Arabia is the birthplace of glamorous camping, so it’s no surprise this resort near the UNESCO-listed ancient city of Hegra is glamping masterclass.
AlUla is an oasis in the desert of north-western Saudi Arabia. Under the country’s Vision 2030, its development is one of a series of vast tourism projects under way as the country looks at life after oil. Part of that vision includes e-visas issued online and within minutes, and independent travellers – even solo women like me – are welcomed in without requiring to be on tour.
While three and four-star accommodation also exists in the oasis, expect the fanfare to be reserved for five-stars, including the new Banyan Tree property, an Aman resort due to open next year, and the upcoming designed cave resort Sharaan, by architect Jean Nouvel.Towering cliffs of sandstone line the valley where the hotel is hidden. A central sandy road leads 1.5 kilometres from the reception at one end to the pool, bar and dining room at the other.
The hotel group has a strong eco-message. At the most obvious level, that means bamboo room keys. At a deeper level, it’s about the low-impact construction of its modular buildings, which are in sympathy with the local architecture and are made from organic materials. The property also has a low light profile to avoid light pollution, but I’m constantly losing small objects – including jewellery – in the gloom. Make-up application is interesting, at best.
The restaurant looks out onto the bar and a cool infinity pool, a sharp contrast to the arid lands that surround us. After a soft dawn, the desert light is hard – bring your fanciest sunglasses to every meal., the world’s largest mirrored building, which is surrounded by cliffs in the desert. If you don’t do a double take when you see it, you’re clearly not alive.
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