Assila, a Rocco Forte Hotel: Martin Brudnizki designed art haven on Tahlia Street with 2,000 Saudi artworks, Pampas grill, and rooftop pool

Commanding a prestigious position along the glamorous shopping and dining boulevard of Tahlia Street in the fashionable Al Andalus district of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, Assila, a Rocco Forte Hotel opened as the kingdom’s premier luxury art hotel. Designed by legendary interior architects Martin Brudnizki and Olga Polizzi, the 304-room property is a living museum of contemporary Arab culture, housing over 2,000 specially commissioned original artworks by Saudi artists. Featuring the acclaimed rooftop Argentine grill Pampas (overlooking the Jeddah skyline and the Red Sea), the Italian restaurant Twenty Four, a 25-metre rooftop swimming pool, and the full-service Assila Spa, this property is Jeddah’s ultimate design palace.

Arrival introduces travelers to refined Saudi-Italian design serenity: personal hosts greet guests in the soaring, art-filled marble lobby beside custom brass screens with chilled cardamom-scented Arabian coffee and Medjool dates. Day-one logistics focus on coordinating bespoke Jeddah cultural, shopping, and coastal pursuits: browsing luxury boutiques along Tahlia Street (steps away), touring the UNESCO World Heritage historic coral-stone district of Al-Balad (15 minutes away), walking along the new Jeddah Corniche to view the King Fahd Fountain (10 minutes away), swimming in the 25-metre rooftop pool with panoramic skyline views, indulging in hammam treatments at Assila Spa, and reserving dinner at Pampas or Twenty Four.

Hotel living balances urban exploration with serene wellness: the Assila Spa features separate facilities for men and women, private treatment suites, Turkish hammam, saunas, steam rooms, and therapies utilizing local dates, frankincense, and Irene Forte organic skincare. Dining is exceptional: Argentine wood-fired steak gastronomy at Pampas (featuring prime Angus beef and panoramic views from the 20th floor), authentic Italian dining at Twenty Four, specialty coffees in the Il Caffè lounge, and afternoon tea in the Aubergine rooftop garden.

Accommodations comprise 304 rooms, suites, and residential apartments designed by Martin Brudnizki ranging from 44 to 280 square metres. Each residence features custom hand-woven Saudi textiles, bespoke contemporary artworks, floor-to-ceiling windows framing the city skyline, plush king beds, and Carrara marble bathrooms with deep soaking bathtubs.

Art lovers, business executives, and luxury travelers seeking Martin Brudnizki design, 2,000 Saudi artworks, and Pampas rooftop dining in Jeddah should book Assila without hesitation. Travelers seeking generic airport chain motels should look elsewhere. Grounded review consensus confirms legendary standing with a 4.7 out of 5 on Tripadvisor across 1,650 reviews and a 4.6 out of 5 on Google across 2,200 reviews.