Shebara Resort, Red Sea, Saudi Arabia

Why book?

For its sheer audaciousness and architectural drama. While Saudi megaprojects like The Line and Qiddiya still feel distant, Red Sea Global (RSG) – headed by the country’s Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman – has pulled off something tangible and immediate.

Just a year ago, RSG announced ambitious plans to dot 73 futuristic stainless-steel orbs along an untouched stretch of coastline and to launch a new ultra-luxury hotel brand from scratch. Fast forward 12 months, and Shebara has arrived — a sci-fi-inspired masterpiece that’s even more striking in person than the glimpses trickling out on social media in the weeks leading up to its debut.

Set the scene

Long before gliding up to Shebara’s main jetty on the Red Sea, the resort’s constellation of mirrored villas, shimmering in the hot Saudi sunshine, comes into view. Suspended just above the shallows, the otherworldly orbs seem to hover, weightless and impossibly alien, catching and scattering the sunlight in kaleidoscopic flashes. From certain angles, they vanish entirely, leaving behind only reflections of the sand, sea and sky.

The resort, spanning a circular seven kilometres, unfolds in two distinct halves — on one side, the orbs are connected by wide boardwalks to a sprawling desert island, where secluded beach villas are tucked among softly sculpted dunes, date palms and tamarisk trees carefully landscaped for maximum privacy.

Nearby, a state-of-the-art gym staffed throughout the day by personal trainers offers a flowing lap pool, jogging track and a cluster of padel and tennis courts for more active guests. Behind the scenes, a helipad hums with activity — on the opening day alone, a dozen helicopters arrived ferrying guests to the resort. On a separate private island at the tip of Shebara is the ultra-exclusive Royal Villas Ensemble — a resort within a resort with its own yacht dock and four orbs accommodating up to 14 guests.

Despite being nearly at full capacity during our stay, Shebara retains an air of tranquillity and seclusion. Aside from a few families basking by the pool, guests (mostly locals but with a smattering of Europeans and Americans so far) generally vanish into the privacy of their villas during daylight hours or venture out for scuba diving, snorkelling and e-foil adventures among the surrounding waters. By night, however, the resort reveals a much livelier side as its restaurants pack out with large groups of guests, including many dropping by for the evening from the superyachts anchored just offshore.

The backstory

Once a quiet weekend escape for picnicking locals from the nearby town of Al Wajh, Sheybarah Island – a pristine tableau of powder-soft sands, dense twisting mangroves and colourful coral reefs – has undergone a dazzling transformation. Back in 2019, this untouched island was plucked from obscurity as part of Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman’s sweeping Vision 2030 reforms, a blueprint to shift Saudi Arabia’s fortunes from oil to industries like tourism and entertainment.

With global luxury brands queuing up to plant their flags on the Kingdom’s shores, Shebara steps up as a homegrown contender — a glittering invitation for Saudis to rediscover their homeland and for international travellers to experience it through a new lens.

To realise this ambitious project, RSG tapped Killa Design – the avant-garde architects behind landmarks like Dubai’s Museum of the Future and Jumeirah’s soon-to-open Marsa Al Arab hotel – with a brief to create something extraordinary. The resulting orbs were custom-built in the UAE and shipped to Saudi. In early November, Shebara officially welcomed its first guests, debuting as an emblem of the Kingdom’s reimagined future.

The neighbourhood

The third overwater resort to grace Saudi’s northwest – joining the Nujuma Ritz-Carlton Reserve and St. Regis which opened last year – Shebara is a 45-minute boat ride or quick Maldives-style seaplane hop from the mainland after touching down at Red Sea International Airport, which is linked with direct flights from Riyadh, Jeddah and Dubai.

Encircled by an endless palette of shifting blues, the resort offers front-row seats to a horizon that seems to stretch into eternity. It's quickly become a magnet for superyachts that moor off the island’s western edge, just beyond the point where the shallows deepen into richer, inky hues.

The rooms

While the orbs gleam like alien spacecraft on the horizon, the interiors are disarmingly soft. Sliding glass doors pull back at the touch of a button, leading to a sweeping infinity pool that melts into the Red Sea beyond (the water temperature can be bumped up on request). Inside, the yacht-like aesthetic is reflected in sand-hued walls edged with sleek black detailing, wave-like sofas upholstered in textured linen and a curvy freestanding bathtub that anchors the room.

Small touches add layers of intrigue. The TV vanishes into a discreet cabinet, leaving the room’s sculptural design uninterrupted, while the crimson-and-silver minibar slides open automatically to reveal a selection of Lyre’s non-alcoholic spirits.

Outside, a circular dining table sunk into the pool and a generous crescent-shaped daybed invite long, lingering evenings or lazy mornings — breakfasts can be served on floating platters for the ultimate Instagrammable moment.

A freeform shower space, clad in marble, is seamlessly slotted into the curved edge of the orb, its custom glass panels subtly mirroring the surrounding architecture. The experience showerhead, mounted high above, transforms a simple rinse into a misty escape, while colour-changing bulbs overhead – controlled by remote – let you bathe under a soothing wash of soft blues or fiery reds depending on your mood.

Food and drink

Five restaurants dot the resort, with Italian dinner spot Ariamare, just off the main lobby, standing out for its fuss-free pastas by Michelin-lauded chef Marco Garfagnini. Saria, a breezy Mediterranean cafe by the southern beach, keeps things casual, while Solera – perched above the trendy, wind-whipped adults-only pool at the opposite end of the island – steals the spotlight at lunchtime with a menu of zingy, Asian-inspired crunchy rice, tacos and sandos packed with marinated tofu or meat. Next door at Iki.Roe, the most upscale of the resort’s dining options, Japanese-Peruvian fusion cuisine packs a punch among contemporary glass interiors channelling clean-lined bamboo groves.

Breakfast at Lunara (at a set price of around $60) mixes small-batch buffet staples and a menu of well-executed regional favourites like shakshuka and falafel, capped off with “sweet treats” including a stellar vanilla-dipped brioche French toast sprinkled with cinnamon and jewel-like pomegranate seeds. Room service, including a full breakfast menu, is available 24 hours a day.

For now, all the restaurants are priced on an a la carte basis, but the hotel is considering introducing half-board and full-board meal plans.

The spa

The spa’s raw, earthy stone façade is camouflaged among the desert landscape, almost disappearing into the terrain. Step inside, though, and the atmosphere shifts — a starkly minimalist entrance hall unfolds, centred around the ancient, gnarled branches of a 2,700-year-old olive tree stretching through an open skylight.

Outside, the vitality pool bubbles away under the sun, flanked by plush, oversized loungers, while indoors there’s a warmer Jacuzzi pool, sauna, steam room and experience shower — plus an ice chip station for a bracing jolt to break up the bliss. Massage cabanas dot the beach for breezy waterfront treatments, and the spa is also home to an airy relaxation lounge, barber salon, mani-pedi studio and yoga pavilion.

Treatments, using products from British brand Amra and Swiss skincare expert Dr Burgener, draw on decadent ingredients like pearl, green caviar and gold — the Moonlight Meteorite Massage uses real space dust to leave skin shimmering, muscles weightless and stresses left floating away into the stratosphere.

The service

Service is enthusiastic and well-meaning but, as with many new hotel openings, can feel a little patchy in places. Fresh-faced Saudi hospitality graduates – many hailing from nearby communities – bring an infectious energy, while seasoned veterans from five-star resorts in the Maldives, Dubai, Doha and city hotels across the Kingdom lend a touch of polish.

Interactions feel authentic and warm, with local staff especially beaming with pride at being part of Shebara. Over the course of our brief stay, we noticed service sharpening by the day – a sign that it won’t be long before this resort is running like clockwork.

For families

The resort features a kids’ club, with clusters of floating white "clouds" overhead and soothing lullabies filling the air. It’s designed for guests aged four to 12 – there are even downsized toilets complete with pyramids of fluffy fresh towels – but toddlers can join in the fun, too, if accompanied by a parent or guardian.

The focus here is on engaging activities that encourage creativity and exploration, from arts and crafts sessions, to storytelling and games in the outdoor splash zone. For parents seeking a quiet moment, private babysitting services are available for an extra fee.

Eco effort

The resort runs entirely on clean, renewable energy, powered by its own on-site solar farm, while fresh water flows from a state-of-the-art desalination plant. Fringed by flourishing mangroves – nature’s unsung heroes in protecting coastlines and supporting marine life – the island shelters several protected turtle nests, while rare sooty falcons have been spotted gliding gracefully overhead in recent weeks.

Accessibility information

Shebara has four accessible two-bedroom beach villas, with specially designed wheelchairs provide easy access to the powder-soft sand. Trained team members are on hand to assist with everything from boat and seaplane transfers to navigating the spa and restaurants. A pool hoist invites guests to take a refreshing dip, and flat pathways make exploring the island a breeze.

Anything else to mention

The resort is planning to introduce a greater range of local cultural touches in the coming months, including collaborations with Saudi artists, musicians and perfume houses. Additional privacy fencing is available on request for all villas.