Al Rawabi and East Jeddah: Access, Services and Daily Life

Al Rawabi is a residential district in east Jeddah, bordering Al Sulaymaniyah to the north and close to King Abdulaziz University. Its main roads, Old Makkah Road and Abdullah Sulayman Street, link it to the centre and the Makkah-bound routes. Daily needs are close by, including LuLu Hypermarket, the Jeddah Dates Market, local supermarkets, Riaya Medical Hospital and several clinics and schools. It suits long stays, families who cook and visitors who need easy access to the Al Sulaymaniyah Haramain station.

For short trips, most visitors look at the Corniche or north Jeddah. For stays of a few weeks or months, the questions change. Where is the nearest supermarket? How far is the clinic? How long will the daily commute take? That is where districts like Al Rawabi come in.

This guide looks at Al Rawabi through the eyes of a long-stay visitor: location, roads, shopping, healthcare, schools and commute times. Best Trip Hotels runs Best Trip Istanbul in Al Rawabi as a monthly property, so many of the practical points here come from what our long-stay guests ask us.

Where Al Rawabi Is

Al Rawabi sits on the eastern side of Jeddah. It falls under the University sub-municipality, named after nearby King Abdulaziz University.

According to Aqar, the district borders:

• Al Sulaymaniyah to the north.
• Al Jamiah to the west.
• Quwaizah to the east.
• Al Farouq to the south.

Al Muntazahat lies further east, and the King Abdulaziz University area is to the north.

Property portals such as Aqar and Bayut often list Al Rawabi under their “South Jeddah” categories. Residents usually describe it as east or south-east Jeddah. Both labels refer to the same place, inland from the sea and away from the northern suburbs.

Not to be confused with Al Rawabi in other cities

Makkah and Riyadh also have districts called Al Rawabi. When you search for a route or a property, check that the map shows Jeddah.

Main Roads and Access

Good road links are one of Al Rawabi’s strongest points.

• Old Makkah Road: Runs through the area and connects east Jeddah with the centre and the roads towards Makkah.
• Abdullah Sulayman Street: A major road linking the district with central Jeddah.
• Janoub Ibn Laden Road: A nearby main road beside Best Trip Istanbul.

Aqar’s resident ratings give the district’s streets the lowest score of all its services, at 56%. Main roads are wide, but some inner streets are in poorer condition, so allow a little extra time on local roads.

Commute Times From Al Rawabi

Times below are estimates by car in normal traffic. Weekday rush hours and Thursday nights can add 15 to 30 minutes.

For a long stay, the closeness of the Al Sulaymaniyah station is a big plus. Trains to Makkah take roughly 35 to 45 minutes from there, so a trip to the Haram can fit into half a day.

Shopping and Supermarkets

Weekly shopping is easy in Al Rawabi, which matters a lot when you are cooking at home.

Large stores

• LuLu Hypermarket, Al Rawabi: Opened in June 2022, according to Saudi Gazette. It covers groceries, household goods and everyday essentials in one trip.
• Jeddah Dates Market: A good place to buy dates, especially before and during Ramadan.

Local supermarkets

Aqar and our Istanbul property page list several neighbourhood options, including:

• Alqariah Supermarket
• Souq7
• Rawabi Food Center
• Makhazen Supermarket
• Al Rawabi Plaza

Tips for long-stay shopping

• Shop in the morning on weekdays to avoid crowds.
• Stock up before Ramadan, when evening queues grow quickly.
• Use delivery apps for heavy items such as water and rice.

Healthcare in Al Rawabi

Healthcare access is one of the main reasons long-stay visitors choose a district. Aqar lists these medical facilities in and around Al Rawabi:

• Riaya Medical Hospital, Al Rawabi
• Al Rawabi Health Center
• Primary Healthcare Center, Al Rawabi District
• Khalid Al Mutamayiz Medical Complex

Aqar’s resident rating for medical services in the district is 83%. Pharmacies are spread along the main roads.

If you need a major specialist hospital, central and northern Jeddah have more options. Families with ongoing hospital visits in the north often base themselves in An Nuzhah, Jeddah, which sits next to Jeddah National Hospital.

Schools and Education

Al Rawabi is a settled family district, and schools are part of daily life here. Aqar lists:

• Al Rawabi Private School and Kindergarten
• Seventy-Seventh Primary School
• Yahya bin Ayyub Morning School and Asim Evening School
• Haritha bin Al Nu’man Primary School
• Ibn Al Atheer Primary School

Most schools in the district are Saudi national or public schools. Families looking for international curricula will usually need to travel to other parts of the city. Aqar’s resident rating for educational services is 82%.

King Abdulaziz University lies just to the north, which makes the area practical for visiting academics, students’ families and university staff.

Food and Dining

Al Rawabi has a mix of everyday restaurants and cafes rather than fine dining. Aqar lists local favourites such as:

• Restaurants: Al Sadda Restaurants and Kitchens, Ariana Al Bukhari, Istanbul Shish Kebab, Al Baik and Al Hummus Al Arabi.
• Cafes: Smara, Onza, Cafe Garden, Cuppio Coffee and H Cafe.

Long-stay guests often cook most meals at home and eat out a couple of times a week. For a special dinner, Al Balad and the Corniche are within 30 minutes.

How Residents Rate Al Rawabi

Aqar collects resident ratings for each district. Here is how Al Rawabi scores.

Residents praise the location, the wide main streets and the range of daily services. Common complaints include slow internet in some parts, cleanliness in certain spots and uneven street quality.

Pros and Cons for Long Stays

Pros

• Close to the Al Sulaymaniyah Haramain station.
• Supermarkets, a hypermarket and markets within a short drive.
• Hospital, health centres and clinics in the district.
• Good road links via Old Makkah Road and Abdullah Sulayman Street.
• Quieter and more residential than central Jeddah.

Cons

• Far from the sea and the northern malls.
• Longer drive to the airport.
• Some inner streets need improvement.
• Few tourist sights within walking distance.

Who Al Rawabi Suits

If you are planning Umrah from a Jeddah base, our guide to staying in Jeddah for Umrah runs through the cost and time of travelling into Makkah from the city.

Al Rawabi Compared With Other Areas

Every part of Jeddah suits a different kind of trip.

• Choose Al Rawabi for long stays, train access to Makkah and everyday convenience.
• Choose the south for larger family homes and road access away from the centre. Our south Jeddah districts guide covers Al Ajaweed and Prince Fawaz.
• Choose the old centre for Al Balad and the central Corniche. See our Al Baghdadiyah, Jeddah guide.

For a full side-by-side view, read our guide on where to stay in Jeddah.

Al Rawabi Through the Year

Life in a residential district changes with the calendar, and it helps to plan around it.

• Ramadan: Days are quiet, then supermarkets, bakeries and the dates market get very busy in the hours before iftar. Trains to Makkah fill up, so book seats early.
• School term: Morning and early afternoon traffic builds around schools on weekdays.
• Summer: Heat and humidity make walking hard in the middle of the day. Do errands early or after sunset.
• Umrah peak: Demand for monthly apartments near the Al Sulaymaniyah station rises, so arrange long stays in advance.

Practical Tips for Living in Al Rawabi

• Check the exact address before you sign or book, as Makkah and Riyadh also have an Al Rawabi.
• Test your commute at peak hours if you have fixed work or school times.
• Ask about internet speeds, since some residents report slow connections in parts of the district.
• Keep a car or ride app handy. Most errands are a short drive rather than a walk.
• Use the train for Makkah. It avoids parking problems near the Haram.

Staying in Al Rawabi With Best Trip Hotels

Best Trip Istanbul is the Best Trip Hotels property in Al Rawabi, close to Janoub Ibn Laden Road. It is set up for monthly and extended stays.

What Best Trip Istanbul offers

• Units: Studio, one-bedroom and two-bedroom apartments.
• Layout: Separate living rooms, fully equipped kitchenettes, comfortable bedrooms and en-suite bathrooms.
• Facilities: Free Wi-Fi, Smart TVs, air conditioning and private parking.
• Nearby: Jeddah Dates Market, Alqariah Supermarket, Souq7 and LuLu Hypermarket.
• Good for: Extended visits, business assignments, families and groups staying for weeks.

Monthly stays and rates

Best Trip Istanbul is a monthly property, so stay terms are arranged directly with the property rather than shown as fixed nightly prices. Monthly rates depend on the unit, the length of stay and the season, and they can change during Ramadan, school holidays and the Umrah peak. Contact the property or use the booking page on our website for a current quote.

Other monthly option in Jeddah

If you would rather be near the airport and Jeddah National Hospital, Best Trip City Zone in An Nuzhah is our other dedicated monthly property, with full kitchens and a washing machine on request. Monthly terms there are also arranged with reception or head office.

New to this kind of stay? Our explainer on what is a serviced apartment covers what is usually included, and our comparison of serviced apartment vs hotel shows why apartments often work better for long stays. You can see every location under Best Trip

Hotels.

Frequently Asked Questions