The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh

The Ritz-Carlton, Riyadh was conceived not as a hotel but as a palace for visiting heads of state, and it shows in every dimension: a colossal domed and colonnaded building approached through fountained gardens, with a lobby of marble, chandeliers and a sweeping double staircase built for arrivals with entourages. It opened to the public under the Ritz-Carlton flag in 2011 and has been the Saudi capital's ceremonial address ever since.

Rooms are among the largest standard offerings of any city hotel in the region, dressed in a classical European register with Arabian flourishes, and the suite inventory extends to quarters designed for royalty. The grounds are a genuine amenity in Riyadh's climate—acres of lawns and palms that turn golden in the evening light—alongside an indoor pool of near-Olympian proportions and a men's spa of similar ambition.

Dining runs from an elaborate international restaurant to Chinese and steakhouse venues and a chocolate-focused lounge. The location, near the Diplomatic Quarter on the city's western side, suits business and government itineraries better than casual sightseeing. As Riyadh opens to tourism, the hotel remains what it always was: the kingdom's statement address for guests it wishes to impress.