Mansour Al-Shihri

Okaz/Saudi Gazette

RIYADH — Twenty-five Saudi women are providing services to residents of the Family Home in Al-Hair prison in Riyadh where prisoners being investigated or jailed for involvement in security cases are held.



In a world first, the Al-Hair prison has established a five-star hotel under the name Family Home where well-behaved prisoners and detainees can spend time with their wives and children. Each prisoner is allowed to stay, in complete privacy, with his family from a period that can range between 24 hours and three days each time a family visit is arranged for him.



A team of 25 Saudi women, who have been well trained in providing hotel services, are taking care of the prisoners and their families during their stay in the home.



Other than the prisoners, men are not allowed in the Family Home unless they are carrying out maintenance work.



Detainees typically enter the hotel without handcuffs and are received at the reception like a regular hotel guest. A female receptionist completes all necessary accommodation procedures and serves detainees drinks and light meals until their families arrive. Detainees and members of their immediate family are then given a separate suite all to themselves.



All the hotel services are provided free of charge. They consist of three daily meals, snacks, tea, coffee, laundry and ironing services.



The building has special playgrounds for children in addition to other entertainment equipment.



When a prisoner leaves the hotel, a team asks him about his stay and if he has any suggestions to further improve the quality of services.