Mysk Al Balad Hotel Madinah — Hotel in Medina Province

We had booked a triple room, travelling as a couple with an 84 year old Mother. Normally we book on the other side of the Masjid, along the line of hotels with Anwar Movenpick, Taiba Suites, Dar At-Taqwa etc. However, we have found that over time, some of those hotels change owners frequently, lack updating and have untrained staff . Instead we chose the Mysk because it was advertised as a new hotel and although initially skeptical about the glowing reviews, found it to be exactly as described. A big relief!

The Mysk is a brand new hotel and has been finished to a good standard. Carpets are all very clean in the room and corridors and decor is tasteful. Plenty of lifts, no issues.

LOCATION: Its on a very quiet street, easy to cross with care advised as some cars don't stop. Its 100m from the entrance gate to the Masjid courtyard, located on the Qibla side. The only problem with the location- without a wheelchair for the elderly, it is far from the Ladies prayer areas. Although the entrance gate to the complex is near, you have to cross the huge courtyard (~300m) to reach the Masjid prayer areas which of course must be behind the line of the Imam. Hence, on this qibla side of the masjid, it is not possible to pray the congregational prayer as soon as your enter the masjid courtyard. It will take 12 mins walk to reach the women's open space and a further few mins to the masjid women entrance doors, a good 15 mins walk. All in all its 1200 steps and in hot weather, it will be very tiring for the elderly and those with young children, praying 4-5 times in congregation is challenging.

The hotel had only one wheelchair which was useful, but we could only use it on the first day as it was already taken on other days (first come basis). The hotel really needs to provide at least 10 more wheelchairs and a system for booking them. Haj stools would be useful too. However, the hotel is well-situated for the Ladies Rawda entrance (Gate 37), again with a similar walk across the courtyard but towards the Baqi cemetery.

On the right, just before the masjid entrance is the Safiyah Health Centre. Around the hotel, there are shops for everything and a very useful pharmacy (Nahdi). We became ill with chest infections and the Pharmacist kindly got us an online Doctor consultation for 35 Riyals, which really helped us to avoid long queues in the Health Centre and a prescription was given immediately with medicines (at extra cost). It also has the Prophet's Exhibition (entrance fee) nearby.

ROOM: Very good rooms. It seems nearly all the rooms are double and for a triple, a small extra bed is added, which is more of a child or teenager's bed. The other single beds were also slightly narrow than expected. Well equipped room with kettle, teas etc, ironing board and iron and weighing scale. There are 2 sofa chairs which make the room tight when used as a triple room. The bathroom is modern, excellent shower. A plus point in the room is that you can open the top part of the window for ventilation and rooms with the Masjid view are well worth it.

BREAKFAST: Large buffet breakfast, with 5-6 hot dishes, fresh fruit, salad bar, porridge, cereals, pastries etc. Restaurant has nice decor, overlooks the Masjid. Staff are hardworking and excellent.

STAFF: Its unusual to find well trained and hard working staff in hotels in this region, but the staff at the hotel are certainly diligent and caring. Seba at Reception kindly upgraded us to a Masjid view once she had checked availability. Staff are respectful, keen to please guests and we were all impressed with how the female staff at reception were constantly working hard. A special shout out to Mohammed in the Restaurant, always obliging and clearing tables quickly. In fact all the staff were wonderful which helps to make the visit stress free.

We have no hesitation in recommending the hotel, and will stay there again if travelling without elderly family members and in...

Disappointing Experience Due to Lack of Communication and Support from Hotel.

I traveled from Makkah to Madina via Haramain Railway and arrived near Mysk Touch Al Balad Hotel at around 8:00 PM on 28/03/2025. Unfortunately, just 2-3 km from the hotel, local police stopped our taxi and denied entry into the Haram area due to road closures. What made the situation worse was the complete lack of prior communication from the hotel regarding these closures, especially during Ramadan when such restrictions are common.

I immediately contacted the hotel, hoping for assistance or at least guidance. However, the staff was unhelpful and unable to arrange any authorized transportation or support to get us through the police check-post. I was told nothing could be done, despite the fact that hotel vehicles were allowed past the checkpoint. This left me stranded on the street with heavy luggage and my elderly parents, including my mother who had undergone knee replacement surgery and required special mobility support.

I repeatedly requested help and even spoke to the hotel’s customer service manager over the phone, hoping for immediate action—but none was taken. After waiting for nearly four hours in distress, I was forced to walk to the hotel with my parents and all our luggage, finally reaching around midnight. This was an exhausting and painful experience, particularly for my mother.

To add to the disappointment, a staff member falsely promised us dinner upon arrival to pacify the situation—yet this too was never fulfilled.

While the stay at the hotel itself was relatively comfortable, this incident overshadowed everything. It was a serious failure in customer service and communication. Hotels in such a sensitive and regulated area must proactively inform guests in advance if road access is restricted—especially during peak seasons like Ramadan. As they are physically present on-site and aware of local restrictions, it is their responsibility to inform guests, who are often unaware of such changes while planning their trip.

This experience was not only inconvenient but emotionally distressing and physically taxing for my elderly parents. It could have been completely avoided with simple, proactive communication. For the price paid and the hotel’s reputation, this level of negligence was both surprising and...

First, this is a hidden gem hotel, not too big but neat and clean. What makes these hotels stand out from the rest is the people. Good people make a good impression on the hotel. Mr. Suhail and the team in the food and beverage section are the best example. He definitely makes sure the customer's needs are fully filled to the max. For example, one day in the morning he kindly asked me if I would like to have some fried rice because he knew exactly that I preferred that kind of food for breakfast. He is very considerate. The management is so fortunate to have him around. I am pretty sure where ever he goes, customers will follow him. He's the keeper. Another area that I need to mention is housekeeping. Mr. Sabuj, Maksud and Najim are examples. Amenities replace every day, and they clean your room without need to ask them first. They are very punctual and make a good team effort.

For the cons, I think the area that needs improvement is probably the reception team. First, I had to wait 15 minutes (from the arrival time until I received my keycard) without knowing what was going on. They did not say anything at all, and I had to go to the different people in the reception area to ask them again for my reservation. This second time, he said I needed to wait a little bit more again. And after the third time (with three different people), I had my keys. A very unusual and tiring process. Another aspect that needs improvement as well is the room light. It was quite dark, not that bright. I don't know why they set it that way.

Overall, I like this hotel. I recommend it for solo travelers. In terms of location, it was close to Haram (gate 305), specially for men side, as for women, they might need to walk a little more (another 10 minutes ?). The food is fabulous; many varieties and 5 stars for the F&B section, at least from my experience. I will come back, insyaAllah. Side note : they upgraded my room with free dinner throughout my stay. I am very fortunate to have this privilege (Breakfast and Dinner). Thank...