New world’s tallest building planned for Saudi Arabia

Less than two years after the Burj Khalifa opened in Dubai, Saudi Arabia‘s Prince Alwaleed bin Talal has announced a new world’s tallest building to be built on the Red Sea resort town of Jeddah. The Saudi building is planned to be 172 meters (564 feet) taller than the Burj and will stand at 1,000 meters or 3,281 feet. It will be part of the $20 billion “megadevelopment” Kingdom City and will house luxury condos, offices, and of course, a hotel. The prince has signed a $1.23 billion deal with the Bin Laden Group, the largest construction firm in Saudi Arabia and unaffiliated with Osama Bin Laden, to complete the new tallest building in five years.

Last month, Gadling explored the 2,717 foot Burj Khalifa. Gadling and Huffington Post blogger Melanie Nayer was one of the first guests at the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong earlier this year, currently the highest hotel in the world. Check out our gallery below of the world’s tallest buildings.

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Image of Dubai’s Burj Khalifa by Flickr user Jason Rodman.

Competition heats up for world’s tallest hotel

First was the Armani Hotel in the Burj Khalifa, then the Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong, and now, one Shanghai hotel group says they’re on track to build the world’s tallest hotel.

Interstate Hotels & Resorts will manage Shanghai Tower J-Hotel, which they claim will become the world’s tallest hotel upon its completion in 2014. The building stands 121 stories and 2,073 feet, making it the second tallest hotel in the world. The hotel portion will occupy floors 84 through 110 and offer 258 guestrooms.

In Hong Kong, the Ritz-Carlton is currently planning their opening of the next tallest hotel in the world, which is slated for March 2011. The Ritz-Carlton, Hong Kong takes over floors 112 to 118 of Hong Kong’s International Commerce Centre, but according to the Interstate Hotels & Resorts group, the actual height of the J-Hotel is taller. The Ritz-Carlton is said to stand at 1,588 feet while the J-Hotel tops out at 1,781 feet.

Having seen The Ritz-Carlton Hong Kong first hand on a recent visit to Hong Kong, I can attest to its height and superiority.

Seems we may have to get a few rulings on this one when the time comes to open the J-Hotel in 2014.

[via HotelsMag.com]