Saudi Arabia's Red Sea coast is taking shape as one of the world's most ambitious luxury tourism developments. On Shura Island, where the desert meets the clear waters of the Red Sea, an entire destination is being built around 11 luxury resorts, private residences, a marina and an 18-hole golf course. Raffles is the latest international hotel brand to open there.

Raffles The Red Sea occupies the island's northwestern shore, between a lagoon and the open water. Red Sea Global, the Saudi developer behind the project, announced its opening on 14 October.

"The opening of Raffles The Red Sea marks an exciting new chapter for Raffles in Saudi Arabia," said Omer Acar, CEO of Raffles Hotels & Resorts, in the opening announcement.

The resort comprises 121 guestrooms, 14 suites and 33 private pool villas, with accommodation overlooking either the lagoon or the Red Sea. The villas offer private pools and indoor-outdoor living areas, while guestrooms and suites have terraces oriented towards the surrounding waters.

A signature room at Raffles The Red Sea, with a canopy bed and sea-facing terrace.
A signature room at Raffles The Red Sea. Image: Raffles Hotels & Resorts / Accor. Creator: JBR Communicators FZ LLC.

Its architecture forms part of Coral Bloom, the island-wide masterplan conceived by Foster + Partners and unveiled in 2021. The scheme draws on the island's coastal landscape, with buildings designed to follow the natural contours of the beaches and dunes. Interiors at Raffles incorporate coastal colours and textures, while terraces and gardens connect the buildings to the surrounding landscape.

A covered terrace at Raffles The Red Sea, with lounge seating beside a private pool.
A covered terrace at Raffles The Red Sea. Image: Raffles Hotels & Resorts / Accor. Creator: JBR Communicators FZ LLC.

The opening adds Raffles to a growing collection of established hospitality brands on Shura Island, including Four Seasons, SLS, InterContinental and EDITION. The development forms part of Saudi Arabia's wider effort to establish itself as an international tourism destination and diversify its economy beyond oil.

For hotel operators, Shura presents an unusual proposition: a destination being developed largely from the ground up, with multiple international brands sharing the same infrastructure, landscape and prospective visitor market. The masterplan also includes 305 residences, placing residential hospitality alongside the island's hotel offering.

At Raffles, every room, suite and villa includes butler service. Cultural programming is overseen by a dedicated Raffles Curator, with activities drawing on regional art, literature, storytelling and craftsmanship. Five dining venues are planned, including Ni'ma, serving Eastern Mediterranean cuisine, and Siparaja, which draws on Singaporean and Peranakan food traditions. Raffles says the venues will open in phases, with the speciality restaurants and bar following later.

Several facilities are scheduled to open in later phases, including Raffles Spa & Wellness, the adults' pool, and the children's and teens' centres. The opening announcement did not give dates for these facilities.

Visitors reach Shura Island from Red Sea International Airport via a 3.3-kilometre over-water crossing. According to Red Sea Global, the island is powered entirely by renewable energy. Raffles describes airport transfers as using electric vehicles.