Red Sea Global reveals in-house managed brand, Shebara
The resort is taking shape on Sheybarah Island and will feature 73 keys including overwater and beach villas
Red Sea Global (RSG) has said it will operate its own luxury hotel brand at The Red Sea destination, Shebara. The hospitality destination is expected to open in summer 2024 and is expected to be the first resort to be owned and operated by RSG at The Red Sea destination.
Taking shape at Sheybarah Island in the Al Wajh Lagoon, the resort is home to stainless steel orbs, and is now actively recruiting a world-class operational team ahead of opening.
Shebara joins a roster of international hospitality brands operating at The Red Sea, including St. Regis and Ritz Carlton Reserve, as well as Six Senses, which is receiving guests as of this month. The Shebara reveal follows an announcement last month that RSG is also developing Thuwal Private Retreat, an exclusive, island destination that will also be wholly owned and operated by RSG, the statement from RSG noted.
“It has long been our mission to extend our pioneering approach to regenerative tourism across a wider portfolio of brands and subsidiary companies, to create an ecosystem that will drive meaningful change in the global tourism industry. Shebara is a beacon for all that RSG stands for, showcasing the very best in Saudi hospitality while setting new standards in responsible development and sustainable operations,” said John Pagano, Group CEO of RSG.
Shebara is taking shape on Sheybarah Island, which features a 30-to-40m reef drop-off, and will feature 73 keys, including overwater and beach villas. Guests can arrive either by a 45-minute boat ride from the mainland or 20-minutes by seaplane.
Designed by Killa Design, the design of the resort centres around reflections of nature. Each space has been designed to flow with its environment, with the stainless steel villas reflecting the colours and surface patterns of the ocean and the intense colors of the sky as they change throughout the day. The overwater orbs are cantilevered over the water, which creates an effect of a string of pearls levitating above the water, the statement pointed out.
Shaun Killa, Design Director and Founder of Killa Design explained, “Shebara is a wonderful example of what is possible when creating beautiful yet meaningful design. It demonstrates how innovative architecture can gracefully flow into nature, with pods that reflect and refract light from the sun, the sky and the sea to naturally blend with the environment. From the eco-materials chosen to the lunar positioning of the villas, our priority has been to honor the natural beauty that exists here, while creating a resort that embodies modern luxury.”
Development of Shebara is said to be taking place at pace, with all 38 stainless steel overwater villas now in place. While the first overwater villa took nine hours to install, the developer perfected this process so that the last villa was in place in under two hours. So far 25 of the beach villas have been installed, and substantial progress has been made on the other front and back of house structures and infrastructure.
As with the whole of The Red Sea, Shebara will be powered by sunlight, day and night with its own dedicated solar farm, which includes more than 11,000 PV panels. In total, RSG has constructed five solar farms to power the first phase of the destination, with more than 760,000 PV panels installed, the statement explained.
Last month The Red Sea welcomed its first guests. Two of its hotels are now open for bookings and the Red Sea International Airport has been receiving a regular schedule of flights since September. Upon full completion in 2030, the destination will comprise 50 resorts, offering up to 8,000 hotel rooms and more than 1,000 residential properties across 22 islands and six inland sites. The destination will also include luxury marinas, golf courses, entertainment, F&B, and leisure facilities, the statement concluded.
