Saudi: Diriyah Announces 1st of its Global Hotel Portfolio

Saudi Arabia’s Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) has announced the first 14 of its planned 38 hotel brands over the coming years, 15 minutes northwest of Riyadh city center.

“DGDA has received overwhelming interest from the world’s most revered luxury five-star brands to have a presence within the development’s carefully curated collection of 38 hospitality brands. Currently the concept design is nearing completion for the first 14 brands and DGDA looks forward to unveiling additional hotel operators as their designs advance further,” the Authority said in a press release on Wednesday.

The development – which remains on time, on budget and on track – will be the first giga project in the world to simultaneously open, ground-break and announce world class assets every year from 2022 until completion in 2026. It will also be the first of Saudi Arabia’s giga projects to open assets, with its first 18 restaurant brands launching in Bujairi Terrace in early 2022.

The hotel brands are strategically located across two of DGDA’s four master plans – Diriyah Gate and Wadi Safar. Hotel brands coming to Diriyah Gate phase one, a five square kilometer mixed-use heritage, tourism and lifestyle destination, set to become the world’s largest cultural and heritage city – in alphabetical order - include Address Hotels & Resorts, part of the Emaar Hospitality Group, which stays true to its tagline ‘Where Life Happens’ offering guests opportunities to celebrate life and its most cherished moments; whilst Baccarat Hotels & Resorts will offer guests an artistic atmosphere catering to opulent social moments.

Located in the Bujairi district will be a Campbell Gray Hotels and Resorts property, combining sustainability and Najdi design with modern glamor to Diriyah Gate; the development will also offer a 100-key hotel by Capella Hotels and Resorts which will embody excellence in the craft of hospitality and curate unique experiences for guests to truly immerse in the local community; Fauchon, the purveyor of French contemporary gastronomy since 1886, will launch its first Fauchon Hotel in the Middle-East, showcasing the perfect Parisian “art de vivre” experience; and an 80-key retreat from LXR Hotels & Resorts, Hilton’s exclusive collection of legendary, independent properties, representing the brand’s debut in Saudi Arabia.

In addition, Orient Express will make its debut into the Middle East, bringing the refined nomadic spirit and state-of-art detailing that characterize the artisan of travel; while Raffles will reinterpret artistic and cultural tradition through an inspiring contemporary lens, with breath-taking views of Wadi Hanifah from its rooftop; there will be a luxury Park Hyatt property boasting meaningful interiors by world renowned designers; or guests can relax in the surrounds of The Ritz-Carlton which will fuse the past and present through elegant design and intuitive service. Finally, international grand and gracious Rosewood Hotels & Resorts will add a new urban sanctuary to its collection of global properties and The Luxury Collection will also be arriving in Diriyah, offering a unique and cherished expression of its location.

To the west of Diriyah sits Wadi Safar - a place of outstanding cultural history; and a destination steeped in heritage and rich cultural tradition nestled within 60 square kilometers of unspoilt natural landscape. Much as this special location was once the gathering place for traders and travelers from Asia, Africa and Europe, Wadi Safar is being developed to become today’s modern embodiment: a cultural hub where the world’s finest experiences and visionary minds will combine. This unique and ever-evolving story is being shaped by a chorus of exceptional brands and voices. These include the world class Oberoi brand who will bring their unremitting dedication to warm hospitality and perfection in a serene setting; and the purposeful sustainability and wellness commitment of Six Senses, inviting guests to reconnect to the region through crafted experiences. These hotel partners and more will come together to create a new global landmark and construct a new legacy for the Kingdom.

The hotel openings will commence in a strategically articulated manner with the first property which will be a part of The Luxury Collection, operated by Marriott International, due to open in 2022 with 141 keys.

“This prestigious hotel collection will set the stage for a new level of global hospitality,” Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO of DGDA, said.

Jonathan Timms, President of Diriyah Development Company, added: “The announcement of our forthcoming hotel collection is a major milestone in our development’s progress. Each hotel partner has been carefully selected and curated to ensure our guests receive the highest standard of hospitality, whilst enticing them to explore Diriyah and the Kingdom through much-loved brands.”

The US dollar charged ahead on Thursday, underpinned by rising Treasury yields, putting the yen, sterling and euro under pressure near multi-month lows amid the shifting threat of tariffs.

The focus for markets in 2025 has been on US President-elect Donald Trump's agenda as he steps back into the White House on Jan. 20, with analysts expecting his policies to both bolster growth and add to price pressures, according to Reuters.

CNN on Wednesday reported that Trump is considering declaring a national economic emergency to provide legal justification for a series of universal tariffs on allies and adversaries. On Monday, the Washington Post said Trump was looking at more nuanced tariffs, which he later denied.

Concerns that policies introduced by the Trump administration could reignite inflation has led bond yields higher, with the yield on the benchmark 10-year US Treasury note hitting 4.73% on Wednesday, its highest since April 25. It was at 4.6709% on Thursday.

"Trump's shifting narrative on tariffs has undoubtedly had an effect on USD. It seems this capriciousness is something markets will have to adapt to over the coming four years," said Kieran Williams, head of Asia FX at InTouch Capital Markets.

The bond market selloff has left the dollar standing tall and casting a shadow on the currency market.

Among the most affected was the pound, which was headed for its biggest three-day drop in nearly two years.

Sterling slid to $1.2239 on Thursday, its weakest since November 2023, even as British government bond yields hit multi-year highs.

Ordinarily, higher gilt yields would support the pound, but not in this case.

The sell-off in UK government bond markets resumed on Thursday, with 10-year and 30-year gilt yields jumping again in early trading, as confidence in Britain's fiscal outlook deteriorates.

"Such a simultaneous sell-off in currency and bonds is rather unusual for a G10 country," said Michael Pfister, FX analyst at Commerzbank.

"It seems to be the culmination of a development that began several months ago. The new Labour government's approval ratings are at record lows just a few months after the election, and business and consumer sentiment is severely depressed."

Sterling was last down about 0.69% at $1.2282.

The euro also eased, albeit less than the pound, to $1.0302, lurking close to the two-year low it hit last week as investors remain worried the single currency may fall to the key $1 mark this year due to tariff uncertainties.

The yen hovered near the key 160 per dollar mark that led to Tokyo intervening in the market last July, after it touched a near six-month low of 158.55 on Wednesday.

Though it strengthened a bit on the day and was last at 158.15 per dollar. That all left the dollar index, which measures the US currency against six other units, up 0.15% and at 109.18, just shy of the two-year high it touched last week.

Also in the mix were the Federal Reserve minutes of its December meeting, released on Wednesday, which showed the central bank flagged new inflation concerns and officials saw a rising risk the incoming administration's plans may slow economic growth and raise unemployment.

With US markets closed on Thursday, the spotlight will be on Friday's payrolls report as investors parse through data to gauge when the Fed will next cut rates.

Saudi: Diriyah Announces 1st of its Global Hotel Portfolio