We often talk about immersive experiences in the context of virtual reality, but The Red Sea Development Company (TRSDC) in Saudi Arabia is taking the concept a step further by carving a luxury hotel into a rock mountain for its future guests to literally immerse themselves in.

Set in one of the most dramatic desert landscapes in the world, the Desert Rock resort is being integrated into the stunning mountainside and offers panoramic views of the mountain canyons below and a canopy of stars above.
As part of The Red Sea Project, TRSDC recently revealed a first look at Desert Rock’s designs, which are intended to celebrate Saudi Arabia’s spectacular natural beauty and Nabatean heritage.

“Since the inception of the Desert Rock project, creating a development that combines luxury, sustainability and an immersive experience for our guests has been at the heart of it all,” said John Pagano, TRSDC CEO. “We cannot wait to welcome guests to enjoy a stay at this unique property.”

Inspired by the surrounding beautiful mountains, volcanoes and wadis, Desert Rock will feature 48 villas and 12 hotel suites. A variety of accommodation styles will be available to best meet guests needs, from ground level dwellings to crevice hotel suites midway up the mountain.

An impressive feat of engineering, a select number of rooms will sit within the excavated rock-scape, giving guests access to stunning views of Saudi Arabia and opportunities for star gazing, all from the comfort of your room.
The unique rock formations included in the resort architecture were produced by a series of cataclysmic seismic events thousands of years ago, and so the architecture has been designed to keep this natural beauty while also reducing energy consumption, supercharging the ecosystem, and regenerating native flora. This innovative architecture model offers guests a completely unique and unmatched form of luxury, combining nature and sustainability as one.

“Desert Rock offers a ‘never before seen’ opportunity for guests to connect physically and metaphysically with one of the most dramatic desert landscapes in the world,” said Chad Oppenheim, Founder of Oppenheim Architecture, the design and planning firm behind the concept. “Our key intention when designing the resort was to build with the land, not on it, and to be mindful of the stunning nature elements that already exist at the site, amplifying its natural beauty.”

Guests will enter the resort through a hidden valley nestled between the mountains. Most roads leading into the resort will follow the edge of the main wadi, hidden behind landscape mounds, to provide uninterrupted views. This will also minimise sound and light pollution, allowing guests to fully absorb the surrounding dramatic desert landscape.
The resort features state-of-the-art facilities, including a world-class spa and fitness centre, remote destination dining areas as well as a feature lagoon oasis.

Visitors will be able to hike with members of the local community who will provide educational tours of the area. Dune buggies will also be on hand to hire as part of the site-wide activities program, making it the idyllic holiday destination for those seeking adventure and relaxation alike.

TRSDC is championing the ancient history of the area, which is positioned at the crossroads of continents, connecting Asia, Africa, and Europe. For centuries, Saudi Arabia has been a meeting point for civilisations and a crossing point for caravans on the incense trade route carrying spices, myrrh, cotton, ebony, and silk.
The Nabateans – an ancient Arab people who inhabited northern Arabia and the southern Levant and who are perhaps best known for their rock-cut monumental tombs in Petra, Jordan – inhabited Saudi Arabia’s north-western region some 2,000 years ago and constructed their second largest city there at Mada’in Salih, a few hours’ drive from Desert Rock.

The Desert Rock resort will be open for guests to visit as part of phase one of the Red Sea destination set to complete in 2023.