Hotel Development, the NEOM division responsible for building a future-centric hospitality ecosystem in the northwest corner of Saudi Arabia, has signed its inaugural hotel partner, Ennismore.
With a blank canvas and no legacy infrastructure, Hotel Development will capitalize on the region's potential to establish a new era for the industry – one of imagination and a sense of duty to guide and inform how humanity engages with our world. The division will also support NEOM's bold ambitions to attract more than five million visitors by 2030.The agreement signed with Ennismore, the world's fastest-growing lifestyle hospitality company, corresponds with Hotel Development's main goal of establishing global partnerships. The inaugural tie-up will see two of Ennismore's iconic brands – 25hours Hotels and Morgans Originals – open properties in TROJENA, NEOM's mountain tourism destination that features a ski village.
"Hotel Development aims to accelerate human progress by redefining how we travel, stay, and live. Our partnership with Ennismore echoes our mission to pioneer in the space of experiential hospitality in a way that shapes the future of hotels in the Kingdom and beyond. With a shared passion for developing differentiated and imaginative hospitality concepts, we look forward to seeing this relationship – and others like it – flourish."
-Chris Newman, Executive Director, Hotel Development at NEOM
Philip Gullett, Executive Director and Region Head, TROJENA, said: The mountains of TROJENA are set to become one of the most awe-inspiring destinations the world over. Both 25hours Hotels and Morgans Originals are ideal brands for TROJENA as we look to deliver extraordinary experiences for residents and visitors seeking luxury, adventure, entertainment, livability, and escape from the status quo.
"25hours Hotels and Morgans Originals are lifestyle brands rooted in creativity, bringing design-focused spaces and authentic culinary experiences, creating deep connections with our guests. As we grow globally, we are excited for our brands to open in TROJENA, a unique setting, which will attract both local and international visitors."
-Gaurav Bhushan, Co-CEO of Ennismore
The 25hours team, together with founder Christoph Hoffmann and Berlin's Studio Aisslinger are working on a bespoke story and design concept for TROJENA. The narrative is inspired by the futuristic architecture of the building and will include nods to science-fiction movies as well as to the alpine heritage of the brand. The 25hours Hotel will have an in-house cinema, a farm-to-table restaurant, a bike workshop with co-working, as well as a rooftop restaurant with pool.
The Morgans Originals hotel will be designed to transport guests from the surreal and natural landscapes of TROJENA, into a world rooted in the iconic cultural legacy of the brand. The hotel will feature four world-class dining outlets and a 2,000-meter destination spa and bathhouse, in addition to an architecturally significant ski slope roof and rooftop pool bar overlooking the dramatic TROJENA mountains. The hotel will also feature an eight-story vertical core with microclimates and immersive art experiences that will showcase the individuality of the brand.
Early enabling construction works have already commenced in TROJENA, with the main construction work on the ski village due to begin at the end of 2022. In addition to hospitality, the village includes residential components centered around a public plaza, as well as high- end retail and dining experiences. The sides of the mountain extend onto the roof of the village, creating a stunning ski slope skyline that can be activated year-round through various adventure sports facilities.
Tasked with driving the establishment of a world-class tourism sector, Hotel Development aims to serve the diversification goals of Saudi Vision 2030. In addition to forming strategic partnerships, the division will work alongside tourism sector partners on nurturing ambitious talent and proud Saudi ambassadors who will form the bedrock of the industry. Championing a culture of diversity and expertise, the division aims to build an ambitious workforce empowered to ideate boldly and reimagine hospitality from the ground up.
About NEOM
NEOM is an accelerator of human progress and a vision of what a new future might look like. It is a region in northwest Saudi Arabia on the Red Sea being built from the ground up as a living laboratory – a place where entrepreneurship will chart the course for this new future. It will be a destination and a home for people who dream big and want to be part of building a new model for exceptional livability, creating thriving businesses and reinventing environmental conservation. NEOM will include hyperconnected, cognitive cities, ports and enterprise zones, research centers, sports and entertainment venues and tourist destinations. As a hub for innovation, entrepreneurs, business leaders and companies will come to research, incubate, and commercialize new technologies and enterprises in groundbreaking ways. Residents of NEOM will embody an international ethos and embrace a culture of exploration, risk-taking and diversity. For further information email media@NEOM.com or visit www.NEOM.com and www.NEOM.com/en-us/newsroom.
About Ennismore
Ennismore is a creative hospitality company with a global collective of entrepreneurial and founder-built brands with purpose at their heart. It curates and manages unique properties and experiences in some of the most exciting destinations worldwide. Founded in 2011 by entrepreneur Sharan Pasricha, Ennismore and Accor entered a joint venture in 2021 to create a new autonomous entity, with Accor holding a majority shareholding. Creating the world's fastest-growing lifestyle hospitality company, it brings together Ennismore's know-how in building brands with creative storytelling, design, and authentic experiences, with Accor's wealth of knowledge in delivering scale, network growth and distribution. Under the leadership of Sharan Pasricha, Founder & Co-CEO, and Gaurav Bhushan, Co- CEO, Ennismore comprises 14 brands - with 101 operating properties and further 137 in the pipeline - and a collection of over 150 culturally relevant and diverse restaurants and nightlife destinations. Ennismore puts innovation at the center of everything it does, with four dedicated in-house specialist studios, which obsess every guest touchpoint including Carte Blanched – a fully integrated F&B concept platform; a creative studio of interior and graphic designers; a digital product and tech innovation lab, and a partnerships and collaborations division. Ennismore has been included in Fast Company's World's Most Innovative Companies lists in 2020 and 2021; ranked #29 in FT1000: Europe's Fastest-Growing Companies; and is part of FT Future 100 - the UK's fastest-growing businesses that are shaping the future of their sector. The Ennismore brands: 21c Museum Hotel, 25hours Hotels, Delano, Gleneagles, Hyde, JO&JOE, Mama Shelter, Mondrian, Morgans Originals, SLS, SO/, The Hoxton, TRIBE and Working From.