InterContinental The Red Sea Resort opens on Saudi Arabia’s Shura Island

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InterContinental The Red Sea Resort

InterContinental The Red Sea Resort has opened on Shura Island, marking the second resort to welcome guests to Saudi Arabia’s pioneering regenerative tourism destination following the debut of The Red Sea Edition in October.

The milestone coincides with IHG Hotels & Resorts celebrating 50 years of operations in the kingdom, having first opened the InterContinental Riyadh in 1975 and now counting more than 100 hotels either open or in development across Saudi Arabia.

Located on Saudi Arabia’s western coastline, just 25 minutes from Red Sea International Airport, Shura Island is part of a dolphin-shaped archipelago surrounded by the world’s fourth-largest barrier reef. Designed by Foster + Partners under the Coral Bloom concept, the island offers a yacht marina, retail and dining village, wellness centre and a collection of leisure facilities.

Set at the heart of Shura Island, InterContinental The Red Sea Resort offers uninterrupted views over vibrant coral reefs and flourishing mangroves, with a design that combines minimalist elegance with a strong sense of place.

The resort features 178 rooms and 32 suites, including beachfront and lagoon-facing options, as well as a two-bedroom beachfront suite with outdoor living areas and access to the Club Lounge. Interiors are fluid and nature-inspired, with soft curves, handcrafted details and curated artworks by Saudi creatives enhancing the spaces.

InterContinental The Red Sea Resort poolside dining

Render of poolside venue at InterContinental The Red Sea Resort

Dining is spread across five venues, each with a distinct focus. Darein leads the lineup with Levantine and Moroccan dishes served indoors and on the terrace, while Ardo, opening soon, will specialise in South American cuisine with an emphasis on open-flame cooking. The 3O5 Miami Beach Club adds a beachfront option with Latin American-inspired dishes, cocktails and cigar lounge.

For a more casual setting, Chimes covers Mediterranean-style plates with grilled seafood and fresh produce, and Murrma is positioned as the coffee and sweets concept.

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Leisure facilities include an outdoor pool, private beach and a range of water pursuits such as windsurfing, paddleboarding, sailing and guided snorkelling and diving trips to the world’s fourth-largest coral reef. The Spa InterContinental features a vitality pool and offers tailored treatments, yoga sessions and wellness experiences, while the fitness centre provides Technogym equipment, garden-view studios and open-air workouts.

Younger guests can join Planet Trekkers, a dedicated club for children aged 4 to 14 offering interactive games and educational adventures. For premium guests, Club InterContinental provides an elevated experience with private check-in, exclusive lounge access, curated dining and personalised concierge services.

InterContinental The Red Sea Resort lobby

Render of lobby at InterContinental The Red Sea Resort

Shura Island to feature 11 luxury resorts

InterContinental The Red Sea Resort joins The Red Sea Edition as part of the first phase of openings on Shura Island, with additional properties including SLS The Red Sea set to follow. The island has already welcomed Saudi Arabia’s first 18-hole island golf course, Shura Links, with marinas and further lifestyle attractions in development.

When fully complete, Shura Island will feature 11 luxury resorts, branded residences, retail outlets and a marina, with forthcoming properties from Faena, Fairmont, Four Seasons, Grand Hyatt, Jumeirah, Miraval, Raffles and Rosewood.

As part of its masterplan, the destination is being developed with a strong focus on sustainability, including renewable energy and infrastructure and low-impact design across the island’s resorts.

The destination is accessible via Red Sea International (RSI), with direct flights from Doha, Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam. Qatar Airways has started direct flights to Red Sea International (RSI), three times a week, and there are direct services from Dubai, Riyadh, Jeddah and Dammam, while all-business-class airline Beond has become the first carrier to connect Europe to RSI, with flights departing Milan every Wednesday and Sunday at 22:20.

For more information, visit intercontinental/hotels/gb/en/saudi-arabia