Marriot International is playing big in the Middle East. The hospitality giant has unveiled plans of opening the world’s largest Courtyard by Marriott in Makkah, Saudi Arabia.
Scheduled to welcome guests from 2026, the landmark project is a collaboration with Al Qimmah Hospitality Co. and Amwaj Real Estate Co., which are subsidiaries of BinDawood Trading.
The Courtyard by Marriott Makkah Al Naseem is designed to provide modern comfort and convenience for religious tourists. The hotel will offer 2,179 guest rooms across seven interconnected towers. Amenities include a restaurant that can accommodate over 1,800 guests, a lobby lounge and the brand’s signature grab and go outlet. The hotel will feature the brand’s classic style and spaces tailored to the evolving needs of travelers.
Highlighting the strategic importance of the hotel, Abdul Razzaq BinDawood, chairman of Al Qimmah said: “We are constructing high-quality towers within the Al Naseem District, as part of our ongoing commitment to serve guests and travelers to the Holy Mosque. This will be one of our largest developments to date and a continuation of our strategic collaboration with Marriott International.”
The hotel will significantly enhance the hospitality offering in the Holy City, a focal point of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative that aims to position the country as a global hub for religious and cultural tourism. As a cornerstone of Vision 2030, it plays a pivotal role in diversifying the economy and reducing dependence on oil.
Vision 2030 includes expanding Makkah’s hospitality infrastructure to meet the growing demand for accommodations near the Holy Mosque. The initiative aims to host 30 million religious tourists annually by the end of the decade. One of the most visited cities in the world, the city welcomed a record-breaking 13.5 million pilgrims in 2023.
“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,” said Chadi Hauch, regional vice president for lodging development in the Middle East at Marriott International.
The Courtyard by Marriott is Marriott International’s biggest brand, in terms of number of properties worldwide. Currently, the select-service brand has more than 1,300 locations in nearly 60 countries.
