The hotel is situated a few steps away from the Masjid al Haram and the Kaaba, the most sacred site in the Islamic faith and the heart of the annual Hajj pilgrimage. 

Richmond International was responsible for creating the interiors which include 858 bedrooms and suites, extensive conference and banqueting facilities, dedicated prayer halls and ten food and beverage outlets.
 
 “While the sheer volume of the interior architecture creates vast spaces to accommodate the large number of expected guests, the interiors reflect and respect the spiritualism and serenity of what is the holiest city in Islam,” says Terry McGillicuddy, associate, Richmond International.
 
Richmond has used simple Arabic style as a basis for the decorative detail and embellishment throughout.  For example, contemporary screens and etched glass panels inspired by traditional Arabic mashrabiya fret-work have been incorporated to diffuse the large spaces and make them more comfortable and personal.
 
Creating a sense of contemporary sophistication, the interior design utilises high quality natural materials.  Different types of marble, bronze metalwork and rich timber finishes were specified to produce an overall subtle, warm and light ambience.  Individually designed hand-made rugs, furnishings, artwork and large-scale chandeliers using contemporary Arabic influences have been produced by manufacturers and craftsmen to European and international standards.
 
Richmond International is also designing and documenting the interiors of the ‘Emaar Residences at the Fairmont Makkah’.  Located directly above The Makkah Clock Royal Tower, a Fairmont Hotel, on the 24 upper floors, the residences will range from studio to three-bedroom apartments.  In 2009, Richmond designed the interiors for the Mövenpick Hotel & Residence Hajar Tower Makkah, which is also part of the Abraj Al Bait complex.
 
At 601 metres high and with 76 stories, the Makkah Clock Royal Tower is the tallest concrete building in the world.  The focal point of the tower is a 40-metre diameter, four-sided clock, which is 5.7 times bigger than London’s Big Ben.  Using amplifiers, the clock will announce daily prayers reaching a radius of seven kilometres and at night, it will be visible from 17 kilometres away.  One of the main considerations of the design was the size and height of the building, in particular, how to manage the circulation of the large numbers of people who will be using it, which during the peak periods of Hajj and Ramadan, could be up to 60,000.
 
Part of the King Abdul Aziz Endowment Project to upgrade the area around the two holy mosques, the Makkah Clock Royal Tower forms the focal point of the Abraj Al Bait complex, which includes over 500 shopping outlets and food courts over five floors and apartments.  Makkah is the holiest city in the Islamic world.  Its primary industry is to support the annual pilgrimage and the pilgrims who visit throughout the rest of the year.  The annual Hajj pilgrimage alone attracts up to three million people to the city every year.
 
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