With two properties planned for the Saudi capital, Cheval Collection is pairing its biggest brand refresh in more than 16 years with a clearer proposition for luxury travellers: more space, greater independence and attentive service. Chief Commercial Officer Nick Pilbeam brings extensive regional experience to this next phase of growth.
For Cheval Collection, the next chapter of luxury hospitality is being expressed through three familiar but increasingly valuable commodities: space, time and attention.
The British luxury serviced-apartment specialist has unveiled a refreshed identity and new digital platform as it prepares to enter Saudi Arabia, with Cheval Ladun Living scheduled to open in Riyadh in 2027, followed by Cheval Maison Sulaymaniyah in 2028.
For Nick Pilbeam, Cheval Collection’s Chief Commercial Officer, the changes articulate a proposition developed over more than four decades while preparing the business for a wider international audience.
“This launch represents far more than a new look and feel,” he says. “It is an expression of who we are today and where we are going next.”
At the centre of the repositioning is “Generous by Design”, a philosophy connecting the physical advantages of apartment accommodation with the personal attention expected from a luxury hospitality brand.
“Generous by Design captures something we have always believed: that true luxury is created through the space, time and attention our guests experience every day,” Pilbeam explains.
For Saudi Arabia, where Cheval is developing two distinct Riyadh addresses with Ladun Investment Company, that proposition will soon become tangible.
Regional knowledge behind the expansion
Pilbeam brings substantial knowledge of the Middle East’s travel industry to Cheval’s expansion. He previously headed Reed Travel Exhibitions as Divisional Director, overseeing an international portfolio that included Arabian Travel Market in Dubai, World Travel Market and International Luxury Travel Market. His responsibilities involved engagement with the region’s tourism authorities, hotel groups and travel businesses, providing a valuable perspective on the Gulf’s development and its hospitality market.
Appointed to Cheval in May 2025, he also previously served as Commercial Director at Queensway and held roles at Avios and British Airways. That combination of hospitality, travel-trade and loyalty experience is particularly relevant as Cheval combines international expansion with investment in booking technology and guest recognition.
Cheval’s Saudi strategy builds on relationships with Gulf travellers established through its London portfolio and, more recently, its Dubai properties.
In a December 2025 interview with Breaking Travel News, Pilbeam described the significance for those existing customers: “For them, Cheval Collection’s growth in the region represents the coming home of a familiar brand.” He also explained that Saudi Arabia offered opportunities across both business and leisure travel, with serviced apartments appealing to guests seeking flexibility and investors seeking operational efficiency.
For travel advisors, that flexibility is central to the proposition. A serviced apartment can accommodate an executive on assignment, a family visiting the capital or a guest relocating for several months. Separate living areas, cooking facilities and room to entertain change how a stay can be organised.
Cheval Ladun Living: a flagship on King Fahd Road
The first Saudi opening, Cheval Ladun Living, is being developed on King Fahd Road near the King Abdullah Financial District.
The original development announcement outlined a 130-apartment tower costing up to SAR300 million, equivalent to approximately US$80 million. Ladun Investment Company is the Saudi development partner; Cheval supplies the hospitality brand and operating expertise.
Ladun’s stock-exchange disclosure provides a more precise explanation of that relationship. Cheval’s management agreement runs for 20 years from the start of operations, with remuneration linked to revenue and profits. The property is being developed by Ladun and its subsidiaries on Ladun-owned land—a Saudi-owned development engaging an international operator.
The partners announced at signing included Built Industrial Company, a Ladun subsidiary, as principal contractor, and Al Rajhi Bank for project financing. Khatib & Alami was named for design and implementation supervision, with Abdulelah Al Mohanna and DZ providing architectural and interior-design consultancy respectively.
Cheval’s current property information describes accommodation ranging from one-bedroom apartments to four-bedroom penthouses, together with a rooftop swimming pool, fitness facilities, restaurant and café. Kitchens, laundry facilities and dedicated living space are included, supported by a 24-hour front-office team. The opening remains scheduled for 2027.
For advisors, the combination suggests an address suited to clients who need proximity to Riyadh’s business districts while retaining the space and privacy of a residence.
Sulaymaniyah: neighbourhood living with a Saudi architectural identity
Cheval Maison Sulaymaniyah, also being developed with Ladun, offers a different setting: an established central Riyadh neighbourhood, close to King Salman Park.
Ladun’s November 2025 disclosure put the initial estimated construction cost at approximately SAR150 million—US$40 million. That was an early estimate rather than a confirmed final development cost.
A June 2026 project update reported that concept design had been completed, schematic design was under way and site ground works were progressing. Main construction was expected to begin in the first quarter of 2027, with completion anticipated in the final quarter of 2028. The October brand announcement retains 2028 as the opening year.
The June plans described a development of approximately 24,150 square metres, arranged over three storeys and two basement levels, with dining, retail, gym and swimming-pool facilities.
Its architecture draws on both Salmani and Najdi traditions. Explaining the approach, Cheval’s Chief Technical Services Officer Quentin Ricks said: “We have focused on preserving Saudi culture while bringing modern urban design into the mix.” The design intention combines regional architectural character with contemporary residential hospitality.
The final accommodation schedule requires clarification. The original signing announcement described approximately 150 apartments; the June design update specified 134 studios and one- and two-bedroom apartments. Cheval’s newly refreshed website instead describes one-, two- and three-bedroom accommodation and penthouses, without stating a total. These published descriptions should therefore be treated as evolving plans.
The current website confirms kitchens and laundry facilities, a 24-hour concierge, an outdoor pool, fitness facilities and on-site dining—features that support both extended visits and family stays.
A digital platform designed for guests—and travel partners
Alongside the physical expansion, Cheval’s October 20 announcement introduces a redesigned website in English, Arabic and Simplified Chinese, with further languages planned.
For Pilbeam, this investment is integral to the guest experience.
“Guests increasingly expect interactions that are seamless, personal and intuitive,” he says. “Our new platform allows us to better meet those expectations while strengthening direct relationships with our guests.”
The booking engine introduces broader payment options and improved functionality for longer stays. Of particular relevance to SA-FE’s professional readership, Cheval Place is a dedicated platform for corporate clients and travel partners, offering real-time availability, dynamic pricing and access to negotiated rates.
Both platforms connect to Cheval DISCOVERY, its loyalty programme within GHA DISCOVERY. Cheval is also introducing member discounts linked to membership tier, with progressively greater savings and benefits. The company says GHA has recognised this as the first initiative of its kind across the alliance.
“We are particularly proud to introduce a personalised DISCOVERY member discount by tier,” Pilbeam says, describing the approach as a commitment to “rewarding loyalty in meaningful ways”.
The refreshed visual identity, including a new two-horse emblem within an elongated “C”, gives these changes a common presentation. For Saudi travel professionals, the most consequential development will be the arrival of the properties themselves: two Riyadh addresses offering distinct settings, backed by a brand already familiar to many Gulf clients.
Pilbeam’s experience of the region’s travel industry will be a valuable asset as Cheval turns that familiarity into a new reason to stay in the Saudi capital.
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