When I initially received an invitation to visit Diriyah, I was hesitant about traveling to Saudi Arabia due to its past reputation for being highly selective about who could enter.
Although I knew about Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 — the decade-old plan to diversify Saudi Arabia’s oil-dependent economy by focusing on alternative sectors like tourism — I wasn’t completely aware of the major paradigm shift the country has been undertaking. I questioned how the country would appeal to travelers who didn’t fit the historically stringent requirements of who could receive a visa, were concerned about international headlines or were simply not Muslim.
Actually, this was my second invitation to Saudi Arabia. Since I have covered Israel many times through the years for both traditional and Jewish media, I turned down my first invite last year to avoid any possible drama at immigration. However, it turns out my stories about Platinum Heritage Tours in and around Dubai in 2024 got the attention of the marketing team for Diriyah, a multi-billion dollar lifestyle and real estate development located at the birthplace of Saudi Arabia. They said I fit the demographic they were focusing on — travelers with a passion for art, architecture, food and experiential activities looking to get outside of their comfort zone — and I agreed and decided to go.
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Staying in Diriyah
Riyadh was my entry point to Saudi Arabia, and I was curious how it would differ from Dubai and other Middle Eastern capitals. I envisioned a futuristic expression of wealth, power and ultimate luxury, and it did not disappoint. However, Diriyah, located northwest of Riyadh, took me by surprise with its low buildings, decidedly non-futuristic architecture and open pedestrian spaces. Picture Palm Springs if it were just outside downtown Los Angeles. It also reminded me of Santa Fe, New Mexico, with its stylistic adherence to building codes mandating historic authenticity and beautifully designed restaurants using local artisan pieces to wonderful effect.
My stay began at Marriott’s five-star Bab Samhan, a Luxury Collection Hotel, which features a celebrity chef-helmed restaurant, Taleed by Michael Mina. Although there are many properties in the works, this is Diriyah’s first fully operating hotel. Built on the foundation of a 300-year-old Najdi village, the property feels like a village within Diriyah’s larger expanse. Mud brick exteriors and historic design elements, including triangular and rectangular (tarma and furjat) windows and open courtyards, are elegantly offset with interior design elements such as ornate carved and painted doors, hand-dyed textiles and objects d’art commissioned from local artists.
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The development was designed as a tribute to the Saudi state’s first capital and the birthplace of the nation in the 18th century. Having read part of the Saudi Arabia Vision 2030 plan during my flight from Paris to Riyadh, it made sense that Diriyah was devised as a re-birthplace for a new Saudi Arabia with a tourism sector expanding public perception beyond oil and politics into museums, restored historic sites, experiential dining and shops specializing in locally produced treasures.
Following a breakfast of Saudi shakshuka at Diriyah’s casual dining restaurant, I spoke with Dina Nassif Chandan, director of brand and communications for the property. She explained that the hotel’s layout — encompassing 134 rooms, restaurants, spa and lounge — was designed to evoke how the area may have looked 300 years ago, bringing an extra dimension to Diriyah’s authenticity.
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And while multidisciplinary consultancy STUDIOI was the lead firm for Bab Samhan’s architectural design and construction supervision services, Chandan cited Genoa, Italy-based Andrea Marenco Architecture, as playing a key role in creating the hotel’s distinctive interiors and exteriors that bridge the new construction with the country’s heritage.
“They worked closely with our Ministry of Culture to make sure Saudi history and arts are living everywhere in this hotel,” Chandan explained. “Design firm Capsule Arts Diriyah curated and designed the interior art, drawing on local crafts, traditional patterns, and materials to enhance the hotel’s connection to heritage. Collaborations with Assouline Books, whose volumes adorn the shelves of the Samhan Lounge adjoining the lobby, add to the appeal for the sophisticated traveler.”
The crown jewel lying at the heart of Diriyah is At-Turaif UNESCO World Heritage Site, a sprawling complex of restored mud-brick palaces and ruins from the first Saudi state, brought to life through immersive exhibitions and especially striking at dusk. It faces Bujairi Terrace, Diriyah’s restaurant row with an impressive spread of Saudi and international restaurants at various price points interspersed with small boutiques devoted to local jewelers, artisans and home décor. Across from Bab Samhan, the multimedia modern art complex Diriyah Art Futures features interactive pieces and installations by local, European and Asian artists.
Beyond that, it was evident that the $63.2 billion initiative is still very much a work in progress. The Zallal and Al Samhaniya heritage districts are only partially completed. The Royal Diriyah Opera House, opening in 2028, was just beginning to take shape. Much of the trip beyond our hotel and Bujairi Terrace was dedicated to construction site inspections and model home visits in branded luxury and ultra-luxury residential districts within Diriyah’s Wadi Safar development.
Some of the big names putting down stakes in Wadi Safar include Four Seasons, Six Senses (scheduled to open this year), The Ritz-Carlton, Armani, Raffles, Baccarat Hotels & Resorts and Rosewood. Guides from the Diriyah Company estimated these properties will draw 50 million visitors in the near future and 150 million by 2030. One objective repeated several times at Wadi Safar is that high net-worth travelers will ultimately draw interest from travelers in other demographics through word of mouth.
(Elyse Glickman)
A New World of Possibilities
“The goal of Vision 2030 is to welcome the world, while bringing about a transformation of the country, (including) ‘non-oil revenue’ through enhancing the tourism sector,” explained Abdulrahman Aljefri, destination executive director at Diriyah Company, in a conversation following lunch at Aseeb, a Bujairi Terrace restaurant specializing in homespun Saudi dishes served in an elevated contemporary setting.
Ideally, Saudi Tourism’s footprint would increase the GDP to 10 percent by 2030 via the “blending heritage and lifestyle” strategy through new hotels, commercial districts, and luxury residential developments. Beyond the numbers, though, I was still wondering how that would translate into future attractions and other hotel categories.
The conversation veered toward the Saudi Visa program and website, launched in 2019, making visa access easier and more efficient for a variety of tourists. And Aljefri reiterated that Diriyah’s mission, layout and concept underscores developments happening elsewhere in Saudi Arabia, including historic sites where Christian and Jewish communities thrived centuries ago alongside the country gearing up for high profile international sporting and cultural events including the AFC Asian Cup 2027, World Expo 2030 and FIFA World Cup 2034.
“We have sun and sand, mountains, snow, forests, and culture…so much to offer to the world, but until now, no one could come visit,” Aljefri continued, exuding genuine warmth, even as he acknowledged that until 2019, only religious and business-related visas were granted. “Ultimately, we want to position Diriyah as a hub of culture and authenticity.”
(Elyse Glickman)
Agents of Change
According to Aljefri, the Diriyah Company is enacting a “huge go-to market approach” to inform and educate travel advisors serving high net-worth clientele, with face-to-face in-person and Zoom meetings and FAM trips allowing them to experience Saudi Arabia’s rethinking and rebranding in person.
“We want to give agents and advisors the tools they need and empower them to drive these objectives home for clients actively seeking new, waiting-to-be-discovered destinations around Saudi Arabia,” Aljefri said. “Saudi Arabia’s e-visa program now covers 66 countries, and while (establishing it) was the first step, the second was establishing an ‘air connectivity program,’ introducing several airline partnerships to offer direct flights from different locations around the world to create greater supply to address future demand.”
(Elyse Glickman)
Diriyah is still in its preview phase, but even now it offers a compelling glimpse into what Saudi Arabia hopes to become. The contrasts are striking — a UNESCO site set against cranes and renderings, a luxury hotel designed as a village and a destination aiming to balance heritage with a new global openness.
There’s more work ahead, both physically and culturally, before Diriyah can stand on its own as a marquee destination. But for travelers already heading to Riyadh — and for advisors watching the region’s rapid transformation — Diriyah signals a shift worth paying attention to.
The story here is still being written, and that may be its most intriguing promise.
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