OpeningsRafflesShura Island, Saudi Arabia
A first look at Raffles The Red Sea
Raffles plants a flag inside Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea destination, on the dolphin-shaped Shura Island.
Opened October 2026
Now open — book direct on Raffles’ official site.
First look
Raffles opened in October 2026 on Shura Island, the dolphin-shaped centrepiece of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea destination, a short drive from Red Sea International Airport. It’s 168 keys: 121 rooms, 14 suites and 33 private villas, with five restaurants and a Raffles Spa.
It sits within reach of the island’s marina, its shops and the Shura Links golf course, and Accor runs a Fairmont on the same island. What we’ll be watching is how a brand built on colonial-era grand hotels carries itself on a brand-new island, and whether the villas read as a proper Raffles or as one more Red Sea opening.
What we’ll be watching
Whether Sijaraja works away from Singapore. Raffles built its reputation in a 19th-century colonial hotel on a busy city street; transposing a Singapore-tribute restaurant to a remote Saudi island resort is a genuine stretch. We’ll be watching whether the brand’s heritage travels or just gets cited on a menu.
Whether 168 keys is too many for the brand to run tightly. At 121 rooms, 14 suites and 33 pool villas, this is a large-footprint resort — Raffles properties that feel most like Raffles tend to have fewer doors and more staff per guest. The villa count is the buffer; the standard-room block is where service pressure will show.
Whether the destination itself is ready. Shura Island opened its first three hotels in late 2025; Raffles is among eight more slated for 2026, with the island’s full launch pegged for October. A property opening into a half-finished destination — roads, ferries, retail, airport connections still bedding in — is a different experience from one opening into a mature resort zone.
Whether the Accor-managed Red Sea opening glut flattens differentiation. Accor is opening both Raffles and Fairmont on the same island, plus properties elsewhere in Saudi Arabia. We’ll be watching whether Raffles The Red Sea is run as its own property or as the premium tier in a multi-hotel compound that shares back-of-house resources.
What’s changed
- Confirmed open.
Photos
Imagery courtesy of the hotel.
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Good to know
When did Raffles The Red Sea open?
Raffles The Red Sea opened in October 2026 on Shura Island, with 121 rooms, 14 suites and 33 private villas. It has no Fat Score yet: that needs guest and community reports, which take time to arrive.
Where is Raffles The Red Sea located?
It sits on Shura Island, the dolphin-shaped centrepiece of Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea destination on the northwest coast, roughly 30 minutes by transfer from Red Sea International Airport. The island is part of Red Sea Global’s wider development, which spans more than 200 kilometres of coastline and around 90 islands in the Tabuk region.
Who operates it, and is this Raffles’ first property in Saudi Arabia?
No — this will be at least the brand’s third Saudi property. Raffles Makkah Palace has been open since 2010, and Raffles Jeddah is already operating; the Red Sea is the next addition. The hotel is operated by Accor under the Raffles flag, with the Shura Island site also hosting a Fairmont managed by the same group. Foster + Partners led the island masterplan, known as the Coral Bloom scheme, and Citterio & Viel (ACPV) are reported as the interior designers.
How many rooms and villas will it have?
The official Raffles site lists 121 guest rooms and 14 suites, plus 33 pool villas — 168 keys in total. All rooms are described as having private terraces with lagoon or beachfront views.
What restaurants and facilities are planned?
Five food and beverage venues are confirmed on the official site: Sijaraja, which carries Raffles’ Singapore heritage into a contemporary format; Ni’ma, focused on Eastern Mediterranean cooking; El Nay, a Pan-Arabic bar and shisha lounge; Halwa & Rose, a waterfront patisserie; and a Pool Bar. Facilities include a Raffles Spa, lap pool, gymnasium, padel court, watersports, and kids and teens centres, plus 24-hour butler service.
Will Fat Voyage score Raffles The Red Sea?
We publish a Fat Score only once a hotel is open and real guests have stayed and written about it — drawn from luxury travel communities, editorial publications, and verified guests, never paid placements. This is a first look, not a verdict; we’ll score it once there’s enough independent signal to be fair.
