Boutique hotels and bustling souks: discover the historic heart of Jeddah

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Breakfast is served in the airy, high-ceilinged dining room of Beit Johkdar Hotel, Jeddah. It starts with a basket of warm bread – sesame seed encrusted, cardamom infused and traditional flatbread – with spicy butter and black honey.

Next come the starters, spicy olive tapenade, grilled halloumi with apricot jam, sauteed vegetables and a mini sandwich with feta marble bread. This is followed by homemade falafel with tahini dipping sauce, spiced hummus, dirty mudammas beans and shakshuka.

By the time the small pancakes, banana bread and fresh fruit arrive, I have long since admitted defeat. I soon discover that the exquisitely presented dishes, respectful wait staff and sheer quantity of food are typical of Saudi hospitality.

Beit Johkdar is one of three historic hotels that have just opened in Jeddah, a city on the Red Sea coast. A number of other properties in Al Balad, the old city, will open in the coming years. They are all part of the Jeddah regeneration project and the wider, ambitious project Saudi Arabia vision on tourism.

As a country that only started offering tourist visas in 2019 it’s a bit of a wild card for a holiday – especially if you visit during Ramadan, as I did. Here’s how the country is undergoing dramatic changes as it opens up to tourism and how you can delve into Jeddah’s artisanal culture, exquisite cuisine and legendary hospitality.

Jeddah: an ancient city undergoing a renaissance

As you drive from the airport into the heart of Jeddah city, you pass kilometer after kilometer of residential blocks, eye-catching shops and illuminated shopping arcades. But the historical centre – known as Al Balad – is what attracts tourists.

The name of this ancient city is derived from the word grandmother, referring to Eve who descended to Earth at the very spot where the city now stands, as Abeer Abu Suleiman, Saudi Arabia’s first female tour guide, explains.

As early as the first century BC, Jeddah was already a thriving fishing hub and a prominent stop on trade routes. It also prospered thanks to its role as a gateway to Meccawhere religious pilgrims from all over the world are welcomed on their Hajj journeys.

Al Balad is still the historic heart of this city, but towards the end of the 20th century the outdated houses were abandoned by families looking for more modern and well-equipped homes in newer neighborhoods.

The area’s fortunes began to change with his arrival UNESCO designation in 2014. In 2021, a regeneration master plan was announced – and royally approved – and the Jeddah Historic District program was launched to restore some 600 historic properties for residential, tourism and business purposes.

The buildings are made of coral stone, limestone and wood. Some are many centuries old and have involved painstaking research and passing on of knowledge of local materials craftsmanship.

Al Balad’s houses are known for their roshan – wooden box balconies covering the windows, intricately decorated with latticework designs and painted in Tunisian blue and Saudi green. These multi-functional structures allow breezes into rooms, block sunlight and once provided a private space where women could look outside without being noticed.

Beyond the buildings, the project aims to regenerate the spirit and vitality of a community. The squares have wooden benches and games for children. Museums such as the Tariq Abdulhakim Music Center, named after a famous person Saudi Arabia musician, are open. In a labyrinth of narrow alleys, the Zawiya 97 collective has provided workshop space to artisans who produce contemporary products using traditional techniques.

Reem Abdulghani demonstrates her own 3D embroidery technique and her clothing label makes a statement with the use of fuchsia and yellow instead of the ubiquitous black and beige of women’s outfits. At the woodturning workshop ‘Aromat’, 29-year-old Hassan Mohammed sells artisanal handmade bowls, vases and candlesticks.

Boutique hotels in historic houses: where to stay in Jeddah

By the end of the project, 34 buildings in Al Balad will house boutiques hotels. Three are already active: Beit Jokhdar, Beit Al Rayess and Beit Kedwan, all within walking distance of each other.

The concept behind the homes is much more than just a place to sleep. The historic homes are named after their previous owners, creating the personal, individualized experience akin to being a house guest. Their descendants shared memories to help with the restoration.

Upon arrival I am led to the ‘lobby’ in Beit Johkdar, the largest of the three buildings and currently a kind of central hub. The entrance hall with its high wooden beamed ceiling, pale stone flags and Arabic inscriptions in plaster is illuminated by a chandelier.

I am cast in Arabic coffee – ochre-colored and infused with cardamom – from a sleek gold-colored pot while Arabic music tinkles softly. I relax on a soft velvet couch while the receptionist does the paperwork somewhere out of sight.

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At Beit Al Rayess the architecture is more intimate, with lower ceilings and arches decorated with giant ceramic vases. I have a series of small rooms: entrance, bathroom, living room, dressing area and bedroom. The furnishings are made of dark wood, cream-colored upholstery and many plants.

Beit Kedwan can only be rented in its entirety and has two bedrooms. The opulent home has a living room with Moorish arched alcoves and mother-of-pearl inlaid tables and a roof terrace with cushioned chairs, lanterns and a canopy. The large master bedroom has two large artistically faded rugs and a Murano style chandelier.

What is it like to visit Jeddah during Ramadan?

Travelers may find it unwise to visit during this time Ramadan season; it certainly comes with challenges, such as the lack of food stores open during the day. But if you can be flexible with your itinerary and sleep schedule, the Islamic festive season is a joy to experience.

Apart from short windows of two to three hours, shops, restaurants and cafes are closed until late afternoon or evening. But the lack of crowds during the day does offer the opportunity to take a round in a golf cart unhindered and take some atmospheric photos.

The reason to visit during Ramadan becomes apparent around 6 p.m., when lines form outside the street-side kiosks serving freshly prepared dishes traditional food – strips of beef liver, khubz bread, samosas, a banana-date bowl and a fermented yoghurt drink called sobia.

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People from all over Jeddah and beyond come to Al Balad in the evening for iftar – breaking the fast. Families, groups of friends and couples gather at tables in the squares under trees decorated with Christmas lights. They unpack their kiosk food from bags and open takeout boxes in preparation for sunset.

The atmosphere is calm and reflective. The muezzin begins his undulating call that resounds in the squares, signaling that it is time to break the fast. It is a spiritual and devotional moment, but one of community and warmth.

As evening turns to night, people crowd the streets in their finery; abayas are inlaid with gold beads, pearls and embroidery.

There are dozens of ushers wearing Ramadan-tagged vests to direct foot traffic and cheer the crowds with festive shouts. There’s also an army of street sweepers who seem to miraculously appear at your elbow as soon as you have empty containers.

At perfume shops, staff stand outside with chalices full of burning incense, spreading their smoky scent over passers-by in a traditional welcome.

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With Abeer I spend hours peeking into 300 year old buildings with stargazing on the roofs museums with tasters of Ramadan sweets. We duck into small shops in the city’s five souks, where abayas bulge from racks lining the walls; and learn about the pilgrimage to Mecca at the 600-year-old Al Shafei Mosque.

I go to bed at one in the morning, but the Jeddawis stay out much longer.