Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / Saudi Arabia / Umluj / Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea
Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea
Umluj, Saudi Arabia · Six Senses · Grand Luxury
Designed by Foster + Partners and opened in 2023, Six Senses Southern Dunes became the first hotel in Saudi Arabia to earn both LEED Platinum and GSTC certifications; its 76 villas run on 100 per cent electricity from an on-site solar farm of 11,228 panels, and the resort earned MICHELIN Two Keys in 2025. Low villas echo the curves of the Alnesai dunes, the solar farm generated almost twelve million kilowatt-hours in 2024, and the design pays homage to the Nabataean builders of Petra.
- 76 rooms
- Opened 2023
- Neighborhood: Umluj 48321
- Rooms from 646 sq ft (60 m²)
- Architect: Foster + Partners
- Interiors: MUZA Lab
About Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea
- The 11,228-panel solar farm generated 11,997,380 kWh of renewable electricity in 2024 — enough to power the entire resort with no grid draw.
- Foster + Partners designed the low-slung villas to echo the curves of the Alnesai dunes, using lightweight materials and extensive shading so that the buildings' thermal mass reduces reliance on mechanical cooling in one of the world's hottest environments.
- The resort pays homage to Nabataean architectural heritage — the pre-Islamic civilisation that carved Petra and controlled the ancient incense trade route that runs directly through this part of the Hijaz — evident in the stonework detailing and courtyard forms.
- An Earth Lab on site runs workshops on desert ecology, composting, and soil science — standard Six Senses programming elevated here by the intact desert ecosystem of the Red Sea Development protected zone.
- Entry-level rooms start at 646 sq ft (60 m²).
History
Nestled in the Alnesai dunes inland from the Red Sea coast, where sand dunes meet the Hijaz Mountains along the historic incense trade route. This desert resort pays homage to Nabataean architectural heritage while blending into its majestic Arabian desert surroundings as part of The Red Sea Development Project.
Designed by Foster + Partners and opened in 2023, Six Senses Southern Dunes became the first hotel in Saudi Arabia to earn both LEED Platinum and GSTC certifications; its 76 villas run on 100 per cent electricity from an on-site solar farm of 11,228 panels, and the resort earned MICHELIN Two Keys in 2025.
Restaurants and bars
- Bariya — Restaurant
- Al Sarab — Restaurant
- Merkaz — Restaurant
- Cooking School & Chef's Table — Restaurant
Amenities
- Six Senses Spa
- hammam
- pool
- gym
- yoga
- biohacking
- desert experiences
- Earth Lab
Awards
- Forbes Travel Guide Recommended (2026)
- MICHELIN Two Keys (2026)
- Two MICHELIN Keys (2025)
- AHEAD MEA Hotel of the Year (2024)
- AHEAD MEA Resort (2024)
- AHEAD MEA Suite (2024)
- Gold Key Award — Guestroom Luxury (2024)
- Gold Key Award — Suite (2024)
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