Saudi Arabia has the largest hotel pipeline in the world, with 250,000 rooms expected to be added by 2030.
By the end of 2023, there were already 250,000 rooms in operation across the country and with dozens of hotels due to open at gigapgrojects such as NEOM, The Red Sea, Amaala and more, the number of hotels opening is due to pick up pace over the coming months.
Here, we look at 25 of the biggest hotel openings coming to the Kingdom.
25hours TROJENA
NEOM’s mountaintop TROJENA development will have a number of properties opening from Accor and Ennismore’s stable of brands. The 25hours Trojena hotel was one of the first to be announced for the ski resort. The hotel will have an in-house cinema, bike workshop, a rooftop restaurant and more.
Al Hamra Palace, Jeddah
One of three palaces in Saudi undergoing renovations under PIF-backed hospitality company Boutique Group. Jeddah’s Al Hamra Palace is set to be turned into a boutique hotel filled with natural heritage and history. It will have over 91 keys, including 47 luxury suites, 44 luxury villas, and one royal suite, all with private butler service. There will also be six spa rooms, spaces for public events, and six restaurants.
Aman Wadi Safar
Swiss-born Aman Resorts is opening two exclusive hotels in the Kingdom, including this in Riyadh’s Diriyah area. The new opening in the historical town and birthplace of the Kingdom will be located in Wadi Safar and will feature 78 rooms, 34 branded residences, and a range of amenities for guests to enjoy including a spa and restaurants. The exterior of the building will boast the natural landscape of the area with designs similar to that of traditional mudbrick houses.
Anantara Trojena Resort
Minor Hotels is taking its Anantara flag to NEOM’s Trojena. The new property will be located in the Water Village of The Valley area, where a 2.8-kilometre-long, man-made, fresh water lake will be at the heart of the development. Anantara Trojena will have 270 keys with a combination of rooms and suites.
Anantara Diriyah Gate
The luxury Thai hotel is among the many new hotels opening at Diriyah Gate. Taking inspiration from the brand’s roots in wellness and incorporating eco-friendly amenities, there are Anantaras around the region already. This one should be nestled into the Diriyah Gate landscape.
Armani Hotel Diriyah
Saudi’s first Armani Hotel is promising to incorporate the Diriyah locale’s rich history with the elegance and style that’s entrenched in the brand. Armani Hotel Diriyah will have 70 rooms.
Autograph Collection AlUla
Marriott’s growth in Saudi Arabia continues with a new deal for an Autograph Collection property in AlUla to open in downtown AlUla by 2025. Spanning 22,635 sq m, the Autograph Collection hotel will be situated in central AlUla, positioned next to the AlUla Museum and opposite the Farmer’s Market. Plans for the hotel include 250 rooms and suites, and extensive recreational and entertainment offerings, including four dining venues, a spa, a swimming pool, a fitness centre, a business centre, meeting facilities and retail space.
Autograph Collection Sindalah
Marriott is one of the major players in the NEOM hospitality market and will open an Autograph Collection hotel in Sindalah as part of its portfolio. It will feature 66 rooms and suites including one- and two-bedroom villas. The hotel will also have a kids’ club spa and a few restaurants for visitors to enjoy. The hotel will additionally draw inspiration from the landscape of the futuristic vision of NEOM and is scheduled to open sometime in 2024.
AZULIK AlUla Resort
The AZULIK AlUla Resort is coming to the AlMutadil Equestrian Village development and Wadi AlFann. AZULIK AlUla will have 70 villas, a spa, VIP club and all-day dining options. The design is inspired by the sandstone cliffs it is surrounded by and the property will have an all-electric mobility system, plus, horse and camel routes, and hiking trails.
Banyan Tree Tuwaiq
A second Banyan Tree property is coming to Saudi, following the success of the first in AlUla. The new hotel is one of 12 new Banyan Tree hotels worldwide and will open in the Tuwaiq region, to the west of Riyadh.
Clinique La Prairie Health Resort, AMAALA
The first AMAALA hotel opening on the Red Sea destination is Clinique La Prairie Health Resort. The first out of 25 hotels opening at the gigaproject, the resort is about sustainability and luxury and will run on 100 percent renewable energy. Additionally, the space is set to have 52 rooms and suites and 13 villas across 36,115 sq m. The design and interiors will reflect that of Islamic architecture and modern craftsmanship. The resort will also include wellness spaces, a diagnostic lab, and other facilities.
Desert Rock Resort, The Red Sea
Part of the Red Sea’s ongoing developments, this new mountain resort gives guests the chance to escape from city life. It has been designed by architectural firm Oppenheim Architecture and will have 48 villas and 12 hotel rooms carved into the rock face.
Earth Hotel – Jeddah
Tech-driven and created with the environment in mind, all Earth Hotels are automated for reduced energy consumption. Interiors will use recycled items, properties will use solar energy, and plastic and paper use will be driven down. The property is set to open sometime in 2025 and will have 125 keys, dining areas, workspaces as well as cryotherapy and float therapy.
Earth Living – Riyadh
Riyadh will also be getting an Earth property, but this time the boutique residences will be part of the Earth Living brand. Scheduled to open in 2026, the hotel will feature 85-keys.
ENVI Lodges Al Nakheel
UAE-born eco-lodge company ENVI Lodges will open in the Al Ahsa Oasis UNESCO World Heritage site. The Al Nakheel property will have 25 eco-lodging pods with one- or two-bedroom options, as well as a range of amenities including family-friendly activities, farm-to-table dining and a swimming pool.
Equinox Resort Amaala
Equinox Resort Amaala was the first hotel brand announced as part of the exclusive Amaala Marina Village. The property will focus on sports, fitness, and lifestyle and will have 128 keys, including two luxury penthouses. There is a signature Equinox Fitness Club as well as a magnesium salt rooftop pool, spa, and beach club.
Fauchon L’Hôtel Riyadh, Diriyah Gate
A luxury hotel brand spawned from the historic Fauchon gastronomy brand, it promises to complement the destination’s Bujairi Terrace. The Fauchon L’Hôtel Riyadh will feature 80 guest rooms and suites, as well as The Grand Café Fauchon, a spa, a rooftop outdoor pool and bar, and a Fauchon boutique.
Four Seasons Hotel Diriyah
Toronto hotel group Four Seasons is opening a hotel at Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Gate gigaproject. The Four Seasons Hotel Diriyah will bring 150 keys to the destination, including meeting and events areas, a seven treatment room spa, a fitness centre and four dining outlets. Bart Carnahan, president, global business development and portfolio management, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, said: “Diriyah is an exceptional project that speaks to the tremendous growth and economic development in the region, while remaining deeply rooted in the destination’s historic and cultural past.”
Four Seasons Resort The Red Sea
The Canadian operator will also open Four Seasons Resort The Red Sea on Shura Island, placing it around a range of other hotels, a yacht marina, retail spaces and an 18-hole golf course. Opening in 2024, it forms part of the 16 phase one hotel partners, with two more yet to be announced by Red Sea. Four Seasons Resort The Red Sea will have 149 rooms and suites, six F&B outlets and a marine discovery area. There will also be a spa, tennis courts, three outdoor pools and two beaches for families and adults-only respectively. Like many of the projects at Red Sea, it is being designed by Foster + Partners.
