Raffles Jeddah Opens on the Red Sea Corniche

Raffles has opened its second address in Saudi Arabia, a new hotel set on Jeddah’s historic Corniche with uninterrupted views across the Red Sea. Announced on 25 May 2026, Raffles Jeddah brings the brand’s familiar idiom of butler service and considered design to a coastline that has become one of the region’s most closely watched luxury destinations.

The property holds 182 accommodations, comprising 142 guestrooms and 40 suites, described as among the largest in the city and starting from approximately 66 square metres. Every room faces the water, a decision that places the Red Sea at the centre of the guest experience rather than treating it as an occasional glimpse. For travellers accustomed to weighing square metreage and aspect before booking, the combination of generous footprints and a uniform sea outlook is the kind of detail that distinguishes a considered opening from a merely convenient one.

Architecturally, the building negotiates between contemporary form and the vernacular of the Hejaz. Mashrabiya screens and carved wood latticework reference the shaded, privacy-minded craft tradition of the western Saudi coast, lending the structure a sense of place rather than the interchangeable gloss that defines so many new-build luxury hotels. The interiors were conceived by Robert Angell, whose work carries the contemporary brasserie-and-lounge sensibility through the public rooms; the spa and wellness areas were designed by Tristan Du Plessis. A collection of Saudi and Middle Eastern art runs through the property, anchoring the design in its cultural setting.

Dining opens with two venues. Surl’O is a progressive all-day brasserie positioned for its Red Sea views, while Atorie Lounge & Patisserie merges French pâtisserie with Japanese precision — a pairing that signals the kitchen’s ambitions beyond the standard hotel offer. A third restaurant, Mediterranean in inspiration, is to follow, so early guests should expect the food programme to be in a state of measured expansion rather than fully resolved at launch.

The Raffles Spa is the property’s wellness centrepiece, with separate areas for ladies and gentlemen, Moroccan hammams, fitness centres, swimming pools and a private couples’ treatment suite. The provision of distinct wellness spaces reflects an understanding of local custom, and the breadth of facilities suggests the spa is intended as a destination in its own right rather than an amenity tucked behind the lobby.

For those travelling on business or hosting, the hotel offers six meeting rooms, a business centre and a VIP lounge, alongside the Pearl and Crystal Ballrooms, which are suspended above the plaza with floor-to-ceiling views over the city. The property also includes 120 branded residences for waterfront living, extending the Raffles name into the long-stay and ownership market that increasingly accompanies major hotel openings in the region.

The wider context matters. Raffles Jeddah is the brand’s second property in the Kingdom, joining Raffles Makkah Palace, and forms part of the broader push behind Saudi Vision 2030, the national programme to diversify the economy and build a tourism sector. Jeddah’s Corniche, long a gathering place for residents, has become the focus of considerable investment, and a Raffles flag on the waterfront is a clear marker of the city’s standing as a destination for discerning travellers rather than only a gateway to the holy cities.

Practically, the hotel sits a 25-minute drive from King Abdulaziz International Airport, making it an unhurried transfer for those arriving by air. A discerning traveller booking in the opening season should plan around the phased dining rollout, but the essentials — the rooms, the spa and the setting — are in place from the outset.

What Raffles Jeddah offers, then, is a genuinely new landmark address on a coastline in ascent: a hotel that pairs the brand’s service heritage with a design rooted in Hejazi craft, and a position on the Corniche that puts the Red Sea within view of every room. For those plotting a trip to western Saudi Arabia, it is now open to book.

Source: Accor