Minor Hotels, a leading global hotel owner, operator and investor, has entered into a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) to develop a hotel under its luxury Anantara brand.

Diriyah is set to become the historic hub of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and will showcase 300+ years of the country’s history through an engaging and inspiring set of cultural, heritage, hospitality, education, shopping and dining experiences for residents, tourists, and frequent visitors.

Located just outside the Saudi capital of Riyadh, DGDA is transforming more than 11 sq km of Diriyah into what will become the world’s largest cultural and lifestyle development, which will be home to 38 hotel brands, more than 100 restaurants and 400 plus luxury retail brands and souk offerings.

Anantara will be bringing its experience-led indigenous luxury to DGDA with a new hotel. Currently in the final stages of planning, further details of the upcoming new property will be announced soon. Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas is well known in the Middle East region through its portfolio of striking properties, including Anantara Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort in the Liwa Desert in the UAE, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort in Oman and Anantara Banana Island Resort Doha in Qatar.

William E Heinecke, Chairman and Founder of Minor International, parent company of Minor Hotels, said: “We are excited to announce our intention to be part of what will be one of the world’s most exciting and impressive collections of hotels at Diriyah Gate. This project is second to none globally in terms of scale and luxury and will bring a completely unique experience to the people of Saudi Arabia, residents and tourists alike. I look forward to working with the team at DGDA to bring this new Anantara property to fruition as part of this spectacular project.”

Jerry Inzerillo, Group CEO of Diriyah Gate Development Authority, commented: ““I am thrilled to be welcoming Anantara to Diriyah’s world class collection of luxury hotels. We are going to be providing the very best in hospitality services with an unparalleled offering of hotels and fine dining spots, right in the heart of Saudi Arabia’s cultural birthplace. Being one of the world’s most beloved brands, Anantara's unique style of hospitality is the perfect fit for the project and will be an excellent addition to what will be one of the greatest lifestyle destinations out there.”

Minor Hotels currently has ten Anantara properties in operation in the Middle East, in addition to a further four properties in the pipeline in the region. – TradeArabia News Service