The largest hotel in the world by room count is the First World Hotel in Genting Highlands, Malaysia, with 7,351 rooms. The 10,000-room Abraj Kudai in Mecca, which was meant to open in 2017 and take the title, has not opened. This is the story of the giant that was announced, stalled and is still waiting.
| Hotel | Place | Rooms | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abraj Kudai | Mecca, Saudi Arabia | 10,000 (planned) | Partly built, not open |
| First World Hotel | Genting Highlands, Malaysia | 7,351 | Open, current record holder |
| MGM Grand Las Vegas | Las Vegas, USA | 4,762 | Open, largest single hotel building |
The Largest Hotel in the World That Saudi Arabia Planned for Mecca
While Dubai has long held the lead in building the biggest and tallest structures, this time Saudi Arabia aimed to take the record for the largest hotel. Abraj Kudai was announced to open in 2017 about 2.2 km from Mecca’s Grand Mosque.
The plan: a ring of 12 towers, each 45 floors, on a 10-floor podium with a central dome and four rooftop helipads. The hotel was to have 10,000 rooms, 70 restaurants and food courts, a shopping mall, a conference centre, a ballroom and a bus station. Five floors were reserved for the Saudi royal family.
Two of the towers were to offer five-star service, according to the architects, Dar Al-Handasah, and the other ten four-star. The London-based studio Areen Hospitality was hired for the interiors. The project is owned by the Saudi Ministry of Finance and was estimated at about $3.5 billion.
“Due to its unparalleled size, height as well as distinguished location, exposure and architectural style, the building appears as a striking landmark with a profoundly modern multifunctional identity relating to both the Saudi locality and the Islamic universality of its expected users, ” said architects Dar Al-Handasah on its website.
From the air, the complex was meant to resemble the sun and its planets on one orbit, and the architects described the design as a contemporary reading of a traditional desert fortress.
What happened to Abraj Kudai
Construction halted in 2015 amid financial difficulties. The main builder, the Saudi Binladin Group, depended on government contracts, and falling oil prices led the state to cancel or suspend projects and delay payments. The company was also barred from new state contracts after a crane collapse at the Grand Mosque in 2015.
As of late 2025, reports described it as largely a construction site with no confirmed opening date. A new contractor, Maytas Infra Saudi Arabia, was announced in late 2024. We found no report of a 2026 opening or a restart date, so treat any date you see as unconfirmed.
Which hotel is the largest in the world today
The First World Hotel in Pahang, Malaysia, holds the Guinness World Records title for the most rooms, with 7,351 across three towers. It opened on July 26, 2002, and regained the title in 2015 after a new block added 1,233 rooms. Las Vegas held the record for a while: The Palazzo took the title in January 2008 after an expansion of The Venetian.
If you count single buildings, the MGM Grand Las Vegas is largest, with 4,762 rooms in one building. Our earlier version listed the Venetian and Palazzo at 7,117 rooms and the MGM Grand at 6,852, figures we could not match to a current source, so we dropped them.
Our view: a hotel is not the largest until the first guest checks in. Until Abraj Kudai opens, the record belongs to a three-star hotel in the Malaysian hills, which is a funnier answer than a royal fortress.
FAQ
What is the largest hotel in the world?
The First World Hotel in Genting Highlands, Malaysia, with 7,351 rooms in three towers. It holds the Guinness World Records title for the most rooms.
Has Abraj Kudai opened?
No. The planned 10,000-room hotel in Mecca was meant to open in 2017, but construction halted in 2015 and it has not opened. We found no confirmed opening date.
How many rooms would Abraj Kudai have?
The plan calls for 10,000 rooms across 12 towers of 45 floors each, plus 70 restaurants and food courts, a mall and four helipads.
What is the largest single hotel building?
The MGM Grand Las Vegas, with 4,762 rooms in one building.
Who is building Abraj Kudai?
The owner is the Saudi Ministry of Finance, the architect is Dar Al-Handasah, and a new contractor, Maytas Infra Saudi Arabia, was announced in late 2024.
How much would Abraj Kudai cost?
The project was estimated at about $3.5 billion.
Last updated: October 2026.
