A Month in The Love Boat
Tomorrow I'll have been in Riyadh for a month. While the company attempts to get all of us new employees into a western compound, we've been staying in the Mercure Value Hotel a few miles from the airport. The Mercure is a French hotel chain. Like most western hotels in the Middle East services are run primarily by Filipinos. But we've got Pakistanis, Jordanians, Egyptians, and probably some Bangladeshis and Sri Lankans down in the laundry. The hotel is located across from a large mall and some other shopping areas, so it's convenient to walk to the Food Court and eat dinner from a wide-ranging choice of international foods.
What makes the Mercure interesting is its architecture. You won't see this in the States except maybe for Las Vegas or some tourist spot near a Disney facility.
The bow shot of the Mercure Value Hotel
The stern shot for the Mercure Value Hotel
Hotel Entrance
The interior atrium of the hotel, still keeping with the nautical theme.
All-in-all, it's been a pleasant experience. But we're all looking forward to moving to a compound where we can let our hair down and relax away from all the restrictions existing in public places.