When The Red Sea EDITION opened its doors, it did more than introduce a new luxury address to Saudi Arabia’s west coast. As the first hotel to open on Shura Island, it marked the moment when the Red Sea’s most ambitious phase began to shift decisively from vision to lived experience.
Set along a kilometre of private white-sand beachfront, The Red Sea EDITION occupies a pivotal position within the destination. Shura Island is designed to function as the social and experiential heart of the Red Sea project — a place where hospitality, dining, marina life, entertainment and golf converge within a single, carefully curated island environment. EDITION’s arrival has helped define how that vision is already being interpreted on the ground.
For Mohamed Karara, Cluster Director of Sales & Marketing for The Ritz-Carlton, St. Regis and The Red Sea EDITION (pictured above), the significance of the project only became fully apparent after relocating to the region. “I always heard about the Red Sea as a giga-project,” he said when speaking at ILTM Cannes. “But it’s only when you see it with your own eyes that you really understand the scale and ambition of what’s being created.”
From untouched islands to a living destination
The Red Sea destination spans more than 28,000 square kilometres and includes an archipelago of over 90 largely untouched islands, framed by desert, mountains and one of the world’s most extensive barrier reef systems. Development has been deliberately phased, with early openings selected to establish positioning rather than scale.
The first of these was The St. Regis Red Sea Resort, which opened on a private island two years ago with a deliberately restrained proposition: just 90 villas, each with a private pool and direct beach access. It was followed by Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, the first Reserve-branded property in the Middle East, reinforcing the destination’s ultra-luxury credentials.
The arrival of EDITION signals a subtle but important shift.
“Shura Island is what we now call the heart of the Red Sea,” Karara explained. “It’s a much larger island, with multiple resorts, a marina, entertainment, and an 18-hole golf course.”
Designed by Brian Curley, Shura Links is Saudi Arabia’s first island golf course and an integral part of the island’s identity, helping move the destination beyond seclusion and towards social energy and interaction.
Opening first — and setting the tone
EDITION’s first-mover status on Shura Island is both strategic and symbolic. The opening reflects Marriott International’s long-standing relationship with Red Sea Global (RSG), the developer behind the destination, but also the brand’s ability to operate independently within a phased environment.
Positioned on a quieter stretch of the island, the resort feels complete and settled from the moment of arrival. “Once you arrive, you don’t feel that anything else is happening around you,” Karara said. “It feels calm, finished and very comfortable.”
Architecture and design play a critical role in achieving that sense of ease. Conceived by Rockwell Group, the resort unfolds as a sequence of low-rise stone and timber pavilions set directly on the sand. Materials are drawn from the surrounding landscape — coral stone, rammed earth, natural oak and soft textiles — ensuring the architecture recedes rather than dominates.
The resort features 240 guest rooms and suites, including 53 one- and two-bedroom suites. Many offer expansive terraces, private plunge pools and direct beach access, reinforcing a residential feel that aligns with EDITION’s understated luxury ethos.
Social energy, EDITION-style
While the architecture leans towards restraint, the social life of The Red Sea EDITION is unmistakably aligned with the brand’s global DNA. As with other EDITION properties, the lobby functions as a living space rather than a transitional one, evolving naturally from morning coffee to evening cocktails.
Dining is central to that rhythm. Central, the resort’s New American restaurant, reinterprets familiar classics through a contemporary lens, while JIWA Beach Club introduces a more animated, beachfront atmosphere inspired by Bali. Live DJs, evening bonfires and open-air dining give the resort a sense of momentum as the sun sets.
A quieter counterpoint is provided by JIWA Terrace, a wellness-oriented poolside venue focused on hydration, recovery and lighter fare. Soon, the opening of ANASA will add another layer to the culinary narrative. Led by acclaimed Saudi chef Basma Elkhereiji, the Aegean-inspired restaurant brings a distinctly local voice to the resort’s dining scene, rooted in simplicity, conversation and regional sourcing.
Wellness, performance and events
The Red Sea EDITION has been designed to accommodate a wide spectrum of guest needs, from escape and recovery to performance and productivity.
The resort’s wellness zone includes a spa powered by Omorovicza and Le Labo, offering holistic treatments alongside hydrothermal experiences such as infrared and bio saunas, heated stone loungers and contrast showers. A light-filled gym supports performance-focused training, including HIIT, TRX and Reformer Pilates, while outdoor activities extend wellness into the surrounding landscape.
Unlike the earlier island resorts, EDITION also plays a strategic role in the destination’s events offering. With more than 1,000 square metres of flexible meeting and event space, including a grand ballroom accommodating up to 500 guests, it is currently one of the most capable venues on Shura Island for MICE, government and high-level corporate gatherings.
Access improving, markets taking shape
Connectivity has accelerated rapidly. Red Sea International Airport now provides regular domestic services from Riyadh and Jeddah, alongside international connections from Dubai and Doha. Direct flights from Milan are already in operation, with further European routes confirmed and a broader international expansion under way.
This improving access is reflected in early demand patterns. Domestic travellers currently form the backbone of occupancy, driven by curiosity and a strong sense of national pride. “For Saudi guests, this is their backyard,” Karara said. “There’s a real sense of pride in seeing what’s being created here.”
Internationally, EDITION’s global reputation is driving early traction from the United States, the UK and Italy, with wider Europe well represented among key source markets. Interest from China and Russia is emerging, though still at an exploratory stage.
A cornerstone, not a conclusion
For Tony Coveney, Area General Manager for Marriott Luxury Group, The Red Sea, the opening of The Red Sea EDITION represents more than a single-property milestone. “This marks the launch of Shura Island, the cornerstone development of the Red Sea,” he said, describing the resort as a defining step in the evolution of luxury hospitality in Saudi Arabia.
As the destination continues to expand — and with future developments such as AMAALA already advancing nearby — EDITION’s role on Shura Island is likely to prove both foundational and influential.
What is already clear is that the island’s story has begun, and that EDITION, by opening first, has helped establish the rhythm by which Shura is now being experienced: confident, contemporary and unmistakably forward-looking.
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Read also: EDITION opens 20th outpost in Jeddah
