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St. Regis, beach vacation on the Red Sea
The St. Regis Red Sea Resort is the second hotel in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea Global project, following Six Senses Southern Dunes, which opened its doors in 2023. Unique because it is the first resort located on an island in the Red Sea, making it the perfect destination for a luxury beach vacation.
This resort typifies Saudi Arabia's progress. Several years ago, it was unthinkable that a resort of this level - with villas rising from turquoise waters, would rise here. The pristine underwater world, rich in marine life, enchants travelers. Shorts and swimwear are the norm here, and a beach club serves mocktails and non-alcoholic beers. In short, The St. Regis Red Sea Resort offers the ultimate beach experience.
The perfect place for a luxury beach vacation
The comparison to the Maldives may be a bit simplistic, but it is the first thought that comes to mind when seeing the villas in the beautiful Al Wajh lagoon. Although the sand here is not as powdery, the waters rival the clearest in the world, from turquoise to all shades of blue. It is the perfect place for a luxury beach vacation.
The St. Regis Resort is located 22 kilometers off the Saudi coast, on one of the Ummahat Islands. The resort is accessible by car and boat (79 minutes) or by seaplane (30 minutes) from the new Red Sea International Airport. The island is 2.7 kilometers long. The east offers views of the mainland mountains and to the west you can see Red Sea as far as the eye can see.
Designed by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma, the resort has 90 villas, divided into beach villas (Dune Villas) and overwater villas (Coral Villas). At the heart of the resort are the restaurants, spa, aquatic center, pool and beach. While relaxing on a sun lounger here, you can see Nujuma, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve in the distance on one of the other Ummahat islands.
The future of tourism in Saudi Arabia
The St. Regis is the first island resort to open in the 28,000-square-kilometer and 90-island counting Red Sea travel destination. St. Regis is paving the way for the resorts that will follow, making a Red Sea beach vacation in Saudi Arabia a recent possibility. By the end of 2025 there will be 16 resorts, and by 2030 a total of 50, in addition to residential areas, luxury marinas, golf courses and entertainment. Red Sea Global, the destination's developer, stresses that responsible and sustainable development is the top priority, that 75 percent of the islands will remain untouched and that it will run entirely on renewable energy. The resort serves as a model for other tourism projects in Saudi Arabia and abroad.
Red Sea Global aims to create more than 100,000 jobs, with many of the workers coming from Saudi Arabia itself. Talk to Saudi employees already working at St. Regis, and they are clearly excited to be part of the new Saudi Arabia. The ambition is to become the beach destination for the best beach vacation on the Red Sea.
Spacious luxurious rooms
The resort has 90 villas, half of which are on the beach and the other half floating above the water. The Dune Villas (from 75 square meters) have spacious outdoor spaces with plunge pools, sunbeds and breathtaking views of palms, sand and sea. The light, airy interiors combine natural materials perfectly matched to the surroundings. Bathrooms are spacious and feature large soaking tubs.
For those who want to stay close to amenities, the Dune Villas are ideal. But the real magic is found in the Coral Villas, where you are completely surrounded by the Red Sea. With the push of a button, open the curtains and enjoy unobstructed views of sea and sky through the floor-to-ceiling windows. These spiral villas (from 79 square meters of interior space) have a 99 square meter sun terrace with sun beds, a dining table, umbrellas and a plunge pool above the water.
Mouth watering from breakfast to dinner
A stay at the St. Regis Red Sea Resort is not only a feast for the senses, but also a culinary experience.
Start your day at the Arabic restaurant Nesma, where you can enjoy freshly baked fatayer, manakish, mezze and made-to-order dishes such as eggs, pancakes and French toast. Don't miss the local specialty sayadieh, prepared with black cod, calamari and onion rice.
At the Beach Club, salads, burgers, shawarma and grilled dishes are on the menu with on-the-side refreshing mocktails that "awaken the senses." Also try the iconic Coral Mary, a non-alcoholic twist on the classic Bloody Mary, with saffron, dried black lime and marine algae. At night, this is the perfect place to relax with a shisha under a starry sky.
For dinner, join Tilina, the overwater restaurant with three menus: land, sea or local produce. The menu includes grilled lobster tail with fennel risotto and caviar and stuffed sole with roasted leeks and yuzugel.
A culinary highlight is Gishiki 45, where chef John Mark Gayramara serves up a Japanese-Filipino omakase experience. Sample dishes like buri daikon, chawanmushi egg custard with scallops and a katsudon rice bowl with Japanese curry - a culinary journey you will remember for a long time.
A true wellness paradise
The St. Regis Spa offers more than just standard massages. The three-hour Celebration Ritual combines a stone body polish with a ballet-inspired massage. The extensive offerings also include massages with gold- and platinum-plated hot stones, body scrubs with ground meteorites and volcanic rocks, as well as sound healing, scent meditation and chakra balancing. At The St. Regis Resort, you will truly come to rest.
Snorkeling and diving
Because the resort is located on a remote island, the Red Sea is the backdrop for your activities and adventures. The water sports center offers scuba diving, snorkeling and a wide range of non-motorized activities. All supplies - from snorkeling equipment to kayaks, SUPs and eFoils - are top quality, ready to send you out to sea.
The sea is the heart of this destination. While snorkeling along the 22-kilometer-long Al Jadeer reef, you experience a sense of wonder - and perhaps a touch of excitement - when you realize that, except for your boat, no one is around. It's just you, the crystal clear waters, blooming coral reefs, thousands of colorful fish and possibly even white tip reef sharks. Even when other resorts open, this area remains so vast that the waters will never feel crowded.
Everyone is welcome
Families are welcome for a beach vacation at St. Regis. The kids club offers a mix of indoor and outdoor activities, while kid-friendly water sports, diving lessons, dune walks and stargazing at the resort ensure unforgettable moments for young and old.
The resort and Red Sea Global are actively committed to accessibility. The resort offers a fully accessible Dune Villa with an adapted pool chair, while the spacious layout of the villas accommodate guests with various mobility limitations. Coral Villas, however, are less accessible due to stairs and height differences.
Most public areas are wheelchair friendly, with wide wheelchairs available through the medical clinic and two accessible buggies. There is currently one adapted RS Venture boat for wheelchair users, with plans for more accessible activities such as SUP, water skiing, kayaking and off-road adventures, including electric mountain bikes and all-terrain vehicles for desert and hiking trails.
A beach vacation at The St. Regis Resort?
Inform here about beach vacation options at The St. Regis Resort in the Red Sea.
A beach vacation at this resort can be excellently combined with bustling Riyadh, historic AlUla or authentic Djedda.
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