Throughout history, the coastal city of Jeddah has welcomed a countless number of travelers, along with their respective cultures and customs, as they passed by or settled, even if only temporarily, in one of the region’s historic hubs. An ancient trade route traversed by merchants, alongside pilgrims journeying to the holy city of Mecca, across the ages, the former fishing town has managed to retain its catalyzing importance as a global junction while taking advantage of its strategic position to become the thriving center of commerce it is today. And this centuries-long flow of visitors is probably the reason why the art of hosting is so well ingrained and widely esteemed in what is now known as Saudi Arabia’s second-largest city.
Hotels, hostels, and makeshift accommodations have always been an integral part of Jeddah’s landscape. Bolstering local businesses while offering shelter and comfort to wayfarers from all walks of life— a gesture that is both highly regarded and rewarding in Islam—this long-standing tradition of hospitality and warm welcoming is the foundation upon which the Jeddah Edition sought to establish itself on when it cut its proverbial ribbon in May 2024.
Launched as the 20th property in Edition’s worldwide portfolio of high-end lodgings, the Jeddah Edition merges the brand’s legacy of sophistication and luxury with the city’s storied past, providing an experience that is both culturally immersive and attuned to the modern traveler’s desires. Situated just a short drive from the city center, the recently launched resort is neatly nestled in between the shores of the Red Sea and a turn of the corniche’s F1 track. With options for room placement, guests can either indulge in a peaceful retreat looking over the coastline or dive into the excitement of motorsports with views over the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix— providing a race is on.
Featuring 63 rooms, 11 suites, a signature restaurant, two bars, a rooftop terrace with a pool, as well as a soon-to-be-opened spa and gym, a stay at the Jeddah Edition draws you into a haven that serves as a city escape just 20 minutes from downtown. Here, both locals and tourists not only see every one of their needs catered for, they are anticipated with meticulous attention to detail, whilst being absorbed in a very refined, yet minimalistic, environment.
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
“The hotel attracts a lot of locals as they’re eager to discover our offerings. We tend to describe our property as an urban leisure destination. During weekdays, we mostly cater to corporate travelers and individuals from government entities, while on weekends, locals tend to book short staycations. Since it’s tucked away from Jeddah itself, guests from around the surrounding region come stay with us for a city-break not too far away from the city,” Efe Kirali, Director of Sales and Marketing at the Jeddah Edition, told MILLE.
“The location we’re in is very Edition-esque, with the yacht club, the architecture, and the marina all contributing to a leisure and summer vibe that you won’t find anywhere else,” he added.
At the Jeddah Edition, the entire staff—from waiters to managers—seem to anticipate your every need, often before you even ask. Marketing and Public Relations Manager Mariam Banaja attributes this to a unique quality shared by the team. While they may not always have the words to define it, each staff member recognizes it within themselves and sees it in one another. “Believe it or not, some of us in the F&B team had never worked in hospitality before coming here,” she shared. Banaja also credits the government’s continuous efforts and investments over the years for playing a crucial role in helping the boutique hotel become a benchmark in the industry.
“In my eyes, it’s connected to the country’s Vision 2030. When they announced the project, they introduced several initiatives to support their plan on the long run,” she revealed. “For instance, I was part of a program by the Ministry of Tourism that sent 100,000 students for hospitality training around the world, allowing us to learn and return with new skills and a fresh mindset,” she added, emphasizing how beneficial this experience has been for the whole industry, starting from the Jeddah Edition itself.
A stone’s throw away from the airport, as you head towards the Marina where the hotel sits, sharp-eyed visitors will be able to notice how much the hotel harmonizes with the local landscape. From both near and afar, its oval shape and open layout give it the appearance of a super-yacht, nestled amongst vessels docked at the adjacent Yacht Club. As the gentle breeze from the Red Sea mixes with the calls to prayer coming from the nearby Al-Raha Mosque— which looks like it floats on the water by the way— visitors are quickly enveloped in a warm and inviting atmosphere; one that many would say belongs to Jeddah itself.
As guests step inside the 12-metre-high lobby, they can wander around while their check-in is being processed. Split into two distinct parts, the lobby features an orange acrylic sphere suspended from the ceiling by French artist Vincent Leroy. According to Banaja, the piece of contemporary art was intentionally positioned to reflect the sun’s light and cast its warm hues across this half of the space when the sun rises. On the other side, they can relax in the Lobby Lounge, a cozy area adorned with large, comfortable white sofas and coffee table books casually spread out on glass tables, all in soothing shades of cream and off-white tones of color. Here, two identical paintings were deliberately positioned to reflect the sun’s light when it sets, creating a different, yet complementary, ambiance to the reception’s morning glow.
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
To the right, the Lobby Bar serves as a “community gathering space,” featuring a pool table—an iconic element across nearly all Edition hotels, with the exception of two. Each table carries its own distinct color-code: in Singapore it’s pink and marble, in Tokyo it’s lime-green and white, while in Jeddah’s it’s Blackwood with deep purple accents. To the left is Maritime, the hotel’s signature restaurant, celebrated for its unique fusion of French and Asian cuisine. Helmed by renowned chef Cédric Vongerichten, the open kitchen gives diners a front-row seat to the action happening behind the scenes, bringing them closer to the skill and creativity that goes into each dish.
“At all Edition hotels, 85% of our dining options come from partnerships. In Bodrum, we have two restaurants; in London, one; and the same goes for Tokyo. The idea behind this is to think outside the box when it comes to dining. We don’t want hotel restaurants; we aim for independent restaurants that can cater to both hotel stay-in guests and the outside,” Kirali revealed. “Our goal is to create dining spaces with their own unique identity. No one wants to dine in a typical hotel restaurant, which is why we partnered with Chef Cédric,” he explained.
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
With options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the menu is a carefully curated selection of flavors that blend fresh tastes with inventive twists. Our recommendation? Head there at sunset and start with their salmon sashimi, dressed in a ginger-turmeric and shiso sauce. Follow it up with the shrimp dumplings in beurre blanc, topped with Kaviari caviar. And if you’ve still got room, finish with the pan-seared sea bass, served with a cherry tomato condiment and broccolini.
Speaking with Chef Cédric’s second-in-command, Chef Ade Mulya, about how the menu came to be, he explained that they weren’t afraid to experiment, as locals are, to some extent, well-acquainted with food prepared and seasoned with Asian sensibilities. “In the summer, locals tend to travel to Asia because it gets too warm here. I felt comfortable introducing those flavors since they’re already familiar with the cuisine. The reception has been great so far, both from people who know exactly what they want and from first-time triers,” Mulya said. “We definitely took the local market into account, which is why we make adjustments now and then. Sourcing ingredients has also been a challenge—some are harder to get than we’d like, so we have to work around that. Quality is another factor. Within just a few days or weeks of shipping, the fresh flavor can disappear,” he added.
Like said earlier, the hotel boasts a variety of accommodation options, including 11 elegant suites, a stunning Royal Penthouse Suite that spans two floors, a sophisticated Penthouse Suite on a single floor, and 50 standard rooms. As you step inside yours, curtains automatically draw back, unveiling breathtaking views that either overlook the F1 track or the yacht clubhouse, which sparkles at night. In terms of space and decor, each room reflects the hotel’s signature muted luxury aesthetic. You’ll find walls coated in creamy, white oak, punctuated with black-and-white photographs of old Jeddah that create the perfect atmosphere for unwinding, getting some work done, or both. And before you head out, be sure to indulge in the bathroom’s rainfall shower, complete with exclusive Le Labo products, tailor-made for the Jeddah Edition’s collection of skincare and wellness essentials.
Voir cette publication sur Instagram
Between the gym and the rooftop terrace with its stunning pool, there’s plenty to keep you busy. And if you’ve got a bit more time on your hands, swing by the Den for a quick retreat. Hidden at the end of an oak-paneled hallway, behind teal blue velvet drapes, this cozy, low-lit lounge feels like a tucked-away secret with its plush blankets, majestic brown armchairs, and photographs of dogs mid-treat by artist Christian Vieler. Whether it’s to enjoy a bedtime cup of tea or a virgin cocktail paired with light bites from Chef Vongerichten, this sleek space is the perfect spot to relax under the stars with a hand-rolled cigar, courtesy of the hotel’s exclusive selection.
And if all of this wasn’t enough to convince you to stay at the Jeddah Edition next time you’re there, then honestly, we don’t know what will…
