The two properties compared
Booking sites list both hotels with near-identical names, and travellers regularly arrive at the wrong tower. The table below is the fastest way to tell them apart.
| Swissôtel Makkah | Swissôtel Al Maqam Makkah | |
|---|---|---|
| Position | Beside the central clock tower | Own tower within the complex |
| Walk to the Haram | Shorter indoor route | Slightly longer, fully covered |
| Typical rate | Marginally higher of the two | Usually the softer rate |
| View options | City · Partial Haram | City · Partial Haram |
| Best for | Short stays, minimal walking | Longer stays, groups, value |
| Meal plans | B&B · Half board | B&B · Half board |
Rates vary by season and room category. Message us on WhatsApp for live prices for your dates →
Not sure which Swissôtel you were quoted?
Send us the quote or the dates you have in mind. We will confirm which tower it is, what the room actually looks out onto, and what the live rate is for both properties.
Ask Us on WhatsAppSwissôtel Makkah
Swissôtel Makkah sits beside the central clock tower, which gives it one of the shorter indoor routes to the Haram entrance in the complex. Rooms are functional and well kept rather than opulent, and the hotel's strength is the combination of position and price. It is a sensible choice for pilgrims who intend to spend most of their waking hours in the mosque and want the room to be a comfortable, quiet base rather than the centrepiece of the trip.
Best for: mid-premium stays where proximity matters more than the view.
Swissôtel Al Maqam Makkah
Swissôtel Al Maqam occupies its own tower within Abraj Al Bait and is typically the larger of the two by room count. The walk through the complex to the Haram is slightly longer, though still covered and air-conditioned throughout. Rooms tend to price a little softer than its sister property in the same season, which makes it a common recommendation for longer stays where the nightly difference compounds.
Best for: longer stays and groups wanting Clock Tower access at the most accessible Swissôtel rate.
Choose Swissôtel Makkah if… Choose Al Maqam if…
Choose Swissôtel Makkah if you want the shortest walk of the two, you are staying three to five nights, or you are travelling with someone who tires quickly and every hundred metres counts.
Choose Swissôtel Al Maqam if you are staying seven nights or longer, you are booking multiple rooms for a group, or you want to put the saving toward a higher meal plan or a Madinah leg.
Choose neither if a guaranteed Kaaba view is your priority. In that case the Fairmont Makkah is the right building, and our Kaaba View vs Haram View guide explains why the distinction matters so much.
Prices by season
Both Swissôtels follow the same seasonal pattern as the rest of the complex. We do not publish fixed rates because they move weekly, but the shape of the year is consistent.
| Season | Demand | How far ahead to book | Rates |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Umrah season | Moderate | 4–6 weeks | Lowest of the year |
| School holidays & long weekends | High | 2–3 months | Above regular season |
| Ramadan, first 20 nights | Very high | 6–12 months | Roughly 3–5× regular season |
| Ramadan, last 10 nights | Peak | 9–12 months | Highest Ramadan pricing, sells out first |
| Hajj season | Restricted | 8–12 months | Highest of the year; Umrah visas suspended around Hajj |
Rates vary by season and room category. Message us on WhatsApp for live prices for your dates →
How to make sure you are quoted the right hotel
- Insist on the full property name in writing, either "Swissôtel Makkah" or "Swissôtel Al Maqam Makkah". Anything that just says "Swissôtel" is not a confirmation.
- Ask which tower it is in and what the indoor route to the Haram entrance looks like. A supplier who cannot answer that has not seen the building.
- Ask for the room category and a real photograph before payment. We send both as standard.
How to book a Swissôtel in the Clock Tower with Meliora Escapes
- Send us your dates. Message us on WhatsApp or use the form with your check-in month, number of nights, and how many adults and children are travelling.
- We come back with live rates and real photos. You see the actual room category and the actual view before any payment is made, along with the meal plan options available on your dates.
- Confirm and travel. We hold the room, issue your confirmation, and stay reachable on WhatsApp through to check-in. If you need visa or transfer support alongside the hotel, we arrange that too.
Compare both, then decide
We will send live rates for Swissôtel Makkah and Swissôtel Al Maqam side by side, with real room photos for each, so the choice is yours rather than the booking engine's.
Get Both Quotes on WhatsAppFrequently Asked Questions About the Makkah Swissôtels
They are two separate hotels in different towers of the same Abraj Al Bait complex. Swissôtel Makkah sits in the tower adjoining the central clock tower, while Swissôtel Al Maqam occupies its own tower on the other side of the complex. Both are mid-premium 5-star properties with covered access to Masjid al-Haram, but their room layouts, outlooks and rates differ.
Swissôtel Makkah is generally the shorter indoor walk because of its position beside the central tower. Swissôtel Al Maqam involves slightly more walking through the complex. Both routes are covered and air-conditioned, so neither requires crossing traffic.
Some rooms face Masjid al-Haram and a limited number have sight of the Kaaba, but neither Swissôtel is the strongest Clock Tower hotel for guaranteed Kaaba views. If the view is your priority, the Fairmont holds far more Full Kaaba View inventory. We will tell you honestly what a given room shows before you book.
In most seasons the Swissôtels price below the Fairmont and Raffles for a comparable room, which is why they are a popular mid-premium choice. The gap narrows in peak Ramadan when everything in the complex is in demand. Message us for live rates on your dates.
Both offer twin and triple configurations, but neither is the strongest family option in the complex. Pullman ZamZam Makkah has more flexible family and connecting-room configurations. If you want to stay with a Swissôtel, tell us your group size and we will confirm which rooms can genuinely take your party.
Bed and breakfast and half board are the common plans. Iftar is included only where you book half board or full board; a breakfast-only rate does not include it. Always confirm the meal plan on the quote, particularly for Ramadan stays.
Yes. If you hold your own Umrah visa and flights we book the hotel only. If you need visa guidance, transfers or a Madinah leg as well, we arrange the whole trip. Both are quoted with no booking fees.
Why book your Clock Tower stay with Meliora Escapes
- Meliora Escapes is a Dubai based luxury travel consultancy serving guests across the Gulf, the UK and beyond.
- We send real room and view photos before you pay, so you know exactly which view category you are booking.
- No hidden fees. The price we quote is the price you pay.
- A named consultant handles your booking from enquiry to check-in, reachable on WhatsApp in your time zone.