Beijing is planning to build a seven-star hotel worth US$1.3 billion in a joint project with Saudi Arabia.
According to the Beijing Morning Post, the hotel will be built in western Beijing’s Mentougou district, some 30 km away from Beijing’s centre.
A district official, who confirmed the project and its costs, said the Saudi party is expected to shoulder the project cost and disclosed further details, including why such an expensive project would be located in an underdeveloped rural area.
The state-run news agency said the hotel’s design would be modelled after the Burj Khalifa’s distinctive slender and tapering design. However, it did not mention how tall the new structure would be.
The ‘seven-star’ classification of a hotel is not officially recognised in the world, as no formal body awards ratings above five stars. However, an increasing number of luxury hotels around the world already use the distinction.