The closest hotels to the Prophet's Mosque in Madinah

Madinah is calmer than Makkah, and most of its best hotels are in the central area around the Prophet's Mosque, ten minutes' walk or less away. The difference between four minutes and ten still adds up: over a week of five prayers a day, it comes to hours.

Men's gates and women's entrances

Women pray in their own sections of the mosque and use their own entrances, so from the same hotel the nearest gate for a man and the nearest entrance for a woman can differ. If women are travelling with you, check both walks before you book.

Six hotels a few minutes away

On King Fahd Road, facing the north side of the mosque. Guests praise the housekeeping and the beds, and connecting rooms suit families. Some rooms are dated, and checking in before 4 pm can mean a wait.

A five-star hotel north of the mosque. Some rooms look onto the Haram's plaza, and there are triple rooms and two-bedroom family suites. Arabesque, its restaurant, serves all day, afternoon tea included.

At the northern edge of the courtyard, by the women's gates: its walk to a women's entrance is one of the shortest in the city. Rooms without a view are on the small side, while the view rooms and suites are roomier.

A new hotel north of the mosque, close to both the men's and the women's gates. The Deluxe rooms are 30 m², on the small side, and guests praise the breakfast buffet.

On the south side near Bab al-Salam, the side closest to the Rawdah's entrance. The women's gates are further from here, so the hotel runs a shuttle bus to them. It has five restaurants and cafés, and some rooms look onto the Haram.

North-west of the mosque, joined to the Anwar Al Madinah mall, with parking under the building. Some rooms look onto the Haram, and there are rooms with three or four single beds for families. The building is older, and many rooms show it.

North or south of the mosque?

• North (King Fahd Road and the central area): the widest choice of hotels, facing King Fahd Gate and the northern courtyards, with restaurants and shops all around.
• South (near Bab al-Salam): the closest side to the Rawdah's entrance opposite Makkah Gate, and the way to Quba Mosque, about three kilometres off.
• West and north-west: hotels near the gates of Umar ibn al-Khattab and al-Aqiq, a few minutes from the mosque's western side.

Tips for Madinah

• The giant umbrellas over the courtyards open during the day and shade the way to the gates, so a midday walk is easier than it looks.
• On Fridays and Ramadan nights the courtyards fill. If you want a place inside, go an hour or more before the prayer.
• In a tall hotel, the wait for a lift at prayer times can take longer than the walk.

The Rawdah's entrance is in the southern courtyards. To book the permit, see how to book a Rawdah visit on Nusuk.