If the desert calls to you, whispering through the dunes like a prophecy, then consider this your own Lisan al Gaib moment. Desert Rock, a new high-end property, has just opened in Saudi Arabia. Rising from the ancient Hejaz Mountains, a rugged western range shaped by tectonic shifts and volcanic stirrings, it’s a resort unlike any other.
Desert Rock is part of the sweeping Red Sea development, a tourism initiative that aims to diversify the economy by developing luxury tourism destinations. Designed by Miami-based Oppenheim Architecture, this ambitious retreat is literally embedded in stone, blending seamlessly with the arid landscape. Expect cliff-hanging villas, private pools, and an experience that feels less like a hotel stay and more like stepping into an epic sci-fi saga.
Echoing the legacy of the Nabataeans, but with a five-star twist
Image: Desert Rock
Desert Rock Resort is not just an architectural feat. It’s a love letter to the Nabataean civilisation, an ancient Arab kingdom that once commanded the trade routes from the Hejaz to the Mediterranean. While their legacy is most famously etched into Petra’s sandstone cliffs, the civilisation’s influence extended deep into the Arabian Peninsula, including the very terrain this resort now calls home.
Image: Desert Rock
Just a four-hour drive from Hegra—once the southernmost Nabataean city and now a UNESCO World Heritage Site—Desert Rock channels the ingenuity of these master stone carvers. Villas and communal spaces are sculpted into the cliffs. The result? An architectural homage to an ancient civilisation, except this time, the rock-hewn dwellings come with private pools and a personal villa host.
Integrating architecture with nature
Image: Desert Rock
At Desert Rock, architecture doesn’t compete with the landscape—it becomes part of it. Guests enter through a concealed valley, where the resort’s design slowly reveals itself. Every structure is sculpted into the mountains, dissolving into the rugged terrain while minimising visual impact.
Image: Desert Rock
The resort takes sustainability as seriously as its refinement. Excavated materials have been repurposed into infrastructure, passive cooling keeps things naturally comfortable, and high-tech efficiency ensures a lighter footprint.
Even the greenery has been thoughtfully reintroduced, turning the wadi into a flourishing oasis. After all, nothing says eco-conscious indulgence like a resort that restores the very land it inhabits.
Dramatic villas carved into the Hejaz Mountains
Image: Desert Rock
If you’ve ever dreamed of living like an ancient desert ruler—minus the hardship, plus temperature-controlled pools—Desert Rock delivers on every front. The accommodation here is no ordinary hotel suite. Instead, think villas carved into the very fabric of the Hejaz Mountains.
The resort boasts 32 Wadi Villas, nestled within the valley floor, offering expansive living spaces and private pools. For those who prefer their luxury with a side of vertigo, 17 Cliff Hanging Villas jut out from the mountainside, defying gravity with sweeping views of the wadi below. Meanwhile, the Mountain Crevice Villas (four in total) are discreetly tucked into the rock face, offering a more intimate, cocoon-like retreat. And then there are 10 Mountain Cave Suites, which take “embedded in nature” to another level, quite literally carved into the stone itself.
A Mountain Cave Suite.
Image: Desert Rock
But for the ultimate in desert decadence, the Royal Villa reigns supreme. Located in a secluded part of the valley, it’s designed for guests who prefer their privacy uninterrupted. Whatever your villa of choice, expect interiors by Studio Paolo Ferrari, where earthy hues, bronze-brown accents, and locally sourced stone create a warm, sophisticated aesthetic.
And because no desert retreat is complete without seamless service, each villa comes with a dedicated Villa Host, contactable via WhatsApp to cater to your every whim. A fresh date platter at sunset? Consider it done.
The Desert Rock Resort awaits
Image: Desert Rock
Of course, it’s not just about lounging in your villa—Desert Rock offers plenty to explore. Guests can unwind at the spa, dine at four high-end restaurants, or take on ziplining, via ferrata, abseiling, and archery, with more activities planned for 2025. Plus, it’s accessible, located just a 20-minute drive from Red Sea International Airport.
Bookings are now open on the Desert Rock website, with rates starting from SAR 8,500 (S$3,021.74) for a one-bedroom Wadi Villa and SAR 10,100 (S$3,590.54) for a Mountain Crevice Villa. Whether you’re scaling rock faces or simply soaking up the desert views from your private plunge pool, one thing’s for certain—this is an immersion into a world where nature, history, and prestige collide spectacularly.
Cover image: Desert Rock Resort
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