16-03-2025
Inside the ‘camouflaged' Desert Rock Resort: Saudi Red Sea destination draws global tourists at $3,200 per night
Saudi Arabia 's Red Sea Global's newest ultra-luxury offering, Desert Rock Resort, has quickly established itself as a global draw since its December 15 opening, with its striking carved-into-mountain design capturing attention across social media platforms.
The resort has attracted visitors from China, Eastern Europe and East Asia within its first three months of operation, despite premium pricing of SAR8,000-12,000 ($2,133-$3,200) per night.
'Our first guest was a Chinese guest,' revealed Thomas Combescot, General Manager at Red Sea Global Hospitality.
'The local market is very much present in the hotel, then the GCC market, which has heard a great deal about the Red Sea, is very intrigued to know what's happening in the neighbourhood. But what's fantastic is we've been welcoming quite a large amount of guests coming from Eastern Europe, Europe, Asia.'
This diversified visitor profile represents an early win for Saudi tourism's global ambitions, especially significant for an inland mountain resort competing with established coastal luxury destinations.
The resort, located just 20 minutes from Red Sea International Airport, forms part of Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan to diversify its economy beyond oil and develop tourism as a key sector. Red Sea Global, the developer behind the project, is a closed joint-stock company wholly owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) tasked with developing luxury tourism destinations.
'Camouflage' hotel architecture
What distinguishes Desert Rock within Saudi Arabia's rapidly expanding hospitality landscape is its architectural approach. Unlike most luxury resorts that showcase their presence, Desert Rock deliberately blends with its environment.
'The concept of the resort from an architectural point of view is camouflage,' Combescot said. 'If you were to fly above the resort, you don't see it. It's completely hidden within the natural environment.'
This 'quiet luxury' approach represents a significant shift in positioning, with the resort featuring 54 villas and 10 suites — each with private pools — spread across 30,000 square metres of mountainous terrain.
The resort's most distinctive accommodations, ten cave suites carved directly into the mountain face, offer a genuinely unique selling proposition.
'You have to enter a corridor inside the mountain that just keeps going and keeps going,' Combescot described. 'Each of them have their own pool.'
Premium pricing strategy testing new markets
Desert Rock's bold pricing structure—with standard 'Wadi Villas' starting at approximately SAR8,000 ($2,133) per night and 'Cliff Hanging Villas' commanding around SAR12,000 ($3,200)—positions it firmly alongside global ultra-luxury destinations.
Despite this premium positioning, Combescot reports strong forward bookings. 'We expect to be extremely busy during the Eid holidays,' he said, citing the strategic advantage of direct flight connections from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dubai.
The resort has identified a specific market segment willing to pay these rates: affluent travellers seeking pioneering experiences.
'There is a market for guests who want to be first, who want to be the pioneers of a new destination, and who have already visited many of the usual suspects,' Combescot explained. 'They are looking for something new with a relevant product.'
Tapping into the experience economy
Red Sea Global has strategically extended Desert Rock's revenue opportunities beyond accommodation. Behind the main mountain lies a second wadi (valley) housing the destination adventure centre operated by Akun (owned by Red Sea), offering high-margin adventure activities including rock climbing, abseiling, zip lining and ATV experiences.
'The high adrenaline zone is behind us. And then here is more the serene, relaxing pool, the spa. It's very zen. So we offer two different atmospheres,' Combescot explained.
The resort's culinary portfolio includes four distinctive venues: NYRA by Turkish Michelin-starred chef Osman Sezener, MICA mocktail bar, Basalt (transforming from breakfast spot to Indian eatery), and Wadi (Peruvian cuisine)—all designed to maximise on-property spending.
Saudi hospitality culture creates market edge
The resort benefits from what Combescot identifies as a significant competitive advantage: Saudi Arabia's hospitality culture.
'There is this amazing hospitality that has been ingrained into the culture of this country that not everyone is aware of,' he said.
'We have amazing local talents that have been educated in the way of welcoming guests to their home, and they replicate this in a very natural way and a very empathic way.'
This emphasis on personalised service is reflected in the resort's operations, where staff are trained to address guests by name—a practice Combescot notes comes naturally to Saudi hospitality workers but often requires constant reinforcement in other markets.
Combescot, who has previously worked in Europe, America, Asia and Dubai, contrasts this with his native France.
'In France, we have beautiful hotels, and we are very good at cooking, and we are very great technicians. But do we have the heart of taking care of the guests? No, I don't think it's ingrained into a French person. It's definitely in the DNA of a Saudi, and that makes a huge difference.'
The resort joins other recently opened properties in the top-tier luxury tourism market in the Red Sea development, including Shebara, St. Regis and Six Senses.
