Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace
Corporate brand
UnclaimedA five-star Crowne Plaza hotel in Riyadh’s Al-Murabba district, serving business, government, diplomatic, and event guests.
Last updated August 24, 2026
Overview
Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace is a five-star hotel in the Al-Murabba neighborhood of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. The property began operating in October 1979 as Riyadh Palace Hotel under Saudi Hotel Services Company, during the reign of King Khalid bin Abdulaziz. Its location near several Saudi government ministries has shaped its role as a business, government, diplomatic, and institutional hotel rather than solely a leisure accommodation venue. The hotel is an 11-floor property with 304 rooms. Its facilities include more than 1,400 square meters of meeting space, five meeting rooms, a business center, fitness center, outdoor swimming pool, Club Lounge, and spa. These facilities support conferences, official gatherings, diplomatic functions, corporate meetings, and other organized events. The hotel has hosted functions involving community organizations, celebrities, government ministers, and diplomatic missions. Examples cited in reference material include a 2018 reception organized by the Chinese diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia to mark the 91st anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army, and a 2021 agreement-signing event involving the Saudi Tourism Authority at Arabian Travel Market. The property’s ownership and operating structure developed through a series of agreements involving Saudi Hotel Services Company, Dur Hospitality, and InterContinental Hotels Group. In 2014, IHG and Dur Hospitality entered a master-franchise agreement covering four hotels in Saudi Arabia. In 2015, Dur Hospitality agreed with Arab Investment Company to acquire the latter’s 1,400 shares in Saudi Hotel Services Company, increasing Dur Hospitality’s stake in that company from 50% to 70%. In 2016, Dur Hospitality and Saudi Hotel Services Company entered into a 20-year hotel operating agreement. In February 2018, IHG and Dur Hospitality reached an agreement concerning Riyadh Palace Hotel. The property was bought by IHG in June 2018 and subsequently adopted the Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace name. Under the Crowne Plaza identity, the hotel is positioned as an upscale-to-luxury business-oriented property combining accommodation, food and beverage, wellness, meeting, and event services. Its principal competitive distinction is the combination of a central Riyadh location, proximity to ministries and institutional users, substantial meeting capacity, and affiliation with the international Crowne Plaza network. Public reference material does not establish a separate founding organization, current general manager, standalone website, room-rate information, financial performance, or a publicly disclosed current ownership structure beyond the reported 2018 acquisition by IHG.
History
Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace originated as Riyadh Palace Hotel, a Saudi hotel property opened in October 1979 by Saudi Hotel Services Company. The hotel was established during the reign of King Khalid bin Abdulaziz and became part of Riyadh’s institutional and diplomatic hospitality landscape. Its Al-Murabba location, close to several government ministries, gave it a strong business and public-sector orientation. The property is an 11-floor, five-star hotel with 304 rooms. Its operational offer extends beyond lodging: the hotel provides more than 1,400 square meters of meeting space, five meeting rooms, a business center, fitness facilities, an outdoor pool, a Club Lounge, and a spa. These capabilities have enabled it to host corporate gatherings, government-related functions, diplomatic events, and community-organized occasions. The hotel’s corporate structure changed through a sequence of Saudi hospitality agreements. In 2014, InterContinental Hotels Group and Dur Hospitality signed a master-franchise agreement covering four hotels in Saudi Arabia. In 2015, Dur Hospitality agreed to purchase all 1,400 shares held by Arab Investment Company in Saudi Hotel Services Company. The transaction increased Dur Hospitality’s ownership of Saudi Hotel Services Company from 50% to 70%. In 2016, Dur Hospitality signed a 20-year operating contract with Saudi Hotel Services Company for the hotel. In February 2018, InterContinental Hotels Group and Dur Hospitality reached an agreement concerning Riyadh Palace Hotel. The property was bought by IHG in June 2018 and rebranded as Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace. This change connected the established Riyadh property with IHG’s international Crowne Plaza brand while retaining its location and event-oriented role. The renamed hotel continued to serve accommodation, meeting, dining, business, and wellness needs in the Saudi capital. The property has also functioned as a venue for notable institutional events. Reference material identifies a 2018 celebration organized by the Chinese diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia to mark the 91st anniversary of the founding of the People’s Liberation Army. It also identifies the hotel as the setting for a 2021 agreement signed by the Saudi Tourism Authority during Arabian Travel Market. No independently documented scandals, public financial results, current executive roster, or separate corporate website are identified in the supplied material.
- 2021
Saudi Tourism Authority agreement is signed at the property
[1]The hotel is used as the venue for an agreement signed by the Saudi Tourism Authority during Arabian Travel Market.
- 2018
Property is acquired and rebranded
[1]After an agreement announced in February, IHG buys the hotel in June and changes its name from Riyadh Palace Hotel to Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace.
- 2016
Twenty-year operating agreement is signed
[1]Dur Hospitality signs a 20-year contract with Saudi Hotel Services Company to operate the hotel.
- 2015
Dur Hospitality increases its interest in Saudi Hotel Services Company
[1]Dur Hospitality agrees to acquire Arab Investment Company’s 1,400 shares in Saudi Hotel Services Company, raising its ownership from 50% to 70%.
- 2014
IHG and Dur Hospitality sign a Saudi master-franchise agreement
[1]InterContinental Hotels Group and Dur Hospitality enter an agreement covering four hotels in Saudi Arabia.
- 1979
Riyadh Palace Hotel opens
[1]Saudi Hotel Services Company opens Riyadh Palace Hotel in October in Riyadh’s Al-Murabba district.
Products and positioning
A five-star, business-oriented Riyadh hotel focused on government, diplomatic, corporate, and organized-event guests.
Hotel accommodation · 1979
Guest rooms and suites
The hotel provides 304 rooms in an 11-floor property. The supplied reference material identifies guest accommodation as a core service and describes the property as a five-star hotel, but does not provide a complete room-category list or detailed suite specifications.
Hospitality and events · 1979
Meetings and events
The property offers more than 1,400 square meters of meeting space and five meeting rooms. These facilities support conferences, official functions, corporate meetings, diplomatic receptions, and agreement-signing events.
Hotel services · 1979
Business and wellness facilities
Supporting services include a business center, fitness center, outdoor swimming pool, Club Lounge, and spa. Together, these facilities complement the hotel’s business-travel and extended-stay proposition.
Food and beverage · 1979
Dining and hospitality services
Food and beverage service is part of the hotel’s overall hospitality offer. The supplied sources do not identify individual restaurant names, cuisines, menus, or opening dates.
Brand decisions
2018
IHG acquisition and Crowne Plaza rebrandingM&ABackground
Riyadh Palace Hotel had operated since 1979 and was connected to Saudi Hotel Services Company and Dur Hospitality through earlier ownership and operating arrangements.
Action taken
InterContinental Hotels Group reached an agreement with Dur Hospitality, bought the property in June 2018, and changed its name to Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace.
Aftermath
The property became part of the Crowne Plaza brand while continuing to operate as a Riyadh hotel with accommodation, meeting, business, dining, and wellness facilities.
Recent events
- 2021
Saudi Tourism Authority agreement is signed at Arabian Travel Market[1]
Other
The hotel was cited as the venue for an agreement signed by the Saudi Tourism Authority during Arabian Travel Market.
- 2018
Riyadh Palace Hotel is rebranded as Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace[1]
M&A · Other
Following an agreement between InterContinental Hotels Group and Dur Hospitality, the Riyadh property was bought by IHG in June and adopted the Crowne Plaza Riyadh Palace name.
- 2018
Chinese diplomatic mission hosts anniversary event at the hotel[1]
Other
The hotel hosted a celebration organized by the Chinese diplomatic mission in Saudi Arabia marking the 91st anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army.
Sources1 sources
Cite this profile: Cite the canonical profile. /brand-wiki/crowne-plaza-riyadh-palace · Editorial policy · How profiles are compiled