The scale of Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to spruce up its global profile can barely be overstated, not least by the string of bold-faced hotel brands jostling in the wings. One of the first marques to land in the ancient port city of Jeddah – right on the Corniche and a brisk 25-minute hop from the airport – is The Jeddah Edition, the 20th offspring, and third property in the Middle East, of power duo Ian Schrager and Marriott.
The Jeddah Edition marks the hotel group's 20th outpost
Sporting white trim, dark stone and glass, and framed by towering palm trees, the low-slung pile (apparently meant to evoke the silhouette of a super yacht) is the work of French architect Xavier Cartron. The interiors, by Yabu Pushelberg and the Edition team, encompass high-ceilinged public spaces, 52 rooms and 11 suites spread over five spacious, terraced floors – the rooms with the best views overlooking the Red Sea, the Corniche, the neighbouring yacht club and marina or the F1 track.
For Edition loyalists (catered to in 2024 with a flurry of openings, including The Tokyo Edition, Ginza, The Singapore Edition, and The Riviera Maya Edition at Kanai), the MO is a familiar one, with the vast public spaces fairly bristling with acres of travertine, deep, comfy sofas swathed in whites and creams, walnut and white oak panels – a palette of materials echoed in the bedrooms upstairs – and larger-than-life pieces of art including an orange chandelier sphere by French kinetic artist Vincent Leroy, a wooden diptych of a desert sunset painted by the New York-based John Jackson, and a mesmeric mirror by artist Christophe Gaignon to stare into while waiting for the elevator.
When you’re not lounging by the 14m rooftop pool or securing a facial appointment in the adjoining spa, check out the ground floor restaurant, Maritime, where Cédric Vongerichten orchestrates a menu inflected with French-Asian spices and flavours inspired by his stint in Bangkok and influenced by his father Jean-Georges. Caviar-topped shrimp dumplings bathed in a lemongrass beurre blanc, anyone?
And when evening gathers over the Red Sea, adjourn to The Den – draped in teal-hued velvet banquettes and lacquered rosewood – for a post-prandial hand-rolled cigar and cocktails dreamed up by Vongerichten. If time allows, head out onto the alfresco terrace for a round on, of all things, the bocce ball court.
The Jeddah Edition is located at 2485 Al Kurnaysh Br Rd, Jeddah, editionhotels.com
