Mövenpick Hotel Tahlia Jeddah — Hotel in Makkah Region

Coming from a country widely known for its hospitality industry, and having several points of references, we do have a critical perspective on our different stays; we try to be as unbiased as possible. Movenpick Tahlia lives up to its rating, and in some respects, even exceeds it, notably in terms of the guest-oriented service, where the bar is set high.

The hotel is conveniently located in Jeddah, and is within a 20-30 minute range from famous attractions as well as as the airport.

Check-in was smooth, with exceptionally efficient and welcoming bellmen, embodying the philosophy of the hotel. Paperwork was also swiftly addressed. We would have appreciated a welcome drink for our accompanying child (the other two hotels of our trip provided it). The hotel itself is very modern, with a beautiful swimming pool, a roof garden, and well-equipped fitness centre; the fruits and infused water were a welcome addition in the gym. Reception staff was also very attentive to our needs, and went out of their way to ensure that all our demands were met.

The room, just like the hotel, has a modern aesthetic, and mirrors the atmosphere of the Al-Andalus region. Air conditioning and lighting control have a centralised and modern interface. The large screen TV had more than 80 channels, and coffee and tea were amply stocked, along with bathroom amenities. Housekeeping was among the best we have encountered so far, with timely, swift and efficient cleaning and bed-making services. Cleanliness, at all times, was as spotless as the service was flawless. The sofa-bed was a most welcome addition and added extra comfort for all of us. Mr. Sanjay Pandey, housekeeping manager, personally came to greet us and to offer his assistance in case we needed anything.

As impressive as the housekeeping, the breakfast offer was full of whole range of quality products, including smoked salmon and beef pastrami on top of what we came to expect in such establishments. Coffee was particularly good, made from high-end capsules; so were the juices, which were freshly pressed. This makes a whole difference. The pastries were top-notch as well, and the fruits included berries, fresh figs and apricots, which, in our experience, have been uncommon so far. Service was impeccable; Ms Dania systematically made sure that each of our needs were met. She even graciously offered her help for finding our way through the Uber app.

Movenpick Tahlia is most definitely one of the best establishments we have had the opportunity to visit. The professionalism and guest-centredness is embodied by everyone. Special mention for the impeccable grooming and elegance of all the staff; that was impressive.

Bottom line: There was an incident where I missed the 'normal' entrance in a moment of hurry (needing change for taxi) and I was quite vigorously redirected to the non-VIP entrance. This was unfortunate and taints what would have been a perfect experience. We do not expect VIP treatment but this experience was antithetical to the flawless and beautiful courtesy displayed by staff. Perhaps this is very contextual and we completely understand policy but we come from a country where the hospitality industry does not make hierarchy so obvious, especially with categorically segregated entrances that are adjacent and therefore very easy to confuse. C'était...

Movebpick Tahlia Jeddah First time here probably not the last time. Came for work for 6 nights , stayed in and had an event at the Coral meeting Room.

I was checked in by a nice lady who was quick and professional. Mehdi the bill boy helped me with the bags and then for the next 6 nights he would always greet me as I pass by which is very nice. The hotel is nice and convenient, only 3 stories which is good because the elevator can get a bit busy so stairs are a better option most of the time. My room was a pool view and on the third floor, not a very good choice I realized after checking in as the building is a bit narrow so I got the noise of the kids playing in the pool without the proper view. It didn’t matter since am there for work but I you are going for a vacation ground floor rooms has access to the pool, first floor rooms would have better view. The toilers were refreshed and renewed every day even the refillable ones (they were actually nice). The room did smell a bit funny though like humidity or rust but unfortunately that’s a Jeddah thing I believe since I haven’t yet had a hotel in Jeddah that smelled any different. The room had a capsules espresso machine and 3 types of capsules refilled daily. The mini bar was proper not one of the barely keeping things cool kind of thing.

During the event , there was an issue with the meeting room confirmation from the client side yet Sharhoon moved quickly once we got the go ahead and make thing very smooth with only a short wait and was always there to make things as perfect as they can be. Amin was the staff on floor throughout my even and he was incredible in terms of attention to details and availability. I never had to look for a staff member for any request throughout 5 full working days there. For example, one day I asked him to bring me coffee at 10:30 and 3:30. He showed up with the coffee at 10:30 and sent another banquet staff member with the other coffee at 3:30 because his shift has already ended! He actually handed over the task before leaving which is quite unusual.

Also met a young man Mohamed el Sendy, I believe he is from the banquet team as well. We needed someone to take some photos for us and when I went to get someone I asked him “what are you doing now?” And he immediately responded “serving you in whatever you are about to ask” without skipping a beat showing incredible hospitality training standards. Whenever we thanked him he would say “it’s my duty” loved how customer oriented he was.

Had breakfast , lunch and dinner and the restaurant and must say the food was incredible! The pastries were heavenly and they always had new options of seafood , roast and grills. The lunch buffet had at least 2 healthy options (as in super healthy) steamed vegetables and grilled with no sauce or additions protein. I found that quite unique. The salad bar was diverse and always super fresh. Breakfast buffet had a big variety and 3 different options of the delicious Movenpick coffee. Arman and another chef that I didn’t get his name at the egg satiation prepared my over easy eggs to perfection. I am not used to getting my over easy done right with zero directions and to perfection like this. The pool and gym small but nice. The neighborhood is safe, walkable and quiet with so many options of supermarkets, stores and...

I had lunch today at Le Bistrot restaurant.

I loved the decoration and atmosphere. I liked the colors. There is a lot of natural light through the large windows. The music was soft, not too loud.

I honestly expected a French menu, given the name of the restaurant, but it was an international one. There are Arabic, Saudi, Italian and Chinese plates. Besides the salads, there were no vegan options. There were no gluten free options either, which I would expect in a 5 star hotel restaurant. I appreciated that they pointed out the nut containing plates.

I was served a small basket of bread. The multigrain loaf was a bit dry, the brioche was good.

I had the grilled salmon. It was wonderful! The fish was cooked perfectly. It was juicy and soft. The vegetables were crunchy and fresh. The potatoes were nicely roasted. I would have appreciated maybe 1-2 more potatoes in my plate. The lemon butter sauce was delicious. I liked that the fish was not soaked in the sauce, it was the perfect amount. I couldn’t have enough of it.

I ordered the tiramisu for dessert. I loved that it was served in a glass. The tiramisu was too creamy and heavy for me. It tasted more like a soft vanilla ice cream. I could not appreciate the coffee flavor at all. I decided not to finish it. I told the waiter about my feedback. Both the chef and manager came to my table. I explained to them my point. They were friendly and open for feedback. The chef Mentioned that he worked at the Four Seasons and Hayatt hotels. He offered to serve me a carrot cake or a red velvet cake. But I declined. The tiramisu was removed from the bill and they offered me an espresso which I could not say no to!

The staff were very nice, smiling and polite. They asked me about dessert when I was still having my main course. Otherwise the service was pleasant. The place was spotless.

I believe the restaurant has a very good potential. I really enjoyed the place, the service and my main dish, not so much the dessert. I may come back for the salmon! I hope they add some flavorful vegan main courses...