Alarabi Decoration, a leading Saudi-based interior decor specialist, has successfully completed three major projects in Europe: a royal residence in Marbella, Spain, the renovation of a prestigious villas on Lake Como in Italy and a private hotel in Paris, France.

"The experience accumulated over all these years in the Kingdom as well as in the other Gulf states has helped Alarabi in its expansion in Europe," says Pietro Nebbia, president of the Jeddah-based firm, which has two decades of experience behind it.

"Most of the best-known European architects and interior designers have shown great interest in using our company's services, fully aware of our reliability in performing a high standard of professional finishing work, particularly decorative gypsum, special painting applications and artistic trompe l'oeil, as well as decorative designs in glass mosaic and marble - and all this at competitive prices," adds Nebbia.

Besides Europe, Alarabi has already established a considerable presence in Egypt.

"In Egypt - where we launched a company called 'Horizon' two years ago - we are currently involved in the extension of the Meridien Hotel in Cairo, in Palm Pyramid; a deluxe complex of more than 30 residential villas; and are now negotiating on one of the largest projects in the country,'' Nebbia comments, without revealing details.

In Saudi Arabia, in addition to royal palaces, shopping centres and private residences, Alarabi has completed the West Inn Hotel which was recently inaugurated on the Jeddah Corniche and is heavily involved in the new large Hilton hotel complex that is scheduled to be completed later this year.

''The new millennium has started on a highly successful note for Alarabi and we hope, within a few years, to be able to achieve the same success in Europe that we have attained in the Middle East over the last decade," concludes Nebbia.