Designed by Oppenheim Architecture and Paolo Ferrari, Desert Rock is an otherworldly spectacle brought to life in Saudi Arabia
Just a 20-minute drive from the Red Sea Airport, a new luxury resort has inhabited an ancient granite valley amid Saudi Arabia’s Hejaz Mountains. Desert Rock, the fifth hotel owned and operated by Red Sea Global, is part of the Saudi government’s Vision 2030 programme to boost tourism and establish a diverse economy that goes beyond fossil fuels.
The design
Designed by Miami-based Oppenheim Architecture and interior designer Paolo Ferrari, the hotel is an otherworldly spectacle brought to life by hundreds of engineers, geologists and mining experts. The main goal was to surrender to its natural surroundings—to build a structure with what was already there, ensure minimal disruption to the mountains, and replenish the ecosystem.
There is power in knowing restraint, an impressive feat for a resort in a country obsessed with public displays of wealth. Home to 54 villas and 10 suites, Desert Rock’s Wadi Villas blur into the dramatic valley, while its Mountain Cave suites are nestled directly into the mountain. They all offer undisrupted views of the desert landscape, but depending on where you stay, your private pool could be perched on a cliff or right across the valley.
Additionally, an abundance of native plants are preserved and woven into the design as a passive cooling system, while the material excavated during the building process was incorporated back into the structures. A simple and natural palette of concrete, limestone and bronze convey a quality of minerality and propel guests back to the land, while restrained ambient lighting protect the starry skies.
The offerings
It’s a sanctuary that connects the guests to the beauty of the place in more ways than one. Partake in a buggy ride over the sand dunes or zipline through the volcanic valleys. Hike up a mountain and be rewarded with a secret shisha spot before retreating to the spa for a Swiss Alp salt scrub. One can also learn to cook a meal from a Saudi chef. But those who prefer to be fed can get a table at Nyra, where Michelin-starred Turkish chef Osman Sezener brings a farm-to-table approach to his first international outpost with smooth lobster gnocchi and pumpkin-packed ravioli drizzled with vanilla oil.
