These 3 Red Sea resorts will open in May 2023
We can’t wait to check in…
We’ve watched in awe as The Red Sea Project has come to life on the stunning Saudi coastline. But you won’t have long to experience the waterfront gigaproject, one of two projects alongside AMALAA that makes up The Red Sea Global, as the first resorts are set to open in the second quarter of 2023.
According to Travel Weekly, the first three Red Sea resorts: a Six Senses, St Regis and Ritz-Carlton Reserve, will welcome guests from May 2023. Six Senses Southern Dunes will be one of the only in-land resorts within the development, set against the backdrop of the rolling desert, while Ummahat Island is the location of choice for The St Regis Red Sea Resort, and Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve.
The first three hotels will form part of phase one of the Red Sea development, which will see 16 hotels open on this shimmering stretch, including Edition from Marriott, Faena and SLS from Accor and Hyatt’s Miraval brand. Elsewhere, leisure travellers can look forward to an 18-hole golf course, a marina, shops and entertainment facilities.
Let’s take a closer look at what to expect from the first three hotels…
Six Senses Southern Dunes
This resort, a landmark for the brand in Saudi Arabia, is nestled within desert mountains and narrow wadis. In true Six Senses style, it’s been designed to honour the local landscape, with a focus on wellness and eco-tourism. The 76-room resort is split between 36 guest rooms in the main building, and a collection of 40 villas ranging in size from one to four bedrooms are dotted strategically across the peaks to offer panoramic views of the breathtaking natural landscape.
Everything will centre around the Oasis, where the hotel reception, lobby, community lounges, and meeting spaces are located. It will also house the hotel’s signature Earth Lab is, an ecology area showcasing their sustainability efforts to reduce consumption, produce locally, and support communities and ecosystems. For gourmands, the all-day dining restaurant is complemented by a chef’s table and cooking school, along with a juice bar, brew bar, and water bar.
The St Regis Red Sea Resort
Situated on a private island within the Ummahat Islands archipelago, this St Regis property promises a collection of 90 villas – some overwater – a duo of signature restaurants, plus an outdoor pool, spa and kids’ club.
Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve
Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve joins an ultra-exclusive collection of just five Ritz-Carlton Reserves around the world. Guests checking-in next year will have a choice of 63 one- to four-bedroom overwater and beach villas, and five-star amenities will range from a lavish spa and swimming pools, to an array of restaurants. Edu-tainment will be high on the agenda, and as such, a Conservation Center will offer insight into the protection of the local landscape.
Getting to The Red Sea
Next year will also see the opening of The Red Sea International airport, which will take passengers to the main resorts in roughly 20 minutes. Initially, it will only support domestic flights, so travellers will need to fly into Jeddah or Riyadh then on to the Red Sea. But from 2024, the airport is slated to welcome its first international flights, with Dubai set as the first overseas destination.