Accor’s high-end brand Raffles Hotels & Resorts is set to land in northwestern Saudia Arabia in 2027 as part of Trojena, a brand new year-round adventure sports destination.

Launching in 2026, Trojena will be a mountainside tourism location within the vast US$500 billion (€462.7 billion, £396 billion) Neom* giga-project which will be nearly the same size as Belgium once complete.

Trojena is being designed to redefine luxury mountain tourism and will feature a range of hotels, apartments, chalets, retail, dining and entertainment areas. Based in a large mountainous valley, the destination will be anchored by a large 2.8km man-made lake and feature the Gulf’s first outdoor ski resort.

Trojena is planned to be completed in late 2026 and host the Asian Winter Games in 2029.

Raffles Trojena

Located among an imposing mountainscape, the 105-key Raffles resort will feature a striking ring-shaped design, offering scenic views of the valley's undulating landscape and lake.

Guestrooms will be arranged around the perimeter of the ring, offering guests high levels of privacy as well as unobstructed vistas.

Circular zones and landscaped gardens on the ground level will encourage exploration and discovery, while the roof, comprised of various circular apertures, will allow for ample natural light.

Omer Acar, CEO of Raffles, said: “Raffles Trojena will be an architecturally significant resort that showcases the very best in modern luxury hospitality and underscores Raffles’ commitment to growing its presence in Saudi Arabia.

“Trojena is set to be a destination unlike any other, and this mountainside retreat continues the Raffles legacy of growing in the world’s most compelling locales, providing our guests with an opportunity to ignite their passions through highly personalised service and experiences.”

The resort will also feature the signature Raffles hallmarks including its legendary butler service, culinary offerings and an emphasis on destination arts and culture. At the time of writing, Raffles has not yet revealed plans for the resort's wellness facilities.

LocationThe newest hospitality brand to partner with Neom Hotel Division, Raffles Trojena will be located in the Discover cluster, one of six clusters that will make up the destination.

Each area will have a distinct focus; wellness, leisure, alpine sports, water activities, wildlife exploration and stargazing.

Rooted in an exploration of the natural world, the Discover cluster includes the Discovery Tower, an elegant and monumental high-rise tower with an open-air museum, the Observatory, a peak panoramic viewpoint featuring Trojena’s views and landscape, and the Cosmic Gate, a stargazing camp and pioneering astronomical park.

Like the rest of Neom, Trojena will be powered by renewable energy.

Trojena is already partnered with lifestyle hospitality company Ennismore. The tie-up will see two of Ennismore's brands – 25hours Hotels and Morgans Originals – open properties in Trojena.

*More about Neom

A region in itself, Neom is being driven and primarily funded by the Public Investment Fund, Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund.

The region is formed of five areas; Trojena, Oxagon, The Line, Sindalah and The Gulf of Aqaba – and is being realised via a phased approach.

Oxagon will receive its first residents in 2024 while the first modules of The Line will be activated in 2026. By 2030, it is anticipated that some one million people will be residents in Neom, rising to nine million in 2045.

Operators already involved with Neom include Minor Hotels’ Anantara brand and Marriott International, which has signed up to create a W Hotel and a JW Marriott location. All three locations will feature comprehensive spa and wellness facilities.

Guerlain’s first London spa opening this September at Raffles London at The OWO

Construction marches ahead for Saudi giga-projects Amaala and The Red Sea

Saudi Arabia's Neom mega-development to include 100-mile long 'horizontal skyscraper city'

Guerlain’s first London spa to launch at Raffles London at the OWO

FEATURE: Interview – Aradhana Khowala