We have just recently returned from the wonderful Rixos Obhur Jeddah.
We were slightly disappointed to find out on arrival at the hotel was still within its Soft Opening stage as we had been led to believe when booking via Accor that it was going to be fully opened. However, we will not dwell on this because we had the most amazing time regardless.
As a frequent visitor to Rixos hotels, we were excited as we are acutely aware that the quality of hotels and amazing staff is second to none…and Rixos Obhur Jeddah did not disappoint!
The hotel is an all-inclusive resort and it is alcohol free which was actually quite nice (there were 0% lagers and mocktails though).
Now, what makes this hotel “5*”? Is it the location; possibly, is it the grounds; maybe, is it the staff; absolutely! We cannot explain how wonderful the staff were and how they were wanting to go above and beyond for us.
Turquoise Restaurant:
The food here was amazing and the selection was brilliant. It was really fresh and it was really well run. Granted, it was not very busy (which was nice) but even if this place was at capacity, it would still run seamlessly. The absolute star of this place is Hari! What a wonderful human being he is. He made sure our stay was nothing short of amazing. So welcoming, attentive and all to ensure that we had the most memorable time. Its difficult to put into words how brilliant he was and Rixos Obhur Jeddah have a gem there.
Hari was also supported by the wonderful Hazim. In addition, a massive thank you to Sherry who always looked after us and created a lovely bond with our two children. Likewise, Jameela and Nusaba (who were on the fresh pasta and omelette station) were just amazing. They were so wonderful with the kids and carried out their work with a smile. Thank you also to Hazin, Khalil and Arifa.
Housekeeping
Wajid and Ahmed from housekeeping were simply brilliant. They went above and beyond whenever we needed the room serviced. They work so hard and Ahmed made our room spectacular! The attention to detail was second to none.
Dulce
Just a hop across the hallway from Turquoise you found yourself in the real hidden gem that is Dulce Café. We probably spent an inordinate amount of time here because it was fabulous. Cakes, pastries, iced coffee’s, latte’s, snacks and again, amazing staff. Alexandra, Shazodakhon, Saudi, Maria, Ahmad, Megna and Raghad were just all so welcoming and friendly! They were genuinely so attentive and enthusiastic as well as providing great tips on places to visit whilst we were there. The vibe was really chilled and casual with music at various intervals and was perfect for a mid-afternoon snack or after dinner coffee.
Orient Restaurant
We dined at Orient three times across our two weeks and whilst all three nights were amazing, the food on the second occasion was just beyond belief. It was one of those meals that you did not want to end. The freshness of the food prepared by Areej Al-Sharif was just magnificent and all of the staff were brilliant there. Alexandra (who was also at Dulce) was again magnificent as to was Mohammed-Sharif and Nadia.
Rixy Club
Our two children (aged 8 and 7) really did enjoy this Rixy club and it was massive in comparison to others that we have seen! It really shows that Rixos are seeing how important the kids club is. We had to persuade our children not to go otherwise we would not have seen them!! Our children really were taken with Malaika, Amal and Lamar so thank you for taking such good care of the children. Nadia was also very welcoming and led the team really well.
Act 1 Bar
The entertainment here was actually somewhat of a surprise because it was really really good! DJ was great and the performers were just amazing. We were really engaged and they were super talented. We enjoyed four evenings there and each time there was something different. Bob, Saul and Ashin were full of energy and again really attentive.
Beach
Being candid, the beach did not live up to expectations (we have been to Saadiyat Island so not much does now) but we were saved by the wonderful Loretto and Good Luck, who, despite working tirelessly in the incredible heat, were so attentive and worked with a genuine smile on their face. Simply brilliant.
Pool Bar
I started off by talking about the star that is Hari and I wanted to finish about the absolute star in the Pool Bar…Sayed! Sayed along with Paul, Daniel and Ahmed Morsey ran the pool bar to perfection. However, Sayed needs special recognition because he is everything that you want in an employee. Energetic, fun, professional and passion for what he does is hard to find and he should be commended by Rixos.
Words do not do it justice so you have to see it to believe it!
