Construction is under way on Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts' first hotel in the Middle East, the Swissôtel Makkah in Mecca, Saudi Arabia.

Scheduled to open in January 2011, the new hotel will have 1,571 guest rooms - including 88 suites - spread over 53 floors, with half of all the rooms and suites having a view of the Holy Mosque.

Facilities will include four restaurants serving authentic Arabic and European cuisine, an Executive Lounge, two meeting rooms and a business centre available to guests.

The new hotel is part of the Abraj Al Bait Complex developed by Saudi Binladin Group in the Development of King Abdul Aziz Endowment Project. The Saudi Binladin Group is a multinational construction conglomerate and holding company for the assets owned by the Binladin family, founded in 1950 and headquartered in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

The city of Mecca, situated in the west of the country, is the birthplace of Mohammed, making it the holiest city in the Islamic world. The height of the travel season at Mecca takes place during the annual Hajj pilgrimage and the Holy month of Ramadan when the city welcomes over three million pilgrims for the Hajj alone.

Swissôtel Hotels & Resorts is owned by Fairmont Raffles Hotels International, a global hotel company with 94 hotels and resorts worldwide under the Raffles, Fairmont and Swissôtel brands. The company also manages Fairmont and Raffles branded Residences, Estates and luxury private residence club properties.

Pic: The Abraj Al Bait Towers complex under construction in Mecca