Jeddah's BEST Hotel? Holiday Inn Corniche Review (You WON'T Believe This!)
Jeddah's BEST Hotel? Holiday Inn Corniche Review (You WON'T Believe This!) - A Messy, Honest Take
Alright, buckle up buttercups, because I'm about to spill the Saudi tea on the Holiday Inn Corniche in Jeddah. Forget the sterile, predictable reviews you've been reading. This is the real deal, warts and all, because let's be honest, perfection is boring. We're going on a journey, a rollercoaster of expectations, fluffy towels, and the all-important question: is this REALLY Jeddah's BEST?
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Let's start with the basics. This is NOT your grandma's Holiday Inn. It's… well, it's surprisingly decent. Situated right on the Corniche (duh!), the location is killer. You're basically a hop, skip, and a camel ride from the Red Sea. Okay, maybe not a camel ride, unless you brought your own…
Access All Areas (Except Maybe the Camel Ride): Accessibility & Getting Around
Okay, first things first: Accessibility. I'm happy to report that the Holiday Inn Corniche seems to have got its act together on this front. We're talking elevators (essential!), facilities for disabled guests, and hopefully ramps in all the right places (though I didn't personally test every single one). Airport transfer? Yep, they've got it covered. Thank goodness, because navigating Jeddah traffic after a 10-hour flight is enough to turn even the most zen traveler into a grumpy camel. Speaking of which, Car Park [free of charge] & Car park [on-site] are available. Bonus points for practicality! Taxi service is also readily available. Score!
Internet: Free Wi-Fi and the Eternal Struggle
Let's talk about the thing that can make or break a hotel experience in the 21st century: Internet. Free Wi-Fi in all rooms! Hallelujah! And it actually mostly works. Okay, there were a couple of moments when I considered throwing my laptop out the window (metaphorically speaking, of course – I’m not made of money), but overall, the Internet access – wireless was decent. They also offered Internet access – LAN in the rooms, and Internet services available, which is a bonus for anyone needing a more secure connection. And yes, Wi-Fi in public areas was also present, though sometimes a little… temperamental.
Clean, Safe, and (Hopefully) Germ-Free: Cleanliness & Safety
Here's where the Holiday Inn Corniche REALLY shines. During the COVID-19 pandemic, they’ve clearly stepped up their game. Cleanliness and safety are taken seriously. Anti-viral cleaning products? Check. Daily disinfection in common areas? Check. Staff trained in safety protocol? I certainly felt like they were. Rooms sanitized between stays? I'm relying on that one! They also had Hand sanitizer readily available. It made me feel like I could actually relax!
The Room: My Sanctuary (or, How the Blackout Curtains Saved My Life)
Let's get real. The rooms are… comfortable. Not jaw-droppingly luxurious, but comfortable. The Air conditioning worked a treat (vital in Jeddah!), and the Blackout curtains were an absolute godsend. Seriously, I could sleep through a sandstorm thanks to those things. Free bottled water? Always appreciated. Coffee/tea maker? Fuel for my caffeine addiction! And the desk and laptop workspace were perfect for, ahem, "working" (or, you know, catching up on emails at 2 AM). The Seating area was a nice touch. Non-smoking rooms are also available.
Amenities: Where the Hotel REALLY Shines… (and Where It Stumbles)
- Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: Okay, this is where it gets interesting. Restaurants, plural! But here’s the thing: the quality is… variable. The Breakfast [buffet] was a solid affair, with a decent selection of Breakfast [buffet], Asian breakfast, Western breakfast, Coffee/tea in restaurant, Salad in restaurant, Soup in restaurant items, and a little bit of everything. I may have started my day with a plate of crispy bacon, and later enjoyed some delicious Desserts in restaurant. They also had restaurants with Asian Cuisine and restaurants with Western cuisine.
- Pool Time & Pampering: Listen. The Swimming pool [outdoor] with Pool with view is glorious. Pure, unadulterated relaxation. I spent a solid afternoon lounging by the pool, soaking up the sun, and feeling like a slightly less-stressed version of myself. I did not sample the Body scrub or Body wrap, but there is a Spa! The Massage was also a winner! The Sauna and Steamroom were also a nice touch.
- Fitness Center: I actually, actually used the Fitness center. It was surprisingly well-equipped! No complaints, other than my own lack of fitness.
- For the Kids: Family/child friendly! They offer Babysitting services, and for some reason, there are Kids facilities.
The Good, the Bad, and the Slightly Odd:
- The Good: The location. The pool. The generally lovely staff. The decent Wi-Fi.
- The Bad: The inconsistent restaurant quality. Occasionally, the service can be a bit… slow.
- The Slightly Odd: The complete lack of soul. It's a Holiday Inn, not a Boutique Hotel.
Services and Conveniences: The Little Things That Matter
They offer a wide variety of services, including the following: Air conditioning in public area, Cash withdrawal, Concierge, Currency exchange, Daily housekeeping, Doorman, Dry cleaning, Elevator, Ironing service, Laundry service, Luggage storage, Safety deposit boxes, Smoking area, Terrace.
Dining, Drinking, and Snacking: The Fuel for Adventure
The food here is adequate. The Breakfast [buffet] is solid. The A la carte in restaurant offers options, and there is Room service [24-hour].
Business Facilities and Staying Connected:
For the business crowd, they've got you covered. Business facilities include Audio-visual equipment for special events, Business facilities, Meeting/banquet facilities, Meetings, Meeting stationery, and Projector/LED display.
Final Verdict: Would I Recommend the Holiday Inn Corniche?
Okay, so, is the Holiday Inn Corniche the best hotel in Jeddah? Maybe not the absolute BEST, but it's a very solid contender, especially if you are looking for somewhere convenient and you are worried about Safety/security feature due to the CCTV in common areas and CCTV outside property. If you're looking for a comfortable, convenient, and relatively affordable stay with an amazing pool and decent service, then YES, absolutely.
Here's the deal, though: you need to manage your expectations. You're not getting a Four Seasons. You're getting a well-run Holiday Inn that does a good job of what it does. And sometimes, that's exactly what you need.
The Messy Truth: My Personal Highlight
Okay, time for a personal anecdote. One evening, while I was enjoying my coffee (complimentary, thanks very much), a waiter approached me. "Sir," he said with a slight bow, "there is a problem with your Room sanitization opt-out available?" I blinked. "My what?" Turns out, I'd accidentally requested the sanitization of my room, and they were checking to see if I still wished that. The staff's dedication to hygiene was impressive!
Don't Believe Me? Book For Yourself! (The Offer!)
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Pemper 2 Tribalj Croatia: Uncover the Hidden Gem of the Adriatic!
Alright, buckle up, Buttercup! This isn't your sterile, perfectly-planned travel brochure. This is me, ME, navigating a few crazy days at the Holiday Inn Jeddah Corniche. Consider this… a travel diary vomited onto paper (or, well, digital paper).
Holiday Inn Jeddah Corniche By IHG: An Existential Adventure (Or Trying to Find Decent Coffee)
Day 1: Arrival and the Great Desert Dehydration Scare
- Morning (and the Airport Haze): Landed in Jeddah. Ugh. Airports. The smell of jet fuel and stressed people. Got through customs (thank you, Lord, for pre-approved visa!) and found the car arranged through a friend. The drive to the hotel was… well, it was Jeddah. A blur of sand-colored buildings, dust devils trying to hitchhike, and a general sense of the sun trying to melt my brain.
- Quirky Observation: The only thing more ubiquitous than sand in Jeddah seemed to be those massive inflatable billboards for… things. I couldn’t quite decipher what those things were, but they looked important. And inflatable. The driver, bless his heart, blasted Arabic music, which I have to admit, started to grow on me.
- Afternoon (The Hotel and a Minor Crisis): Finally, the Holiday Inn loomed. It actually looked decent. The lobby was airy, the AC was blasting (a necessity), and the staff was incredibly polite. Checked in. The room… perfectly fine. Clean, not fancy. A view that would probably be amazing if there wasn't a persistent haze.
- Emotional Reaction: Relief. Pure, unadulterated relief. The journey had taken a toll. I just wanted a shower and a nap.
- Imperfection: The shower situation. Let's just say the water pressure was… optimistic. More of a gentle drizzle than a satisfying blast.
- Evening (The Desert Dehydration Scare and the Search for Caffeine): Stepped outside to test the weather and take some pictures, and ended up completely forgetting to drink anything. I blame the excitement of being in a new place (or just being an idiot, who knows!). By dinner, I felt like a dried-up prune. Headache, nausea, the works.
- Messy Structure: Wandered into the hotel restaurant, which, looking back, was probably a mistake, after all, I'd just forgotten to hydrate. Couldn't find any bottled water, and the water at the table tasted vaguely metallic. Ordered a plate of chicken and rice. Ate. Felt… worse.
- Opinionated Language: The coffee at the hotel café? Utterly dreadful. Weak. Bitter. Undrinkable, honestly. My first real Jeddah experience was a coffee disaster. And it made me sad.
Day 2: Corniche Chaos and the Art of Haggling (and Losing)
- Morning (Corniche Crawl and a Minor Cultural Clash): Decided to brave the Jeddah Corniche – supposedly a must-see. It's a long stretch of coastline, with… well, a lot of concrete and some attempts at landscaping. But the Red Sea was a truly beautiful sight.
- Quirky Observation: The amount of men casually strolling around in pristine white robes was impressive. The sheer variety of cars was also. Seeing a Ferrari next to a beat-up pickup truck was the norm.
- Emotional Reaction: Initially, it was sensory overload. The heat, the noise, the sheer scale of everything. I was the obvious tourist.
- Afternoon (The Souk and the Haggling Debacle): Found a taxi, and ventured into Balad, the historical district. Holy smokes! The souk (market) was a maze of stalls overflowing with everything imaginable.
- Doubling Down on the Experience: I was determined to buy a gift. Found a beautiful, intricate, silver kohl eyeliner applicator. Fell in love. Tried to haggle.
- Messy Structure: I thought I was doing okay. I’d read the tips, the "start at half the price" thing. But the shopkeeper? Oh, he was a pro. He smiled, he gestured dramatically, he threw in a few extra trinkets. Before I knew it, I was paying… probably too much. But hey, it was a beautiful applicator, and the experience was priceless.
- Stronger Emotional Reaction: I felt simultaneously exhilarated (I’d bought something!) and robbed (I’d overpaid!). This is why shopping in the Souk is either glorious or an outright failure.
- Evening (Dinner and a Desperate Plea for Decent Dessert): Back at the hotel restaurant for dinner (again, running low on options). The food was… better this time.
- Opinionated Language (Dessert Edition): But the dessert! Oh, the dessert. The buffet had a sad selection of pastries that looked like they'd been sitting out since… well, since the dawn of time. The saving grace was the tiny, rich, almost perfect baklava.
Day 3: Farewell and the Promise of Improvement
- Morning: Final breakfast. Okay, the omelet station was a bright spot. Coffee situation… still a disaster. Checked out, feeling a little less overwhelmed, a lot more sun-kissed.
- Imperfection: I really should have brought better sunscreen.
- Afternoon (Departure and the Unexpected Goodbyes): Back to the airport. Saying goodbye to Jeddah, a place that had challenged and intrigued me in equal measure.
- Emotional Reaction: A strange mix of relief, gratitude, and a tiny, irrational desire to come back.
- Opinionated Language (Final Thoughts): Overall, the Holiday Inn Jeddah Corniche was… fine. It was a base camp for adventures. It wasn’t luxurious, and the coffee situation was appalling, but it was clean, the staff were lovely, and it got the job done. And Jeddah itself? A chaotic, beautiful, frustrating, fascinating experience. Would I go back? Absolutely. Armed with better coffee-finding skills and a much thicker skin on the haggling front.
- Rambling and Messy Structure: It's funny how the real memories are usually the ones that are imperfect.
Jeddah's Holiday Inn Corniche: The Honest Truth (Brace Yourself!)
So, is this place *actually* the best hotel in Jeddah? Don't lie to me!
Okay, fine. "Best" is a loaded word, right? Like, what are we measuring? If you're expecting the Burj Al Arab...go home. But for the price point, and the location... yeah, Holiday Inn Corniche punches *way* above its weight. It's not perfect. Oh, honey, it's *far* from perfect. But it's got charm. And sometimes, charm wins. Sometimes. (More on that later, I'm still wrestling with the mini-fridge situation).
Let's talk LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION! How easy is it to get around? And is that Corniche view REALLY worth it?
The Corniche view? Absolutely. Especially at sunset. Seriously, *droolworthy*. Forget the air conditioning for a moment, just sprawl out on the bed and drink in the view. Traffic? Jeddah traffic is a beast, full stop. But the hotel’s well-situated. You’re close to the Corniche itself (duh), and relatively easy access to…everything. Uber is your best friend here, trust me. Unless you're feeling adventurous and want to haggle with a taxi driver. (I tried that once...it ended badly. Let's just say my Arabic is not what it used to be and I may or may not have accidentally agreed to pay *double* what I should have.).
The Rooms: Cozy or Claustrophobic? Tell me the TRUTH!
The rooms are…well, they’re Holiday Inn rooms. You get what you expect. They're perfectly functional, clean enough (always a win!), and the beds are comfortable. That's the main thing. I like the beds, they're not rock-hard. I've stayed in hotels where I felt like I was sleeping on a freaking *plywood board*. The bathrooms are…fine. Nothing to write home about. Although, once, the shower pressure felt like a kitten's sneeze. I mentioned it to the front desk. I think they looked at me like I was speaking Martian. Eventually I got a room with better pressure. (Small victory!).
Breakfast! Is it a buffet of dreams or a breakfast of despair?
The breakfast buffet is… *serviceable*. Look, I'm not a princess, but a good breakfast sets the tone for the day. They have the usual suspects: eggs (cooked three different ways!), pastries, fruits (the dates are amazing!), and a variety of Middle Eastern breakfast staples. It’s not the *best* breakfast buffet I’ve ever had (I once ate at a hotel in Dubai that had chocolate fountains and a *whole room* dedicated to waffles…but I digress), but it's definitely not the worst. Expect lines during peak times, but they do a surprisingly good job keeping things stocked.
The Staff: Friendly or Forgettable? Tell It Like It Is!
The staff are generally *lovely*. They're polite, helpful, and genuinely seem to want you to have a good stay. Sometimes there's a language barrier (my Arabic is rusty, remember?), but they make an effort. One time, I locked myself out of my room (mortifying!) and the front desk was incredibly understanding and fixed the problem in minutes. The bellhops are always cheerful. And the housekeeping staff? Top marks.
Okay, okay, let's get down to the nitty-gritty. Any MAJOR drawbacks? What were the REAL problems?
Okay, here's where things get *real*. The Wi-Fi. Sometimes it's great. Other times...it's slower than a camel walking through quicksand. This is a big one for me because I NEED the internet. I'm a blogger, a writer, I'm practically tethered to the digital world. So, yeah, prepare for some potential internet frustration. And the mini-fridges! They're often *wimpy*. Like, barely cold at all. I once left a bottle of water in there for 24 hours and it was still lukewarm. The air conditioning can be... temperamental! I've had rooms freezing cold and rooms that felt like I was in a sauna. It depends.
Tell me something specific you LOVED about the Holiday Inn Corniche. Give me a moment!
Okay, okay… the view. Hands down, the view. I'm a sucker for a good vista, and that Corniche view at sunset… it's *magical*. One evening, I just parked myself by the window, ordered room service (which, by the way, is decent!), and watched the sun dip below the Red Sea. The sky exploded with color. I felt completely relaxed and like one tiny speck of life. That moment alone made the stay worthwhile. I swear, I could have written a whole novel just from looking out that window. It was worth dealing with the wonky Wi-Fi, the lukewarm water, and the fact that I once accidentally set off the fire alarm (oops!). That view… *sigh*.
Is it kid-friendly? Any family anecdotes?
I’ve seen families there, so, generally, yeah. They have connecting rooms, which is a huge plus. They have a small pool, which is a hit with the kids. I saw one little boy, maybe five years old, absolutely *obsessed* with the elevator. He rode it up and down for like, an hour! His parents looked exhausted but happy. I think the buffet is great for picky eaters. The staff is generally very patient with children. I guess, if you have kids who like to be entertained, this place is okay. Personally, I’m happier without the noise of a kids' club.
Overall Verdict: Would you stay again? Be HONEST!
Yes. Absolutely. Despite the minor flaws, the Holiday Inn Corniche is a solid choice. It's not perfect, but it's reliable, in a great location, and provides a comfortable stay. The price is right. And that freakin’ view… I'm already planning my next trip. Just promise me I'll get a room with a *functioning* mini-fridge this time. And a faster Wi-Fi connection. Please.
Honeymoon Havenst
