At the recently concluded Bashayer 2023 event, the Diriyah Company launched another series of remarkable assets that seamlessly integrate the past, present, and future, including the opening of Wadi Hanifah, Diriyah Art Futures and the ceremonial groundbreaking of a wide range of luxury hotels.
Located in the heart of Riyadh is Diriyah, one of the Kingdom’s flagship giga-projects that is transforming a 14 square kilometer area into a mixed-use lifestyle destination that will promote and celebrate Saudi culture. Diriyah sits as a major part of the Saudi Vision 2030 strategy, aiming to create 178K jobs and attract 50 million visitors a year.
Day 2 of Diriyah Company’s Bashayer event built on the momentum of the first. Complementing the successful opening of UNESCO World Heritage Site At-Turaif and the premier dining district Bujairi Terrace for the first time in 2022, the Bashayer event witnessed the launch of another series of remarkable assets that seamlessly integrate the past, present, and future.
Ceremonial groundbreakings for these luxury hotel offerings included the groundbreaking of The Ritz-Carlton Diriyah, Address Diriyah, Capella Diriyah and Four Seasons Hotel Diriyah. Reimagining some of the world’s most illustrious luxury brands at the heart of the Kingdom, the ceremonies demonstrated the capacity for development at Diriyah to create unique and differentiated visitor experiences.
Bab Samhan, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Diriyah, the fifth hotel highlighted during the second day of the Bashayer event and the first planned to welcome guests in 2024, stands as an unparalleled expression of authentic Najdi experience. Crafted with architectural brilliance the hotel’s design seamlessly marries tradition and luxury.
Positioned in the north of Diriyah, Bab Samhan is surrounded by the natural beauty of Wadi
Hanifah and Bujairi Terrace, with Diriyah Art Futures just across the street. Within walking distance from the UNESCO World Heritage Site At-Turaif, the hotel boasts not just a luxurious stay but an immersion into the cultural heart of Diriyah.
Bab Samhan features a total of 106 standard guestrooms, 28 suites, and one Royal Suite, each meticulously designed with an average space ranging from 35 square meters to an expansive 413 square meters.
The hotel offers a range of facilities, including a lobby lounge, ballrooms, meeting rooms, a spa with an indoor swimming pool, a gym, all-day dining options, and specialty restaurants, one of which will be operated by renowned celebrity chef, Michael Mina.
After completing rejuvenation works across more than 6 kilometers of Wadi Hanifah, Diriyah has reinforced its sustainability credentials.
Restoring the ancient valley’s natural landscape with indigenous flora and fauna, Diriyah Company demonstrates a synergistic approach to urban cultural development that protects the natural environment, while taking a sustainability-first approach to its built environment. All while elevating the quality of life for those who live, work and visit “Diriyah, The City of Earth”.
Continuing to demonstrate its role as a cultural champion, Diriyah Art Futures is the first center in the region dedicated to new media arts and establishes a dynamic hub for creative exchange and production at the heart of Diriyah.
Offering an exhibition space, educational programming focused on the intersection between arts, science, and technology, and a state-of-the art laboratory providing artists with the means to experiment and produce artworks it is set to pioneer new frontiers in the creative practice.
Located in Diriyah, it reflects the Ministry of Culture and Diriyah’s commitment to preserving the country’s unique heritage while creating opportunities for creative artistic expression.
Additionally, as a testament to the Kingdom’s commitment to celebrate its rich culture and heritage, Diriyah Company and the Royal Commission for Riyadh City also announced the Royal Diriyah Opera House during the second day of the Bashayer 2023 event.
Set to be built in the heart of Diriyah, the Royal Diriyah Opera House will be a key element of the second phase of the Diriyah masterplan, encompassing 45,000 square meters.
It will be a beacon of Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030, showcasing Diriyah as a global hub of culture and creativity, designed according to the authentic Najdi architectural style and the highest standards of sustainability in the world. Visitors also had the opportunity to immerse themselves in Diriyah’s rich history and culture.
During the second day of the Bashayer event, four of the more than 41 hotels broke ground, highlighting the progress being made on Diriyah’s Hospitality Practice. Natural extensions of Diriyah’s unique topography, these hotels are inspired by Najdi architecture and their evolved design reflects centuries of life in the valley regarded as the Birthplace of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.