What's inside the nine new hotels opening at Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Project?
Travellers planning a future visit to Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea Project will be spoilt for choice when it comes to where to stay.
The Red Sea Development Company, developer of the mega-tourism project on Saudi Arabia’s west coast, has announced nine new luxury hotels that are set to open during the first phase of the project.
From the sprawling Grand Hyatt to The Edition hotel, the luxury properties offer visitors a variety of accommodation options with a choice of overwater, beachfront and desert locations.
The properties will make up more than half of the 16 hotels under development in the first phase of the project.
While each of the luxury hotels will offer travellers something different when it comes to dining, leisure and facilities, the properties are linked by their commitment to sustainability. This is something that's at the heart of the Red Sea Project, which is one of the most ambitious regenerative projects in the world.
Here's what we know about the nine new hotels set to open in Saudi Arabia …
1. SLS Red Sea
Sister hotel to the recently opened SLS Dubai, the newly announced SLS Red Sea will welcome guests onto Shaura Island at the Red Sea Project in the first quarter of 2023.
The hotel brand is known for its creative luxury and the Saudi property will be no different, with Italian architect Piero Lissoni once again partnering with the playful brand from the SLB hotel group.
There will be 150 hotel rooms, including 12 suites and 15 villas with private pools, a luxury spa, state-of-the-art fitness centre and what the hotel is calling an Altitude Pool. Guests can also look forward to signature SLS culinary and mixology experiences including Seabird, Fi’lia and Floating World.
2. The St Regis Red Sea Resort
The first St Regis hotel to open in the kingdom, The St Regis Red Sea Resort will be located on a private island. This ultra-luxury all-villa resort will open in 2023 and bring travellers a Maldivian-style experience complete with overwater villas and endless ocean views.
It is being designed by Kengo Kuma, the renowned Japanese architect lauded for his ability to merge architecture with nature and social responsibility. The resort will also have two signature restaurants, an outdoor pool, spa and a fitness centre. Youngsters will be able to enjoy their time at the children’s club and guests checking in can expect St Regis’s butler service during their stay.
3. The Red Sea Edition
Ian Schrager’s Edition Hotels are known for their one-of-a-kind properties and The Red Sea Edition will be no different when it opens in 2023.
Located on the Red Sea Project's main island of Shaura, the hotel will have 240 guest rooms, including one, two and three-bedroom suites. A sense of location will be visible throughout the hotel, with designs that reflect the best of the location's cultural and social environment. There will be two restaurants on site as well as a destination bar, private beach with another beach bar, a large swimming pool and a spa for those looking to unwind.
4. Grand Hyatt The Red Sea
Travellers who prefer to have more choice on their doorstep, will want to consider booking a stay at Grand Hyatt The Red Sea.
This sprawling hotel on Shaura Island will be the largest to open in phase one of the Red Sea Project. It will have 430 rooms in total, and offer guests views over the surrounding coastlines. There will be a mix of spacious rooms and suites in this family-friendly resort, which will also have first-class leisure and dining facilities and access to a private beach.
Designed by Foster + Partners, the colourful hotel will follow the British architectural firm's "coral bloom" design for the Red Sea Project, which has been created to resemble a bloom of coral from above.
5. Six Senses Southern Dunes
Nestled in the desert dunes of the Red Sea Project, the Six Senses Southern Dunes is a 76-room resort that makes the most of the region's inland wadis and mountains.
On track to open by the end of 2023, the resort will centre around an Oasis, where the hotel reception, lobby and meeting spaces are. This is also where guests will find the Six Senses Earth Lab, a place to find out more about sustainable initiatives at the hotel such as harnessing renewable energy from the Sun and water preservation.
The luxury resort will have an all-day dining restaurant and there are plans for a cooking school where guests can learn how to create authentic dishes from local ingredients.
Open-plan villas offer from one to four bedrooms with interiors designed to reflect the desert surroundings and each coming with an outdoor terrace to allow travellers the chance to connect with nature. There will also be a Six Senses spa and a swimming pool.
6. Raffles Red Sea
Opening as the first Raffles resort in the kingdom, Raffles Red Sea promises a nature-focused stay on Shaura Island. The resort is also being designed by Foster + Partners and will have a strong sense of location.
With 200 keys in total, the luxury haven will offer a selection of rooms and spacious suites, perfect for couples, friends and families. Set in beautifully landscaped gardens, Raffles Red Sea will also have its own beach club and an extensive spa. There will be six food and beverage venues at the resort, with more details to come on these soon. Guests will enjoy what Raffles is calling a "hyper-personalised" experience during their stay at the five-star hotel.
