Minor Hotels is planning a new hotel in Saudi Arabia after reaching an agreement with the Diriyah Gate Development Authority (DGDA) to open an Anantara Hotel in Diriyah.
William Heinecke, chairman and founder of Minor International, the parent company of Minor Hotels, said the hotel will be a part of Diriyah Gate, a large project in terms of scale and luxury which focuses on local residents and international tourists.
Minor Hotels, a hotel owner, operator and investor, currently has 529 hotels and resorts in 56 countries across Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Indian Ocean.
It has signed a memorandum of understanding with DGDA to develop the hotel under its luxury Anantara brand.
Diriyah is set to become the historic hub of Saudi Arabia and will showcase over 300 years of the country's history through culture, heritage, hospitality, education, shopping and dining experiences for residents, tourists, and frequent visitors.
Located just outside the Saudi capital of Riyadh, DGDA is preparing to use more than 11 square kilometres of Diriyah to develop the world's largest cultural and lifestyle development.
The project will include 38 hotel brands, over 100 restaurants, and more than 400 luxury retail brands and souk offerings.
Anantara is currently in the final stages of designing its new property.
Anantara Hotels has a portfolio of 10 hotels in the Middle East, including Anantara Qasr Al Sarab Desert Resort in the Liwa Desert in the United Arab Emirates, Anantara Al Jabal Al Akhdar Resort in Oman, and Anantara Banana Island Resort Doha in Qatar. There are also four properties in the pipeline.
Jerry Inzerillo, group chief executive of DGDA, said the presence of Anantara will be part of Diriyah's world-class collection of luxury hotels in the heart of Saudi Arabia's cultural birthplace.