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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.
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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.
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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.
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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?
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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.
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The Jeddah Edition is located at 2485 Al Kurnaysh Br Rd, Jeddah, editionhotels.com