Boudl Buraida Hotel

Ahmed took great care of my group of 20 westerners and made us feel very welcome. We loved the rooms and amenities, and the service was excellent. Such a lovely hotel. Highly recommend!

The apartment was a major letdown, and nothing like the pictures on Booking.com that we relied on when booking a two-bedroom place. You enter straight into the kitchen, then find a tiny lounge where the sofa barely fits and the coffee table is broken. The master bedroom is so cramped there’s hardly room to move, while a desk behind the second bedroom door stops it from opening all the way. The outlets were another headache. Most of the many switchboards didn’t work, so we had to unplug the microwave to use the kettle, and there wasn’t even a usable outlet at the “coffee corner.” With no blackout curtains in the master bedroom, sleeping was uncomfortable. The bathroom layout also felt unhygienic, with the toilet brush, towels, and toilet paper right beside the toilet seat. Cleanliness, quality, and functionality all fell well below expectations. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone, and would give it zero stars if I could.

The bed was comfy, the place smelled good, and it was clean, so I slept well. Still, plenty of details got in the way. They charged more than the booking sites, which would have been fine if breakfast had been included. The shower design and quality are poor, with low pressure and leaks that somehow leave the whole bathroom wet. The toilet ALWAYS needs a couple of flushes, and the apartment outlets are awkwardly placed, nowhere easy to reach from the sofa or beds. The windows don't insulate properly, so a loud car can wake you. The advertised photos are a little misleading, especially the showers, and the TV is NO BUENO. They seem to be trying and I appreciate that, which is why I gave three stars. There aren't better alternatives in that area.

The toilets were my biggest issue. They're very small and the drainage is extremely poor. I changed rooms, but the next one wasn't any better. Breakfast was decent, and the hotel itself was neat and clean, with a pool and a kids' play area. Parking around it is good, and there are plenty of nearby shops and essentials. Staff were professional and respectful, and speak multiple languages. This hotel really isn't above three stars.