Red Sea Global has announced the opening of Raffles The Red Sea, bringing the Accor luxury brand to its Saudi Arabian island destination. The resort comprises 121 rooms, 14 suites and 33 private pool villas, adding 168 keys to the hospitality offer on Shura Island.
The developer confirmed the launch on 14 October. It is another addition to a growing cluster of international hotel brands, with five further resorts expected to open in the coming months, according to Red Sea Global.
Raffles The Red Sea combines rooms and private villas
Raffles positions the property on Shura Island’s northwestern shore, with accommodation overlooking the lagoon or sea. The room inventory combines private terraces with a substantial villa component, extending the resort’s appeal across couples, families and groups travelling together.
The villas range from one to four bedrooms and include kitchens, living and dining areas and private plunge pools. Suites have separate living rooms, while two-bedroom configurations provide additional space for families. The brand also promotes in-room wellness services, allowing some treatments and activities to take place within guests’ accommodation.
That mix creates several distinct products for commercial teams to sell, from conventional resort rooms to larger accommodation designed around shared stays and greater privacy.
Dining and wellness broaden the offer
The published dining line-up comprises five restaurants and lounges. Siparaja draws on Singaporean cuisine, Ni’ma focuses on Eastern Mediterranean food and El Nay is positioned as a Pan-Arabic bar. Anbara adds a waterfront patisserie, alongside a pool bar aimed at relaxed family dining.
Raffles’ wellness materials describe seven indoor treatment rooms, a 270 sq m fitness centre, hammam treatments, thermal facilities and a lap pool. The plans also include beauty and grooming services, plus activities such as padel and watersports.
Beyond the property, the resort’s published experiences include diving and access to Shura Links, which Raffles describes as Saudi Arabia’s first island golf course. These facilities give the hotel opportunities to build itineraries around the wider destination as well as its own accommodation and dining.
Opening status needs careful communication
The developer’s announcement is the basis for reporting the opening. At the time of checking on 15 October, Raffles’ own resort homepage still carried an opening-soon label, and its wellness page marked the children’s club and teenagers’ hub as coming soon.
Travel advisers and hotel sales teams should therefore confirm the facilities available for individual arrival dates. The opening announcement should not be read as confirmation that every advertised element of the resort is already operating.
Related reading: Raffles’ 13-property expansion plans; Samantha van Exter’s appointment at Six Senses Southern Dunes.
Sources: Red Sea Global, 14 October 2026; Raffles’ official resort, accommodation, dining and wellness pages, checked 15 October 2026. Photograph: Shura Island in November 2020, before the resort openings. NASA / ISS Expedition 64, via Wikimedia Commons, public domain.
