من مساحة السرير لسرعة الإنترنت وصولاً للغرامات.. تعرف على اللائحة الجديدة لإسكان الحجاج

In a decisive move that prioritizes the comfort of "Guests of the Merciful" above all else, the relevant authorities have unveiled a strict regulatory list that governs the hospitality sector (hotels) in Mecca and Medina. The new rules, effective from the beginning of Dhul-Qi'dah until mid-Muharram, do not allow for half-measures; either provide hospitality with exceptional standards or face the guillotine of immediate closure and license cancellation.

“Absolute Prohibitions”.. Violations That Could Cost You Your License

The regulations leave no room for interpretation, placing common practices under absolute prohibition and immediate fines:

• Shadow Contracts: A fine of 50,000 Riyals and immediate cancellation of the license for any establishment providing services under undocumented contracts from the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.
• Goodbye to Random Cooking: A strict ban on food preparation or cooking inside the hotels (whether for workers or guests), limited to external meals (fine of 4,000 Riyals).
• Basements and Rooftops Are Not for Living: Prohibition of using halls, kitchens, basements, mezzanine floors, or rooftops for residential or storage purposes (fine of 4,000 Riyals).

“The Four Violations Rule”.. No Room for Leniency

The regulations introduced a decisive oversight mechanism known as “The Four Violations Rule,” where immediate (total or partial) closure is enforced if inspectors observe a decline in cleanliness or maintenance in four or more elements during a single visit.

The rules also considered the size of the establishment in applying financial penalties, starting from 25% for micro establishments and reaching up to 100% for large establishments, with the maximum fine doubled and the license permanently revoked upon recurrence.

To ensure the comfort of pilgrims is not disturbed, the regulations impose a penalty of 20,000 Riyals in the event of water or electricity outages. The only and most severe exception is: if the outage lasts more than two hours, the establishment is immediately required to provide alternative accommodation for guests or refund their amounts in full, in addition to the fine. The same fine is imposed for any attempt to obstruct the work of inspectors.

The requirements exceeded safety standards to delve into the details of luxury and daily comfort for the pilgrim, including non-negotiable operational commitments:

• Space is a Fundamental Right: Allocating 4 square meters for each bed, with shared rooms not less than 12 meters (for the economy class) and 15 meters (for the first class).
• Internet and Air Conditioning: Providing a fast "Wi-Fi" network (not less than 1 megabit/second per user), and setting the air conditioning temperature between 20 and 24 degrees Celsius.
• Insulators and Sanitizers: Requiring hotels to place waterproof covers on mattresses, provide sanitized and packaged towels, and change bed linens.
• Clean Environment: Preventive spraying for pest control, emptying waste containers twice daily, with complete removal of any stickers or visual distortions in corridors and elevators.