Raffles Hotels & Resorts set to debut on this NEOM island

Image courtesy: NEOM

Raffles Hotels & Resorts has announced plans to debut a new resort on Trojena, the mountain resort on Saudi Arabia’s $500bn flagship Neom project.

Raffles Trojena features a unique and striking ring-shaped design, offering stunning scenic views of the surrounding destination from every vantage point. The new luxury resort will feature 105 guestrooms, which will be arranged around the perimeter of the ring.

“Trojena is set to be a destination unlike any other, and this mountainside retreat continues the Raffles legacy of growing in the world’s most compelling locales, providing our guests with an opportunity to ignite their passions through highly personalized service and experiences,” said Omer Acar, the CEO of Raffles Hotels & Resorts.

The resort, which is scheduled to open in 2027, will reimagine mountainside hospitality, offering guests unprecedented access to discover and explore Neom’s incomparable beauty.

“Trojena is set to redefine the understanding of luxury hospitality and mountain tourism. Raffles Trojena will serve as a beacon of luxury in Saudi Arabia’s first year-round mountain and adventure destination,” said Philip Gullett, executive director, and Trojena Region Head.

The Raffles resort will also feature the signature hallmarks for which the globally renowned hospitality brand is known, including its legendary butler service, exceptional culinary offerings, and an emphasis on destination arts and culture.

Raffles Trojena, the newest hospitality brand to partner with Neom Hotel Division, will be located in the Discover cluster – one of six distinct clusters that make up the mountain destination.

NEOM’s futuristic ski destination

Meanwhile, Trojena is currently making significant construction progress across all clusters and major assets to deliver the development to the 2026 construction completion target. The new year-round tourist destination, which was unveiled in March 2022, expects to attract 700,000 visitors and 7,000 permanent residents by 2030.

The destination will offer outdoor skiing, a man-made freshwater lake and a nature reserve, according to the project’s website. It is expected to create more than 10,000 jobs and add SAR3bn to Saudi Arabia’s GDP by the end of the decade.

The mountainous resort is set to host the 2029 Asian Winter Games after Saudi Arabia won a bid to host the games in October 2022.

With Trojena aiming to offer a diverse skiing experience throughout the year, Neom will produce man-made snow to accommodate its 36 km of ski slopes and is currently running regular tests on the artificial snow to supplement the natural fall in winter.