Skift Take

Saudi Arabia's mountain destination of Leyja promises some of the most ambitious hotels ever made. Amounting to just 120 rooms between three properties, operators Habitas say they can make a global destination of it.

Josh Corder

Saudi Arabia has laid out its ambition to build a hotel of such magnitude, allure and luxury, that travelers from the world over will come to see it. In Dubai, the emirate has the two Atlantis resorts, between them almost 2,000 rooms. In the US, historic hotels such as The Plaza sit in New York and mega-resorts fill the Las Vegas strip. But in Saudi a set of three boutique hotels will be the "global bucket list" destination of choice.

Leyja is the latest project from Neom — three hotels of 40 keys each in the mountain area near the Gulf of Aqaba. "Human connection" brand Habitas has been confirmed as the operator, and its founder and CEO has promised he will create something people will flock to.