Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve — Hotel in Tabuk Province

My family had just finished a 6-day stay at Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve. It was a perfect stay, except for the daytime heat, especially in the afternoon, but meanwhile, we had not seen a single cloud in our 6 days’ stay. ||Although our experience of landing at Riyadh airport was not pleasant at all, landing at RSI (Red Sea International Airport) was a completely different story. All flights in and out of RSI use tarmac, with no bridge connecting to the terminal. After we walked down mobile stairs, we saw one worker holding a big sign that read “ Red Sea Guests”. Following his direction, we entered a sunken garden leading to two automatic doors. Entering that door, we went through a walkway, then another auto-door, and entered a huge hall like a gallery with several workers greeting us. They confirmed our name and resort, and we sat on a sofa and enjoyed the Arabic coffee/tea and dates. They took our luggage tag and told us they would get it and directly send it to our villa. ||After a five-minute rest and chat, the chauffeur team escorted us to a Mercedes EQS 450 sedan fleet waiting outside. Five of us took two sedans. We arrived at Turtle Bay Resort after a 15-minute drive and were led into a waiting room for the speedboat. We stepped outside, took some pictures of the resort beach, and they came to tell us the boat was here. From the waiting room to the pier is about 300 meters; they still send buggies as transportation. And without touching any of your bags or luggage unless you want to, you are on the boat to the resort. ||It took 30 minutes for the speedboat trip to Nujuma pier. The view on the trip was phenomenal. We saw several islands in large-scale construction. Probably another 4-5 hotels/resorts are coming this or next year. ||Several people were waiting for us at the pier welcoming centre, including Director of Rooms, Mr. Suniel, and our Personal Host, or Nujma, Cynthia. We were offered ice-cold mocktails, Watermelon Rosé, and refreshing towels. Cynthia led us to the buggy after a short chat. There’s no check-in process since our passport information was emailed to the resort before departure. So we were taken to our villa right away. ||Our first three nights stayed in the 2-Bedroom Reserve Beach Villa. It is huge compared to all one-bedroom villas we have stayed in the Maldives or Thailand, or even French Polynesia. The resort page listed 229 sq meter but that definitely does not include the deck, pool, and outdoor space. Just the pool is a good size, which is listed as 45 sqm on the website. There are separate living/dining areas, a kitchen, and a powered room. A king bed master bedroom with a sitting area and a double vanity bathroom with a separate tub, and two queen beds in the second bedroom have sitting areas too and separate bathrooms without tubs. There are two decks. The big deck has a pool and an outdoor dining table, sofa, and loungers. Another smaller deck is only accessible from the second bedroom with two loungers. Outside of the pool deck, there are some small trees and then it is a white sandy beach, which is so beautiful beach as only in dream. There are two outdoor showers, one enclosed and one exposed, which I don’t understand why. ||The breakfast is included in the Sita restaurant. There are six domes in this restaurant, one is the kitchen and bathroom, one is the welcome centre without A/C, one with outdoor seating and a traditional bread oven. There are two indoor A/C seating rooms, and the last one I can’t remember. Breakfast is à la carte with plenty of choices. Since summer is the low season and the whole resort only had a few guests, most of the time we were the only table having breakfast in Sita. ||Dinner we had at Maia for the first two nights and the last. Restaurant Jamaa and Maia are actually together, but Jamaa has outdoor seating and Maia has indoor seating. We actually ordered from Jamaa’s menu while sitting in Maia. The Maia menu was simple with drinks and light bites. Both restaurants are beside a public swimming pool, sunset beach, and Cabana area. The kids’ and teens’ club is in another building beside. Jamaa’s menu has quite a few options, and they could even make them to order. The catch of the day we had on day one was sea bass, and the last day we asked for still sea bass. So I asked if there is grouper available; they said they could get it from the seafood restaurant Tabrah and cook it. They still charge the menu price, which was very nice. Thanks to the staff at Maia/Jamaa, including Capuccino, Barry, Prasenjit, Fareen, Dominic, and others. All of them are very nice, kind, and helpful. ||The third night, we had dinner at Tilina Seafood Restaurant on St. Regis Island. Cynthia booked a shuttle boat for us per our schedule since it is low season. Tilina’s menu was a little limited. But they also allowed us to order some appetizers from their Beach Club restaurant menu. Darias, Tilina’s manager, was very nice and kind, as was our waitress, Karen. We felt very welcomed even though we were guests from Nujuma. About the menu, I like the scallops the most. The U5 prawns were so large, almost like small lobster size. The wagyu was good too. The restaurant was built overwater, and you could have a very nice sunset view right from inside. ||We also had one dinner at Nujuma’s Tabrah seafood restaurant. Tabrah’s menu has more choices than Tilina’s. We had the Poached Seafood Platter, which is tasty and good for a large group. The Red Sea Catch grouper is also very good. We had Naro as our waiter. He is nice and professional, always talking with a smile. Michael, the restaurant manager, also helped serve our table, and he is so nice that he waived the charges for our desserts. ||Our last day’s breakfast at Sita was memorable. All Sita staff came to say goodbye, including supervisor Agostina and Mubashia. Cammelle, as their representative, sent each of us a gift and a handwritten card, which was so touching. Venessar and Ohud were also very nice and kind. Hatim was there for the first two days, but unfortunately, he went on vacation, so he didn’t say goodbye. Also, thanks to all the other staff of Sita, since breakfast is included. Sita was the busiest restaurant in the morning. But all the staff did a great job, and the service was fast and precise. Big thanks to all of them. ||About the activities and excursions, I had two two-tank dives with Galaxea Diving Center on site. Also, my family had an Outer Reef Guided Snorkeling trip. All the activities we booked were supposed to be shared, but since it is low season, we were the only guests on the boat in all trips. The corals and reefs in the Red Sea are so vibrant, luminous, and spectacular. I can’t say it’s 100% alive, but at least 99% . Not like the corals in the Maldives, I saw quite a lot of dead corals. The place we dived and snorkelled called Al Jadir, meaning Wall in Arabic. It is 22km long of coral walls and reefs. My dive guide/buddy is Baya. He is so nice, humble, professional, and thoughtful. He prepared everything for you and explained very well about all the information you need and questions. Diving and snorkelling with him was a great pleasure. ||The last two nights we moved to the Overwater 2-Bedroom Villa. We stayed at Villa #41. The indoor layout is the same as the beach villa. The outdoor area is smaller, but the views are breathtaking. Most of the time, the ocean is so calm. It is luminous with Tiffany blue and gem green. Swim in the pool and, looking out, it is like being in paradise. ||In the Neyrah Spa on-site, I had Deep Tension Relief massages after my dive. The massage was good, and the facilities at the spa are top-notch. They have indoor and outdoor jacuzzis, dry and steam saunas, rainforest showers, and heated Arabic-style stone beds. Most of the facilities are accessible by all adult guests on the island; you don’t need to book a spa to use. Just contact your personal host to book for you. ||The Gym Center is beside the spa and opens 24 hours a day. ||My daughter was interested in a mixology lesson, so we booked it for her before dinner at Maia. That was a lot of fun for her, and all of us enjoyed it. Bartender Barry and Dominic did a great job. Both of them are very nice and helpful. ||My son tried to learn stand-up paddleboarding, and Cynthia booked it for him with the WAMA sport center at Sunrise Beach, which is on the other side of Sunset Beach and the Maia restaurant, facing towards the ring of OWV. Center manager Penny prepared everything for him and gave him a short but good instruction. She also stepped into the water to show him how to get on/off the board correctly and how to get up from a knee-down position to stand up, which is highly appreciated. My son had a good first try on the SUP. ||Cynthia also booked a stargazing session for us since my son and daughter are very interested in it. The Astronomer onsite did a great job. He set up the telescope on the beach outside of Conservation House. He also explained a lot of knowledge about the moon, stars, and constellation movements. All of us enjoyed the session very much. I am sorry I didn’t write down his name, but he did a very good job. ||We only used the public pool once since the weather is kind of too hot for us during the mid-day. But all the staff at the pool and beach worked so hard and were helpful, including Munneb, Masittura, Murenzi, and the assistant manager Paul. They helped us set up the cabana we picked, bring the Bluetooth music box and fresh towels, and keep bringing water and complimentary drinks to us. The cabana is spacious. It has a couple of cabinets with a refrigerator and two loungers. It also has a ceiling fan, which is good because it drives away summer heat. The pool is large, and almost no one used it during our stay. The sunset beach was rocky and shallow, especially at low tide. You will need shoes to go deeper at the beach. ||Time passed so fast on the island, and very soon we had to say goodbye to all the staff who helped us for the past 6 days. We got gifts at the pier from the management and our personal host, Cynthia. Both the hotel manager, Dennis, and the director of rooms, Suniel, were at the piers to say goodbye to us. They also asked for our feelings of stay and opinions, which we really just want to say “perfect”. ||Cynthia is the best Nejma, or personal host, we have ever met. Every morning and evening, she would greet us and ask if there was anything to help. Anything we asked, she could manage to accomplish and even offer more. She is phenomenal and exceptional. Thanks a lot for her help! ||The trip from the island pier to the Red Sea airport was perfectly smooth, just as arriving. We didn’t need to carry anything until we reached the check-in counter at the airport. A big thanks to all the staff. ||Nujuma, which means Star in Arabic, is a truly Star of the Red Sea. We will remember this vacation and hope to see you in the...

From start to finish, Nujuma, Ritz-Carlton Reserve delivered an experience beyond anything we’ve ever imagined. The beauty of the resort, the thoughtfulness of the staff, the food, the activities, and the sense of complete safety combined to create memories that will stay with us for a lifetime. This is not just a stay; it is a journey into another world.||||Where Nature Meets Design||Nujuma feels otherworldly, as if you have stepped onto a different planet where architecture and nature blend seamlessly. The resort’s design frames the Red Sea in ways that make every view unforgettable. We stayed in an overwater villa that was both spacious and elegant, with a private plunge pool and direct access to the water. From sunrise to sunset, the setting made us feel like we were living inside a dream.||||The Dream Team of Hospitality||Cynthia was the heart of our stay. She anticipated our every need with such intuition that it felt like she was two steps ahead at all times. Her warmth, professionalism, and attention to detail defined our entire experience. Cynthia did not just provide service; she created memories, making us feel seen, cared for, and celebrated in every moment. She is truly the embodiment of world-class hospitality.||||Alongside Cynthia, Rishab made us feel instantly at home with his effortless kindness, and Yash consistently elevated each moment with precision and care. Like the resort itself, Cynthia, Rishab, and Yash are one to one with Nujuma, representing luxury at the highest caliber. Their presence turned what could have been just a beautiful vacation into something unforgettable.||||Senile’s leadership is evident in how seamlessly the entire team works together. Dining was equally special, led with heart by Maddie and supported by Mubashir, Daya, Vanessa, Ohud, Camille, Dominic, Prasanjit, and Cappuccino. Angelo in particular turned dining into an unforgettable experience. The housekeeping team also deserves recognition. Our villa was returned to absolute perfection morning and evening, always spotless and serene. Most impressively, the staff as a whole predicted our needs before we even voiced them. We never once had to lift a finger.||||Moments That Take Your Breath Away||From snorkeling alongside dolphins to learning the art of latte-making in a private class, every experience felt tailor-made. Our spa day was equally unforgettable. The massage we received was beyond anything we have experienced before, truly the best massage of our lives, leaving us completely renewed. And then there were the skies. Each sunset and sunrise was unlike anything we have ever seen, vivid sweeping colors as if God Himself had taken a paintbrush to the horizon. These moments slowed time, grounding us in gratitude and wonder.||||Flavors to Remember||Every meal was crafted with care and creativity, exceeding our expectations at every turn. Yash ensured that each dining experience felt personal, thoughtful, and perfectly tailored to us. Angelo brought an artistry to the food that elevated every dish, turning meals into moments to savor. Breakfasts that started our days with energy and dinners that ended them with joy were all unforgettable thanks to their dedication.||||Safe, Seamless, and Serene||Like many Western travelers, we carried concerns about visiting Saudi Arabia. But once we arrived, those fears disappeared. We felt completely safe, safer here than in many destinations around the world. Nujuma gave us not only luxury but peace of mind, allowing us to fully enjoy every moment.||||Final Thoughts||Nujuma is more than a resort. It is a dream destination made real by a dream team. We left with full hearts, unforgettable memories, and an undeniable desire to return. Without question, this was the best resort experience...

We had a fabulous stay at Nujuma earlier this month! We stayed in an overwater villa (and were upgraded from a beach villa), which was very spacious and modern and had amazing views of the Red Sea and pretty good privacy.

The hard product is amazing, but the real stand-out of the hotel is the soft product. The staff clearly has the power to go above and beyond to make guests happy and they do a great job at doing so. For example, they saw my wife and I were interested in the mocktails, Saudi coffee, and latte art - and arranged private sessions to show us how to make them. Our butler Riaj was incredible and incredibly proactive without being overbearing. The entire staff was quite sharp, knowing us and our preferences - and addressing us by name (even when we had not met them previously) - which made us feel at home.

For activities, we did it all - massages in the spa, snorkeling, paddle boarding, kayaking, stargazing, and a mangrove walk. The water sports were complimentary and straightforward and Provash always gave us drinks afterwards to make sure we stayed cool. The snorkeling was nice - we saw turtles, rays, and plenty of fish. The spa was great and they gave us a free stream room session as well. The mangrove walk was also enjoyable and we saw lots of fish, rays, and crabs.

The dining at the hotel was quite good and I thought the prices were "reasonable" for a 5* hotel in the middle of the sea. We enjoyed Sita (main restaurant) for breakfast and lunch and I even think breakfast was included even though we didn't realize that before. Hatim, Tousif, and Yash took great care of us - and were the ones who proactively offered us Saudi coffee & latte art experiences (thank you Daya!)! The beach club for lunch everyday was great - Dominic made us great mocktails daily, Prashanjit took great care of us, and the light bites & pizza were top notch. We enjoyed the seafood restaurant, Tabrah, multiple times. The Tabrah team was incredibly attentive (big shoutout to Malvern!) and food was exceptional (the homemade butter and bread, catch of the day & the chocolate pudding dessert!)

We visited the St Regis for dinner at their Japanese restaurant. The hotels run boats back and forth so guests can eat at both hotels and the boat ride lasts about 5 minutes. The food was good and the violinist there was amazing, but we were generally happy with picking Nujuma over the St Regis.

We've stayed at many other luxury Bonvoy resorts (including in the Maldives) and all in all preferred Nujuma compared to them given the strength of the soft product, the relatively low occupancy here (~30-50% if I had to guess), and the villa itself. The snorkeling right by the hotel was definitely better in the Maldives, and there's obviously alcohol there as well (although the mocktails at Nujuma were quite good - so we didn't miss alchohol).

The only area that I'd recommend being fixed would be the arrival process. After landing, you're transferred to a boat holding room at the beach club via private luxury vehicle (which is quite nice), but once arriving at the "holding room" there wasn't much clarity on when the boat to the hotel would be leaving. We were only waiting for ~30 minutes, but the clarity on when the boat was leaving (and a shorter wait) would have been nice.

All in all we are already talking about coming back for longer. The staff was truly incredible (and feel bad that I definitely forgot some names) and I'd highly...