Ritz-Carlton Has Become a Gilded Cage for Saudi Royals
6, 2017
From the stately rows of palm trees on its 52-acre grounds to the grand double staircase to the glittering ballroom chandeliers, it is easy to see why the
six-year-old Ritz-Carlton in Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, has played host to billionaires, heads of state and members of the Saudi royal family.
In a shaky video that appears from its metadata to have been shot early Monday morning in the hotel’s Ballroom B, people can be seen
lying on mats covered with brightly colored blankets in floral motifs while guards in dark uniforms are visible in the background.
The hotel’s website said on Monday: "Due to unforeseen circumstances, the hotel’s internet
and telephone lines are currently disconnected until further notice." A spokesman for the hotel did not immediately respond to a request on Monday night for a comment about the detained guests.
Saudi Arabia finds itself in the midst of a crackdown on corruption
that began on Saturday night with the arrest of dozens of people, at least 11 of whom were princes, including the billionaire investor Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.
Ballroom B, where the video footage appears to have been taken, is just shy of 20,000 square feet,
and can be used as a banquet room seating 1,400 people or a reception accommodating 2,000 people.
