334 rooms.
Let us remember that earlier this year, the Saudi king undertook a 31-day trip to Asia, during which he was accompanied by 459 tons of luggage, including two elevators and two Mercedes-Benz S600 cars, as well as a retinue of 1,500 people. The monarch is 81 years old.
Five-star hotels in the center of Moscow have almost run out of rooms: the best hotel rooms have been occupied by the retinue of the King of Saudi Arabia, the RIA Novosti agency reported. He is due to arrive in the capital on an official visit on Thursday. A delegation of one thousand people will arrive in Russia together with Salman Al Saud, the agency’s source said. Yana Lubnina looked into how hoteliers will greet distinguished guests.
During the visit, the delegation of the King of Saudi Arabia will live next to Red Square. Today, rent a room at the National, Four Seasons or St. Regis will not work: in one of the hotels, journalists were told about full occupancy, which, according to employees, happens extremely rarely. Reservations will open again after October 8th.
Some hotels had to cancel planned weddings and banquets; The main task now is to strengthen security: you can enter the building only after presenting your guest card. Sergei Kolesnikov, vice-president of the Federation of Restaurateurs and Hoteliers, told Kommersant FM that this is normal practice:
“These events do not take place spontaneously, regardless of who comes: Saudi Arabia, the United States, the President of the Russian Federation or high-ranking officials. A representative of the special services selects not just a hotel, but specific rooms, this happens within a week or two. After the advance group, the day before arrival, special security measures are carried out: the room is checked again so that there are no misunderstandings.”
The organizers of the visit paid special attention to the convenience of the guests. The king of Saudi Arabia is known for his whimsical nature: on his March trip to Indonesia, he took about 500 tons of luggage, two Mercedes-Benz S600 cars and even two electric elevators; Apparently, the Saudis did not come to Moscow lightly. Especially for the delegation, hotels change the furnishings of the rooms: the usual European furniture is sent to the warehouse, and in return they lay out carpets brought from Riyadh; In addition, pork dishes will be excluded from hotel menus. This is not all that hotels can do for the sake of clients, noted Kirill Ryabkov, marketing director of the Quintessentially Russia concierge club:
“I worked at the Hyatt hotel where Madonna lived, and we did a separate room where she did yoga. The room had to be connected to her presidential suite, this was a requirement. One Australian pop star demanded that there be a certain scent of lilies where she walked."
There are a thousand people in Salman Al Saud’s delegation, and they were apparently lucky with their accommodation. Although it happened that wealthy guests bought the best rooms from the guests - the owner of the Helvetia Hotel in St. Petersburg, Yunis Teymurkhanly, told Kommersant FM about this case:
“The delegation, apparently from the Emirates, was only satisfied with the presidential number: it was sold to one of the Russian oligarchs, and representatives of the Arab sheikh contacted the Russian with a request to give up this number. He categorically refused, bidding began, and in the end, when it had already reached astronomical figures, the oligarch’s wife could not stand it, saying: “You don’t want it, but I want it, I’ll buy it in France for the difference.”
Prices in best rooms Four Seasons with an area of 500 sq. m. start from 1 million rubles. per day., but for the delegation this is not a problem: especially, according to some sources, Saudi Prince Al-Walid, the king’s nephew, owns a share of this hotel chain.
Kommersant FM's interlocutors say that special conditions, in which the king of Saudi Arabia will live, cannot be called a whim: this, according to experts hotel business, guaranteeing their complete safety.
The cost of accommodation for King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and his retinue during his visit to Moscow from October 5 to 7 could be up to $3.3 million, according to a study conducted for RBC by specialists from the travel service OneTwoTrip.
Earlier, RIA Novosti reported that the Saudi king and a thousand people in his retinue will occupy all the available rooms in five-star hotels around the Kremlin and Red Square. They will stay at the Four Seasons (Moscow), Ritz Carlton, St. Regis Nikolskaya and National. In particular, the delegation completely rented the Four Seasons Hotel. The cost of the presidential suite alone is 1 million rubles.
“Depending on the accommodation, 1 thousand guests will need from 500 to 1 thousand rooms. Including accommodation in all Four Seasons rooms and suites at the Ritz Carlton, St. Regis and National provide about 326 rooms, that is, to accommodate the entire delegation, at least another 430 rooms of a different category are needed in these three hotels,” experts calculated.
If we take into account the cost of not only suites, but also standard and superior rooms, as well as a markup for group accommodation from 10 to 50%, then the total cost of accommodation for the Saudi delegation could range from $2.2 million to $3.3 million, experts say.
According to Kommersant, the furnishings in some rooms will be changed especially for the king’s arrival: carpets will be added, furniture will be changed. “The cost of such a transformation is difficult to calculate. We can talk about tens of thousands of dollars,” say OneTwoTrip experts.
According to Kommersant, Saudi Prince Al-Waleed, nephew of the King of Saudi Arabia, owns a share in the network Four hotels Seasons. “Without a doubt, this will make adjustments to the final price,” says the study received by RBC.
A slight drop in the ratings of specific hotels due to the inability of regular guests to check in for this period “will be more than compensated by income from the accommodation of delegations,” RBC said Chief Editor industry portal Hotelier.PRO Vyacheslav Sapozhnikov. According to him, the reputation of hotels is a “long-lasting issue.”
Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud's visit to Moscow following the incident at Vnukovo-2 airport. When the king got off the plane and began to go down the escalator, it broke and the monarch had to go down on his own. As RBC Advisor to the Administrative Director of the President of Russia Elena Krylova, the Saudi Arabian delegation brought an escalator ladder with them, but she could not clarify the cause of the breakdown.
During his visit, the King of Saudi Arabia held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The Kremlin press service reported that increasing bilateral cooperation in the trade, economic, investment, cultural and humanitarian spheres will be discussed, and joint documents will also be signed.
