Raffles has arrived on the Red Sea. The brand's first resort in the region, Raffles The Red Sea, has opened on Shura Island on Saudi Arabia's northwestern coast, sitting between a sheltered lagoon and the open water. It is one of the anchor properties of the Red Sea megaproject, and its building follows the island's natural contours rather than flattening them.
The design comes from Foster + Partners as part of their Coral Bloom masterplan, which aims to work with Shura's natural environment instead of overpowering it. Coastal tones, light-filled interiors and gardens that lead towards the water carry the theme through. Sustainability credentials are notable: the island runs entirely on renewable energy, and guests arrive from Red Sea International Airport by electric vehicle over the 3.3-kilometre Shura crossing.
Accommodation is deliberately small-scale: 121 guestrooms, 14 suites and 33 private pool villas. Rooms open onto terraces facing the lagoon or sea, and everyone from a solo guest to a multigenerational group gets Raffles' signature butler service. Not everything is open yet — the Raffles Spa & Wellness (seven treatment rooms, hammam, sauna, vitality and lap pools) plus an adults-only pool, and the kids' and teens' clubs, come in a later phase. In the meantime there's a gym, padel courts and water sports to keep things moving.
What sets the property apart is the cultural angle. A dedicated Raffles Curator programmes encounters with local art, storytelling, literature and crafts, with a Curator's Room hosting intimate gatherings. Managing Director Charles Saliba frames it as a resort where a day might start on the water and end over dinner by the sea — or unfold slowly through art and time together.
Shura Island itself adds plenty to do. Shura Links is Saudi Arabia's first 18-hole island golf course; there's a marina and Marina Village with dining and shopping; WAMA covers water sports and Galaxea handles diving and marine discovery; and Akun runs land-based activities. The surrounding reef is one of the world's most remarkable marine environments, so the diving alone may justify the trip.
Who is this for? Well-heeled couples and families after a luxury resort that trades mega-hotel bustle for privacy and a butler, and travellers curious about Saudi Arabia's Red Sea before the crowds arrive. With renewable power, a regenerative-tourism design brief and marine conservation baked into the destination, it's also a case study in whether high-end tourism and environmental care can coexist. Rates and booking details sit with Raffles directly, and anyone planning a stay should note the spa and kids' facilities aren't live yet — worth factoring in if travelling with children or chasing a spa week.
Reported by Hotel Designs.
