Saudi hotel reopens after stint as ‘luxury’ jail

Riyadh’s Ritz-carlton welcomed guests again yesterday, as it reopened for business three months after becoming a prison for Saudi Arabia’s elite in an anti-corruption purge.

Staff waited under the ornate chandeliers of the five-star hotel lobby and greeted a trickle of customers.

The welcome was a far cry from the scene on Nov 4 when Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman ordered the detention of princes, ministers and tycoons in a campaign that sent shock waves through business circles.