Red Sea, Riyadh, AlUla
Hotel spa consultant in Saudi Arabia
Are you opening a hotel in Saudi Arabia, with a spa that has to be ready on day one? I’m a consultant in hotel spa openings and operations. I build the operation behind the spaces: treatment menu, guest journey, procedures, team and test days.
I’m based in Finistère, France, and travel for projects. I always come on site at the start of the assignment, then for testing and opening. Between visits, the work moves forward remotely.
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Around 94,000 rooms under construction or planned
The Kingdom recorded around 123 million tourists in 2025, including 29.3 million inbound visitors, according to the Ministry of Tourism’s annual report. Quality hotel stock reached 171,650 rooms in September 2025 according to Knight Frank, which also counts about 94,000 rooms under construction or at an advanced planning stage. The firm expects luxury to account for 75% of this new supply.
In the first half of 2025, national occupancy averaged 62.3% with an average daily rate of SAR 821.8, according to JLL. Riyadh then had 49,100 rooms in operation. With so many rooms arriving at once, a new spa has to find its place next to neighbours that are brand new too.
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Red Sea and AlUla, resorts where the spa is part of the stay
On the Red Sea, Six Senses AMAALA announced its first guests for mid-July 2026, with 100 suites and villas. Its spa includes a health centre, a biohacking-focused recovery lounge and a Watsu pool. Triple Bay is planned to reach more than 1,600 rooms across nine resorts.
AlUla drew 320,000 visitors in 2025, up 15% on 2024. It has 7 hotels with 1,000 keys and aims for close to 3,000 keys by 2030. In remote destinations like these, the spa is part of what guests come for.
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Saudisation and team training
Since 22 April 2026, a ministerial decision requires 100% Saudi nationals in reception roles and 50% among hospitality specialists in tourism. Hotel management roles follow, at 50% from 1 January 2028. The decision does not list spa roles, but the spa reception and its link with the front desk have to be planned with these rules in mind.
The Human Resources Development Fund (HRDF) signed an agreement with Red Sea Global in June 2025 to train 1,000 young Saudis, including in health tourism and hospitality. Written procedures and clear job descriptions help a team that is new to the trade.
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What I bring to a project in Saudi Arabia
I’ve worked on two openings where the schedule moved. In Méribel, the permanent spa fell behind schedule and I kept treatments running in a temporary spa. At Jeanne & Jules in Brittany, construction pushed the spa opening back by a month and I kept preparations on track until it opened. At the Villars Palace in Switzerland, I arrived four months before opening to build the operation of an 800 sqm spa.
On a project in Saudi Arabia, I set the opening schedule, define the roles and write the job descriptions, write the procedures and team materials, and prepare the test days. I stay on site through the first days of operation.
My full method is described on the hotel spa consulting page.
Frequently asked questions
Do you travel to Saudi Arabia?
Yes, I travel for projects, whether in Riyadh, on the Red Sea or in AlUla. The first visit always happens. Other trips follow the key stages: interviews, test days, opening.
Which languages do you work in?
I work in French and English. Procedures and team materials are written in the hotel’s working language, most often English in this market.
How does an assignment work remotely and on site?
I start on site to understand the property, the team and the project. The treatment menu, procedures, job descriptions and opening schedule then move forward remotely, with regular check-ins. I come back for test days and the first days of opening.