Latest news with #BabSamhan
CairoScene
2 days ago
- CairoScene
Diriyah's Bab Samhan Named Heritage Conservation Project of the Year
Tucked within the UNESCO World Heritage Site of At-Turaif, Bab Samhan, a Luxury Collection Hotel, has been awarded Heritage Conservation Project of the Year for its quietly powerful restoration. There's a moment, just as the call to prayer floats over the ochre rooftops of At-Turaif, when Diriyah begins to feel like a memory you've stepped back into. The light softens over the mudbrick walls, the air thickens with the scent of cardamom and dust, and the silence, somehow, starts to speak. It's here, at Bab Samhan — the first hotel to open in this storied district — that I found myself gently unravelled. Diriyah is the birthplace of the Saudi state, a UNESCO World Heritage Site whose restored adobe architecture now forms the backdrop of Riyadh's most ambitious cultural renaissance. Once a fortified city on the edge of the Wadi Hanifah valley, its historic At-Turaif district was the stronghold of the Al Saud dynasty in the 18th century. Today, it is being reimagined with almost scholarly reverence: a living, breathing centrepiece of the Kingdom's cultural ambitions. Bab Samhan sits at the very edge of this vision. Built into the bones of a former royal guesthouse, the hotel is made up of a cluster of courtyards and corridors that feel like a rediscovered private home. The kind that belongs to someone who collects stories. There are 134 rooms and suites, including 106 guest rooms and 28 suites, each designed to reflect the rich textures of Najdi heritage. Hand-dyed linens drape low wooden bedframes, ornamental lanterns cast latticework shadows across the walls, and local stone floors hold the day's coolness well into the evening. Carved Najdi motifs appear in subtle, quiet ways - above a doorframe, across a mirror's edge. Some suites open onto shaded terraces. Others frame glimpses of the old wadi, where the land still holds the shape of centuries past. Mornings began with quiet walks through At-Turaif, where curated stillness invites you to notice the small things: the uneven grooves in the plaster, the soft tread of your footsteps against ancient stone. In the afternoons, the hotel's shaded terraces became my anchor. One corner, cooled by a breeze from the valley, seemed made for quiet thinking. Another, closer to the kitchen, always carried a hint of spiced lamb or simmering lentils. The hotel's two dining spaces, Matal and Takya, follow the same philosophy as its design. At Matal, regional ingredients are elevated with subtle precision — date molasses glazed lamb, fresh figs, fragrant rice infused with saffron and rose. Takya, by contrast, leans toward a modern interpretation of traditional Najdi dishes, served in a more intimate, almost home-style setting. Both are led by chefs who understand that memory and not reinvention is the truest luxury. Dishes come without flourish, often served by hosts who will quietly tell you where the za'atar was sourced or which village still pounds the tahini by hand. One evening, I joined a walking tour led by a local guide who'd grown up in the nearby town of Al-Uyaynah. He spoke less someone remembering a childhood spent exploring the ruins before they were restored. 'We used to sneak into At-Turaif through the back,' he laughed. 'Now look at it — the whole world is walking through.' It's no surprise, then, that Bab Samhan has recently been recognised for its role in protecting and celebrating this cultural legacy. The hotel was awarded Heritage Conservation Project of the Year at The Hospitality Awards. That award may sit in a polished frame somewhere near the reception, but its real proof is everywhere, in the worn stone underfoot, in the hand-carved lintels, in the rhythm of storytelling that carries through each space. There is no spectacle. What Bab Samhan offers instead is something increasingly rare: clarity. As I checked out, the concierge handed me a small token — a bundle of frankincense wrapped in cloth, paired with a card inscribed with a line of ancestral poetry. These quiet gestures are threaded throughout a stay at Bab Samhan: subtle, rooted, and unforced. Even the turn-down service includes verses that pay homage to the region's oral traditions, quietly affirming that hospitality here is inherited. I tucked the card into my passport. And for days after, whenever I opened it, I swore I could still smell the wadi air.
Mid East Info
28-05-2025
- Business
- Mid East Info
Diriyah Company Strengthens China Tourism Links with High Profile Participation at ITB Shanghai - Middle East Business News and Information
3-day presence follows Diriyah's highly successful cultural activation in Shanghai Diriyah – May, 2025 – Diriyah Company is strengthening its tourism ties with China this week through a high-profile presence at the prestigious ITB Shanghai travel trade show, taking place from 27-29 May. The event will allow Diriyah to engage with leading Chinese travel agencies, airlines and other key stakeholders in China's rapidly growing hospitality sector. It comes at a time when Chinese visitors to Saudi Arabia are growing rapidly, with a milestone of 140,000 visitors from China to the Kingdom in 2024. This influx was driven by a simplified online visa process and growing air connectivity. It marks ongoing progress toward the Kingdom's goal of welcoming 5 million Chinese visitors annually by 2030. ITB Shanghai follows a successful three-day cultural activation that Diriyah Company hosted on a standalone site in the city where over 1,000 people had the opportunity to experience a wide range of Saudi cultural traditions demonstrated by artisans and craftsmen as well as meet the Diriyah team. Diriyah's Shanghai presence, held at the North Bund International Passenger Center, offered guests a chance to sample traditional Saudi coffee, experience the aroma of rare spices and marvel at the skills demonstrated by traditional weaving workshops. As the number of Chinese travelers to Saudi Arabia continues to grow, Diriyah is offering the opportunity for tailored experiences, from curated galleries with Chinese-speaking guides to dining in one of the many Saudi and global culinary experiences located in Bujairi Terrace and Zallal. Authentic hospitality experiences await visitors at the recently opened Bab Samhan, a Luxury Collection hotel, the first of Diriyah's nearly 40 hotels, set in a landscape that celebrates centuries of Saudi history and heritage. In October last year, Diriyah Company also participated in presenting Saudi heritage and culture to a global audience from a Chinese UNESCO World Heritage Site through its stand at the Visit Saudi pavilion during the 'Saudi Travel Festival' in Beijing, China. China is also playing a vital role in Diriyah's development with many of its leading construction firms appointed to work on several key projects across the 14 square kilometer development area. The firms include China State Construction Engineering Corporation (CSCEC) who are working on the Northern District and Royal Diriyah Opera House; China Harbour Engineering Company is undertaking bulk excavation works and a joint venture between China Railway Construction Corporation Limited Saudi Branch and China Railway Construction Group Central Plain Limited for the relocation of a number of King Saud University facilities. Diriyah stands as a symbol of the growing cultural and economic ties between the two nations and will foster and strengthen even closer links through its presence in Shanghai at ITB and its hugely successful cultural activation. About Diriyah: Diriyah, Saudi Arabia's premier historical, cultural, and lifestyle destination, is a key component of Saudi Arabia's 2030 Vision. A short 15-minute drive from Riyadh's city center, this 14-square-kilometer development holds historical significance as the birthplace of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, dating back to 1727. Currently being developed by Diriyah Company, Diriyah is undergoing a transformation into an authentic Najdi-style mixed-use urban community. Diriyah's centerpiece is At-Turaif, the UNESCO World Heritage Site inscribed in 2010, showcasing the ancient adobe capital city of the First Saudi State, dating back to 1766. Upon completion, Diriyah will host more than 100,000 residents, workers, students, and visitors, offering a diverse range of cultural, entertainment, retail, hospitality, education, and residential spaces. The first of those spaces include Bujairi Terrace, Riyadh's new premium dining hub with over 20 global and local restaurants and cafes that enjoy uninterrupted views of At-Turaif. Bab Samhan, a Luxury Collection Hotel is the first hospitality offering in Diriyah, providing a tranquil experience with panoramic views of Wadi Hanifah. Diriyah's development provides a dynamic environment that celebrates Saudi Arabia's rich cultural history. About Diriyah Company: Diriyah Company was launched in January 2023 and joined the Public Investment Fund's (PIF) portfolio of giga-projects. The Company is responsible for developing the Diriyah project, the birthplace of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its foremost historical, cultural, and lifestyle destination. A dynamic mixed-use developer, Diriyah Company is redefining urban planning to develop Diriyah, 'The City of Earth', while adhering to the highest design, development, and preservation standards. The company ensures Diriyah's cultural landmarks are complemented by world-class retail offerings, fine-dining experiences, and leading hospitality brands. As a PIF company, Diriyah Company's mission focuses on opportunities in development, hospitality, investment, retail, and office leasing, along with strategic asset management, underscoring the commitment to ensuring successful business outcomes and sustainable growth under the strategic direction of Vision 2030. The Diriyah Company actively forges long-term partnerships to realize its vision of establishing Diriyah as one of the world's greatest gathering places.
