Tallest Saudi residential tower to open in June

Saudi Arabia's Rafal Real Estate Development Company said this week that after an 18-month build period its Burj Rafal project remains on track to be completed in eight months.

Once complete, Burj Rafal will house 440 apartments and one of the first Kempinski hotels in Saudi Arabia. The 300-bed hotel will have two restaurants, three cafés, conference facilities, a ballroom for up to 2,000 guests, two spas and wellness centres and a range of exclusive retail outlets. It will be the tallest residential building in the Gulf kingdom.

Rafal Real Estate Development Co CEO Majed Al-Hogail said: "Opening in June 2013, this unique and glorious vertical residential self-sustained community will be a landmark of 308m on 70 floors constructed on an exclusive 20,000sqm plot in Assahafa District in the north of Riyadh along King Fahed Highway close to King Abdullah Financial District; an area that’s set to become the golden mile of Riyadh.

"The community will be equipped with fully integrated systems using world-class construction company – DCC and hosting Kempinski - one of the most renowned luxurious European hotels in the world.”

Abdullah Yabroudi, CEO & MD of Dubai Contracting Company, said that Burj Rafal was "yet another successful story" for the his company, which has already built a number of high-rise projects in the UAE including The Rolex Tower, Bright Start Tower and Fairmont Hotel. He added that Burj Rafal has used more than 2,500 labourers, 119,000 tonnes of thick high-quality steel and more than 106,500 tonnes of high-quality cement.

The conference was also attended by contractor Dubai Contracting Company, financier Riyadh Capital and the president of Kempinski's Middle East Africa division, Ulrick Eckhardt.

Eckhardt confirmed the hotel was one of three it is currently planning in the kingdom, with one due to open in Al Khobar shortly, and another due to open in Jeddah in 2015.

"I am happy to be here on this occasion to celebrate a significant milestone in the development of what will surely be the best address in Riyadh," he said.

"Therefore, having a distinct presence inside Saudi Arabia through the opening of an iconic property like Burj Rafal Hotel Kempinski is an important part of our future growth strategy."