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Emirates Woman
6 days ago
- Emirates Woman
Hotel review: Shebara and Desert Rock at Red Sea
On the northwest coast of Saudi Arabia, the Red Sea's craggy mountains, dramatic desert and crystalline waters have remained under the radar – until recently. The awakening of The Red Sea project – and its string of dazzling hotels – puts this natural wonder front and centre for ultra-luxury regional travel infused with culture and heritage. While global icons will front many of the resorts, Red Sea Hospitality was created to operate two otherworldly properties – a secluded island resort, Shebara; and Desert Rock, an inland boutique resort carved into the rocks. Between them, they offer the perfect duality: one a majestic desert escape, the other an alluring island retreat that oozes exclusivity. The stay Oppenheim Architecture-designed Desert Rock is beautifully intentional. Spaces meld into one another, and rather than building onto the weathered cliffs, the resort is carved into them. Nabatean-inspired villas gaze out over the local landscape, while show-stopping cave suites cut out of the massif are arguably among the world's most unique hotel rooms. Each of the 60 villas and suites are calm and minimal in aesthetic, inviting total disconnection. Private pools, enormous freestanding tubs and crisp Frette linens are luxurious standards. But it's the little extras that make this stay special. A complimentary mini bar of gourmet snacks, Palatino hats and beach bags to take away, and eye patches left at turn down. In contrast, Shebara, the brainchild of acclaimed Killa Design, is strikingly futuristic, its overwater villas a collection of hypnotising orbs dancing on the impossibly blue water. The resort's beach villas are the option to book for seclusion, discreetly nestled on their own private beach and encased in lush landscaping, while the Maldives-style overwater villas offer all-out glamour. Inside, spaces are just as spectacular. Soft and soothing, a crescent-shaped curtain glides away in the living room to reveal an infinity pool and sunken seating area, while back inside, everything is ergonomically designed so that the practical is neatly concealed, letting the design wow-factor shine. The dining Despite its boutique size, dining at Desert Rock is varied and impressive. One night, guests can sip non-alcoholic wine and listen to chilled sunset DJ sets at The Observatory, perched high atop the mountain and reachable via a 630-step climb. Another, they can dine at the hands of Michelin-pedigree chef Osman Sezenger, the man at the helm of Nyra. This hilltop restaurant that fuses ingredients from his garden in Turkey with local flavours to create dishes like the fresh lobster with sujuk gnocchi and wood-grilled octopus with a sweet pomegranate sauce. At Shebara, drinks at Solera, adjacent to the chic adults-only pool, are unmissable, with alcohol-free twists on mojitos and martinis shaken up to sorbet-hued sunsets. A short stroll away, overwater dining is best enjoyed at the upscale Japanese restaurant, where diners can either watch the chefs at work in the open kitchen with a table indoors, or spot rays gliding by with a seat on the alfresco terrace. Guests unable to tear themselves away from the spoils of their villa can enjoy 24-hour room service. The wellness Both resorts are deliberately designed to invite immediate disconnection, whether you're cycling around Desert Rock's craggy peaks or strolling barefoot on the beach at Shebara. To further encourage reflection and rejuvenation, the Desert Rock spa is a haven of calm, inspired by the wadi it's located in. Inside, seven treatment rooms combine traditional local therapies powered by Amara skincare products with more unique treatments, including a specialised waterbed therapy. Outside, a vitality pool lined with plush loungers and a rooftop yoga pavilion are blissful alfresco sanctuaries. You know you've arrived at the spa at Shebara when you're greeted with a 400-year-old olive tree. Inside, it's all dramatic lines and neutral soothing hues, from a sumptuous couples treatment room to a cavernous hammam that leads outside to a bubbling vitality pool and sun-kissed massage cabanas dotted across the sugary beach. The experience If your idea of self-care is exhilarating experiences, then the Akun Adventure Centre at Desert Rock is where to head. Thrilling hikes, ziplines and a via ferrata take adventure to new heights, while guided fat bike and ATV tours across the rugged desert terrain invite you to star in your own Dune blockbuster. With its impossibly clear waters and rainbow-hued coral reef, snorkelling is a must at Shebara. Simply descend the stairs from your overwater villa and explore the vibrant underwater world below, or embark on a sailing trip with WAMA, the team in charge of Shebara's extensive water adventures. Book via and – For more on luxury lifestyle, news, fashion and beauty follow Emirates Woman on Facebook and Instagram
What's On
13-07-2025
- What's On
Desert Rock & Shebara: What it's like to stay at Red Sea's new Crown Jewels
The sun is setting behind a dramatic backdrop of commanding, craggy mountain peaks. A DJ spins chilled beats under a constellation of spotlights. Well-heeled guests sip cocktails out of fancy glassware on an alfresco terrace. But this isn't the French Alps, nor a hip new spot on the Adriatic. This is Desert Rock, the newest addition to the Red Sea's luxury hotel scene. On Saudi Arabia's northwest coast, the Red Sea project is pioneering the Kingdom's tourism transformation. And while island resorts will dominate this breathtaking new destination, Desert Rock is one of two inland sites that frame the striking desert landscape. Twenty minutes after leaving the airport, we find ourselves walking the steps towards Desert Rock's welcome pavilion, the voice of one of the local villagers echoing through the speakers that line the way. We sip a refreshing local pomegranate juice before being whisked away in a buggy up a hill, and as the rock faces that guard the way fall behind us, the true majesty of Desert Rock reveals itself like a curtain raiser. The Oppenheim Architecture-designed resort is spread over 30,000 square metres, with rooms and restaurants carved out of the extraordinary mountains and set on clifftops. It's all dramatic, daring and beautifully intentional, spaces melding seamlessly into one another. At the heart of the resort, warm and welcoming social spaces nod to the wadi's historic significance as a gathering place for Bedouin villagers and travellers. For the ultra-luxury traveller, the experience is elevated, with a well-stocked library, listening room complete with 400 vinyl's, plus Basalt – a restaurant that serves breakfast and lunch by day, and transforms into an Indian restaurant by night. Adjacent, the resort's inviting pool is lined with plush loungers, although we rarely encounter more than a handful of guests here. Despite the resort being near full when we check in, it doesn't feel it. The sprawling nature of Desert Rock means the 60 villas and suites are all dotted across different cliffs and massifs. Nabatean-inspired villas gaze out over the local landscape, while show-stopping cave suites cut out of the massif are arguably among the world's most unique hotel rooms. Our own cliff-hanging villa is calm and minimal in aesthetic, luxuriously enhanced with a temperature-controlled pool that gazes out over the rocks, a freestanding tub and crisp Frette linens. But it's the little extras that make this stay special. A complimentary mini bar of gourmet snacks, Palatino hats and beach bags to take away, and eye patches left at turn down. Days can be filled with as much or as little as you like. Simply cycling around the winding pathways on electric bikes is immensely freeing, the wind rushing behind you as you uncover a corner of the resort you've not yet found. To further encourage reflection and rejuvenation, the Desert Rock spa is a haven of calm, inspired by the wadi it's located in. We find ourselves here for a pampering massage one afternoon, and again for a yoga class the following morning. Both experiences are blissfully calming, Amara gold oil pressed soothingly into our skin during the massage, a gentle flow of yoga poses and breathwork leaving us calm and centred during the private yoga class. But beyond holistic wellness – guests can explore myriad culinary, adventure and cultural experiences, all laced with Saudi Arabian heritage in a way that breathes life and soul into everything. We drive with Ivan, a longtime Saudi Arabian resident who runs the resort's Akun Adventure Centre, as he shares stories about nearby villages, wildlife, and the area's history. Five minutes later, we're suited up, helmets on, racing across the rugged desert terrain Dune style on an electric ATV with our local guide. We spot lizards, camels, and the footprints of wild dogs on our exhilarating drive, and it's hard to believe 90 minutes has passed when we return to the centre. The adventure continues that night, when, after a dinner at Nyra, the massif-facing restaurant of Michelin-pedigree chef Osman Sezenger, we head upstairs for stargazing. Local resident Anwa leads us through an astronomy session with infectious interest, sharing stories from childhood that ignited a passion for stargazing. We admire the craters of the moon, we stretch to see the rings of Jupiter and even master a glance at the red-tinged face of Mars. As we say goodbye to Desert Rock, we're struck by how brilliantly it showcases its style of luxury – less about excess, all about essence, where guests come away with not just memories, but a sense of meaning. Visually, it's the perfect juxtaposition to Shebara, the second stop on our Red Sea tour, located a 45-minute boat ride from the mainland. The strikingly futuristic orbs – the resort's overwater villas – loom into view long before our boat glides to the jetty, their dazzling silver cases getting more hypnotising the closer we get. We're greeted with cold towels and fresh juice, before being whisked to our villa for check-in by a private host. The resort is split into two parts: the orb-lined boardwalk and an expansive island where many of the facilities are located. On land, a collection of beach villas are discreetly nestled into landscaped gardens, opening up onto a private stretch of beach, but we'd pick the overwater villas every time for the all-out glamour. The Shaun Killa-designed resort rejects lines, so everything is wonderfully curvaceous, each villa designed to look like a bubble of water rising to the surface. Inside, spaces are just as spectacular. Soft and soothing, a crescent-shaped curtain glides away in the living room to reveal an infinity pool and sunken seating area. Everything is ergonomically designed so that the practical is neatly concealed, letting the design wow factor shine. An automatically opening silver minibar has already caused quite the social media stir, and a quadruple-size experience shower with mood-changing lighting is another futuristic touch. But it's with a sunrise dip in our infinity pool that we really feel the resort's immersive beauty, the water from the pool seemingly meeting the waters of the Red Sea below. We race from our villa to Solera, the bar adjacent to the chic adults-only pool, in time to catch the beautiful golden light dip behind the horizon, leaving a trail of sorbet hues in its wake. We listen to chilled DJ beats and sip on an alcohol-free martini, drinking in the stretching views. A short stroll away, overwater dining is best enjoyed at the upscale Japanese restaurant, where we pick a table indoors to watch the chefs at work, tucking into platters of sushi and tender steak perfectly seasoned and cooked just the way we'd like. After dinner, a buggy is waiting to take us back to our villa, the intuitive team already aware of our villa number without having to ask. With its impossibly clear waters and rainbow-hued coral reef, snorkelling is a must at Shebara. So the following morning, we head straight from breakfast to WAMA, the watersports centre, to pick up our equipment, returning to the villa armed with a handy map and expert tips on the best places to go. At the far end of the boardwalk, there's a platform that leads to one of the most vibrant reefs at the resort, but we choose to simply descend the stairs from our overwater villa and explore the underwater world below. We spot fish in every shade and corals of canary yellow and Nemo orange, and it's only when we realise our skin has wrinkled in the water that we decide to return to land. Departing Shebara feels like leaving another world behind, and as the frothy surf trails behind us and the resort shrinks further out of view, it's impossible not to reflect on the majesty of both resorts. The design, gastronomy and service standard are all standout, but it's more than that. Desert Rock and Shebara offer a kind of luxury that's rich with meaning, deeply connecting guests to the location and heritage of Saudi Arabia in a way that leaves a lasting impact. Rates A one-bedroom villa at Desert Rock starts from Dhs6,850, including breakfast. A one-bedroom villa at Shebara starts from Dhs7340 including breakfast. How to get there Fly to Red Sea International (RSI) from Dubai International Airport (DXB) twice weekly on Thursdays and Sundays with flydubai. Return flights from Dhs3,055.
