Golden White Hotel

The rooms are a good size, but the rest of the stay was frustrating. The beds had hair left by previous guests, the amenities fell short, there was no free Wi-Fi, and neither air conditioner worked properly. The balcony door wouldn’t lock, and cold air came in through the gap underneath, so the poor Chinese brand AC couldn’t keep the room warm. I spent the night freezing. There was no night lamp, no bathtub, and no English TV channels. The shower had only an overhead rain head that drops cold water right on you while you’re trying to check the temperature. No hand shower either. Getting there is difficult: the hotel is in a narrow lane on a tricky slope, and there’s no network coverage on the Ash-shafa mountain route from Makkah, so beware if your GPS needs mobile data. There’s no car park. Hail or ice-rain could leave ugly dents, and cars can get scratched in the tight lane or parking area. Someone hit my parked car, and staff were reluctant even to listen. At SAR550 a night, it costs more than it deserves. There’s no elevator, so it’s unsuitable for elderly guests, strollers, or disabled visitors. There’s no phone for room service, and the front desk staff use a mobile number that often goes unanswered, at least before 10 AM. No English-speaking staff either, so you’d need the Google Translate app and a network connection. There was no breakfast at the hotel or nearby. The photos posted by other reviewers are probably promotional and from their own friends. I can share photos and proof for each point above if contacted.

After six years of traveling around Saudi, including Taif, Abha, Umluj, Al Bahah, Yanbu, and Jeddah, this hotel has been our best stay. The rooms were spacious and very clean, the beds comfortable, and the toilets clean and free of smells. Mr. Ashraf was amazing, and we were welcomed with Arabic coffee. The water pressure was good too. Our family and kids had fun, and we had our best experience in Saudi Arabia.

There’s a sitting area on the ground floor, and the rooms are spacious with the kitchen you need. I loved the terrace view too. Everything was perfect.

If you’re heading to Golden White Hotel, check the Arabic lettering above GPS to make sure you have the right address. The English letters point to another location called Golden White, so that one isn’t Golden White, even though the Arabic letters say Golden White.