Ramada Hotel & Suites Al Khobar^{(4 stars)}

My "room" consists of a living room of about 50 square meters and a bedroom of 30 square meters with two bath rooms, one with shower, one with bathtub, distributed over two stories. The comprehensive furnitures have an old-fashioned charme, which may be not everyone's taste. The facilities consists of two TVs (CNN and Al Jazeera), air condition, bar, but no balcony and no safe. For the rest see the pictures. The entire room was very clean and cosily illuminated. Internet did not work in my room (No. 108-112), but in others as I have heard and perfectly in the lobby.

The breakfest buffet offers a large variety of foods, nicely decorated with show cooking. There will hardly be find something which is missing. Also the lunch buffet is a clear recommendation. The dinner card is also quite good. I did not take another opportunity for eating outside the hotel which one would surely do when one must stay longer here. (However, I had other opportunities, too, at my conference with a more decent food. which, of course, was o.k.)

The staff is super-friendly, from the reception to the restaurant. I hardly felt better treated as by these wonderful people here. Thank you very much Mr. Kamal B. (Front Desk Manager), in the name of all the other helping hands, in particular those advertent young men from the Philippines who serve the guests in the 9th Floor Restaurant in a remarkable way. The entire staff is able to speek English, some better, some less.

There is a gym which I have not used. I tried to have a look but the room was closed. However I did not ask for a key, since I had to start to work very early or to catch up some more sleep.

let you endure your stay in Dhahran. Although a German I am going to write this review in English, since not many people may have the opportunity to visit this place due to the restrictions of Saudi Arabia concerning the issue of tourists' visa. Moreover, English is a must to survive here, unless you speak Arabic. The hotel seems to have only suites of enormous space. The hotel is lovely old-fashionedly decorated, not just in any of this modern international styles. (Those who prefer this may choose the second Ramada in Al Khobar, called Ramada Gulf, which however has the worse location. The guests are international and local business men, but also arabian families. The hotel serves a breakfest and lunch buffet and dinner a la card in its 9th floor restaurant.

The Ramada Hotel & Suites has the better location compared to the stylish Ramada Gulf. Right accross the ocean street one reaches the Corniche, a nice walkway along the Gulf, safely via a pedestrian bridge. My room faced the city view and was absolutely quite. See view brings you wonderful sunrises but probably also street noise from the heavy traffic along the ocean road. Upcountry you are footsteps away from Al Khobar, a part of Dhahran, a non-attractive city in change, break-up, positively and negatively, and often all together and simultaneously. Due to the droconian punishments of the Saudi-Arabian Islamic law I felt absolutely safe, but be aware to be gazed as an alien, but not disagreeable. About 60 km south of Dhahran is Al Ahsa, the world's biggest oasis, the city of Hofuf with an old mosque (1460), the Ibrahim Palace (1515) built with clay and straw, and with other mosques within its walls. These excursion will be separately reviewed and is not included in the rating here.