Rawabi Al Shamikh Ajyad Hotel

The staff were kind and helpful, and having lifts, shops right beside the hotel, and a mosque nearby made things easier. The air conditioning was decent too. I also ended up making friends with other guests, which was a nice part of the stay. Getting to the entrance means tackling a steep hill, and the same climb comes into play when going to and from Haram. The walk was described as 10 minutes, which seems fair when it's quiet, but during Hajj crowds it took as long as 20-30 minutes. The buffet had mostly Asian dishes, with something different now and then, and the choices got repetitive. Its hall seats fewer than 70, so people may be waiting for your table. Four beds leave room for barely one prayer mat, the bathroom was old and cramped, and there wasn't enough space under the bed for a medium suitcase. We had one room key for everyone, so someone needs to keep it or leave it at reception. The towels left some kind of residue wherever they were put, and I didn't trust that they were clean, so I used my own. For me, it wasn't worth more than three stars, and I probably wouldn't stay again. That's just my personal view.