NOVANEWS
|
When you ask a Saudi about Makkah many will talk about the way Makkah was…before the day of the Clocktower. I used to believe that the Clocktower in Makkah was a welcoming beacon but I have changed my view. I now see it as part of the ‘extreme commercialism’ that keeps gaining momentum in Makkah. Only last week Marriott Corporation announced that by 2014 three new hotels will be built in Makkah adding more than 1500 rooms. These hotels will also overlook the Haram. Among these three hotels will be a landmark J W Marriott which is described as “…unique environments, spacious guest rooms with luxurious amenities, imaginative dining experiences and an overall heightened level of sophistication without pretense.” Sophistication without pretense? Is this necessary for a hotel at the Haram where the majority of visitors come for Umrah or Hajj?
|
