Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Tripadvisor gives a Travellers’ Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travellers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor.
Located in the Northwest of Saudi Arabia, Habitas AlUla is nestled among an ancient oasis in a desert valley surrounded by spectacular sandstone cliffs and palm groves with pathways leading up to one of 96 guest rooms, reception, a yoga deck, wellness and fitness centers, restaurant and a swimming pool. Every room is made from ethically sourced organic materials that blend seamlessly into the natural surroundings with minimal disruption and a sustainable programming leaving no trace on the environment. Our programming is the backbone for creating magical moments for us. Our six programming pillars, which include: wellness, adventure, culture, learning and F&B are authentic collaborations with the local culture and nature. Tama, the restaurant, is a place to come together and experience an immersive culinary journey through time. With farm-to-table practices and sustainable agricultural methods. The food & beverage concept infuses Saudi & Middle Eastern cuisine, using local, fresh ingredients, such as spices once traded along the incense route, bringing Saudi Arabia’s unique flavors to life.
Star ratings are intended to indicate the general level of features, amenities, and services to expect. This property is classified according to Giata.
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Nestled in a picturesque and natural setting, Our Habitas AlUla captivates guests with its serene atmosphere and commitment to cleanliness, featuring sustainable, plastic-free accommodations. While the unique layout and comfort of the rooms receive some praise, there are concerns about service inconsistencies and amenities not meeting expectations.
The hotel's value is questioned by many due to high costs and experiences that some reviewers find underwhelming. Despite the allure of exceptional amenities like the stunning pool, issues with service and transportation are noted.
Location
Picturesque
Atmosphere
Serene
Rooms
Uncomfortable
Value
Expensive
Cleanliness
Immaculate
Service
Inconsistent
Amenities
Relaxing
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In the past few months i stayed in banyan tree and i decided to try Habitas this time and I must tell I had an enchanting stay at Habitas AlUla, I would like to especially mention the lady with red hair I'm so sorry, I’ve forgotten your name. The warm welcoming ceremony brought tears to my eyes. It truly touched my heart, as this was a healing trip for my husband and me.
While I noticed that there weren’t enough staff in the lobby at times, It’s clear that everyone was committed to providing the best possible experience. A heartfelt thank you to Samer and Fatima for helping us to get a car.
Overall, our time at Habitas AlUla was unforgettable, and I’m deeply grateful to all the staff who made it so special. Thank you for creating such a memorable and healing experience for us!
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Our Habitas, Owner at Our Habitas AlUla
Responded Jan 13, 2025
Dear laren987, We are truly honored that you chose to stay with us at Habitas AlUla, and we’re deeply touched by your words. It’s wonderful to hear that the welcome ceremony had such a profound impact on you and your husband, and that we were able to create a healing experience for both of you. We are grateful for your understanding regarding the staffing levels in the lobby, and we will continue to work on ensuring smooth service throughout our property. I will also make sure to pass along your heartfelt thanks to Rinad (red hair), Sammar and Fatima, who will certainly appreciate your recognition. Thank you again for your thoughtful feedback, and we hope to have the privilege of welcoming you back for another unforgettable stay in the future. With Love,
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What’s not to like about Habitas….it’s absolutely incredible! We were greeted warmly by the staff. Everyone was so kind and accommodating. There are so many daily activities to participate in, or you can just relax at the spectacular pool and take in the magnificent cliff views, or treat yourself to a spa service. I recommend renting your own car at the airport. You can drive to all the sights. You don’t need a SUV to visit the Rainbow Arch, Elephant Rock and Hegra. Park in the Hegra car park and then you will transfer to a larger vehicle to see the sights. The breakfast at Habitas is outstanding, especially their ginger yogurt with honey, berries, walnuts and pistachios. Their green juice is also very tasty. There are so many choices you really can’t go wrong. Dinner was also delicious. We shared the wild salad, roasted cauliflower with lentil purée, and the mixed grill. Two lamb chops, two beef skewers, two chicken skewers, accompanied by grilled vegetables. The rooms are impeccable with everything you need, minbar, snacks, coffee, tea, robes, slippers, and lovely bath products. The beds are extra large and extremely comfortable. Their linens and pillows provide a dreamy night sleep. We’ve been fortunate enough to have had the opportunity to stay at some of the most amazing resorts around the world in 105 countries. Habitas in Alula has made it in our top ten destinations in the world.
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Date of stay: December 2023Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Free valet parking.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Charles Saliba, General Manager at Our Habitas AlUla
Responded Jan 4, 2024
Dear Resort262249, Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We’re thrilled to know that you enjoyed everything about your stay. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind comments to the rest of our team and look forward to welcoming you back soon! With love
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My expectations and what I received were misaligned. Billed as a luxury resort, this felt more like an upscale cabin. The setting was gorgeous and the property had many nice touches, such as the electric bikes. Having visited other resort properties in the region that have desert backdrops, the comparison is stark. The rooms at Habitas are not solidly built. Rain and wind kept me up most of the night both nights of my stay. The roof rattled loudly. The room was very cold during the winter months. The floor was creaky much like a cabin and there was no privacy in the bathroom which featured floor to ceiling windows with no shades. I could see people walking and in other villas as I showered. The price was astronomical for what you receive, especially during high season. Priced at around $1500 a night, the cost included breakfast, lodging, and a daily schedule of activities like yoga and meditation. Similarly priced Bedouin style villas in Dubai feature private pools, full board dining, activities each day, and a solidly built large private villa with a 5-star bathroom and bedroom. The concept in Al Ula is wonderful but execution leaves a lot to be desired, especially at the high price tag. Al Ula itself is beautiful but it is difficult to take advantage of the sites from this property. There are no tours or transportation services. The property would benefit from better integrating into the Al Ula cultural, historical, and natural sites and provide guests services to enjoy the local environment, as well as shuttle transportation from the local airport which is about 45 minutes away, and the downtown area, which is about 25 minutes away. Highly recommend a rental car to access this properly and avail yourself of what the rest of Al Ula has to offer.
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Date of stay: February 2024Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Charles Saliba Cluster General Manager, Owner at Our Habitas AlUla
Responded Jun 6, 2024
Dear Meaghan, Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We’re thrilled to know that you enjoyed your stay. We hope you join us again soon and look forward to creating new memories with you. With love, Our Habitas
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Having been avidly following the Instagram of here over the last few years, I was so excited to finally come with my husband. The location is stunning and the pool beautiful, but overall it felt like a massive con - hugely overcharging by appealing to people who get excited when “love” is listed as an ingredient in their water. No way is it 5 star - the room is rough and ready, seats stained, there was a very loud STC tower outside our room which was very noisy and service left a lot to be desired (eg housekeeping coming at 9.30pm and banging on our door so woke us up, very lax buggy service and disconnect with reception, slow breakfast service). No TV in room which is fine if you are advertising a cut off from the world but WiFi is fine so it seems contradictory. Small things add up and what I found was I guess what could be described as “inauthentic”. Says it’s eco but you have to drive everywhere to get around, lamb is from ‘New Zealand’, and the collective carbon footprint of all guests getting there must be massive when you’re advertising in America. Saudi Arabia is an amazing country and it’s a shame not more is celebrated about its culture. Positives - food delicious (although why so little Saudi?) and pool as beautiful as the pictures. Also, the massage was amazing even if our energy needed cleansing first. It’s an amazing place with so much potential but somehow misses the mark and we left feeling like we’d been part of a very clever scam.
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Date of stay: October 2024Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Make sure your room isn’t by the STC tower.
Tips for owners:
Customer service training for...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
While the property itself—set in a stunning location with spacious, clean villas—is truly impressive, my experience at this 5-star hotel was far from what I expected given the price and reputation. Unfortunately, the lack of attention to guest service and poor communication overshadowed what could have been a much more enjoyable stay. Don't think about it as a premium boutique hotel - it's a 100 villas resort! Imagine having only 15 sunbeds at the deck for 100 villas with 200 people in the resort and they also welcome guests from outside the hotel...
Despite multiple attempts to reach the hotel via both email and WhatsApp, I received no responses to my inquiries before and during my stay. In the hospitality industry, prompt and effective communication is key, but the hotel staff completely failed in this regard, leaving me frustrated and unsure of the details of my booking.
For a special occasion, I requested a birthday cake to be delivered to our villa. Not only was the delivery late—well beyond the promised time—but when it finally arrived, there was an error in the message written on the card. These small yet significant touches were completely mishandled, and it felt like no effort was made to make the celebration feel personal or special.
The biggest issue, however, was the lack of coordination among the staff. It was clear that communication between departments was non-existent, and this lack of synergy resulted in several avoidable errors and delays. At a luxury property, this level of disorganization is simply not acceptable.
While the villas are spacious and well-maintained, and the surrounding area is gorgeous, the service falls far short of what you'd expect from a 5-star hotel. For the price, the overall experience doesn't justify the cost, and I left feeling that the hotel could not live up to its premium branding.
If you’re looking for a relaxing stay in a beautiful location, the property itself may still be worth considering, but don’t expect great customer service or attention to detail. Unfortunately, the lack of professionalism and service left me disappointed and unlikely to return.
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Date of stay: November 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Don't expect too much from this hotel especially regarding the service and food. There are 15...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
A truly hidden gem in AlUla. Visited AlUla for the second time and had never been this amazed by the overall elements of the resort itself, from the epic location that is surrounded by wonderful mountainous rocks, a very comfy room plus the beautiful outdoor shower room, and especially the hospitality of the staff.
Thank you, Ibrahim for driving me around and to my room with the buggy
Thank you, Melanie and Reyan who work at the cafe and gave me a lemonade boost for the hot summer day when I was feeling hot
Thanks to Amir, Riza, and the Tama Restaurant team for always assisting me with my breakfast requests and especially! for arranging the birthday surprise for me the other day. That meant a lot!
and thanks to Freeman the lifeguard and Charline (idk if I spelled the name right) the restaurant manager who were looking after me right when I had my nose bleed from hitting the pool
and Mishari, the security supervisor came the next day to make sure that I was ok after the accident.
This whole stay experience was just beyond my expectations! Not to count the sustainable-oriented villas that they offer, I didn't find any single plastic products in my villa, there was no TV installed. This is something we need to embrace to support sustainability, especially for high-end and luxury resorts these days. Didn't expect to have such an environment awareness mindset in AlUla which is a good sign, for its tourism and its people's future.
The view for sunrise and sunset was just unreal and serene I can't stop to keep staring at the landscape during my stay.
The art installations are really beautiful and we can practically use them, my favorites are the swings and the jumping board thingy.
Just for one suggestion, they should have more than one restaurant to consider the entire resort has 100 villas. and more variety of food offer because Tama Restaurant has very limited food options for the guests.
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
Rooms
Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Unfortunately Habitas was a big disappointment to us. Altough the setting is magical, the infrastructure of the hotel appears to be of poor standard, the walls are very thin, and the disposition of the room (we stayed in one of the Celestial Villas), especially in terms of wardrobe (very small space, somewhere over the minibar) no door) and bathroom (no separate toilet) is very disappointing (cf. pictures). The concierge service was very inefficient, and didn’t help much (if at all). Each time we wanted to book an activity, we got directed to the local tourist office to do so on our own (quite unusual for a hotel of this standard (and price)). Another big point is transportation: before arriving we were told that transportation to each activity would be arranged by the hotel, which we thought being a shuttle service from the hotel (since nobody told us about extra charges for transportation). Upon arrival we were told at the check-in that, the suggested transportation was a very pricy external service, and that it would be much cheaper to rent a car. When we tried to rent a car, after being directed to different car rental services by the concierge service (again no help here), we had to find out that no car was available anymore, and that we had no choice but to go with the expensive external transport service (every day, a couple of times). In terms of restaurant (we stayed at Habitas for one entire week), there is only one option for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The menu is very small, and the food was average. In summary, Habitas is definitely not worth its price.
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Date of stay: November 2023
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Charles Saliba, General Manager at Our Habitas AlUla
Responded Nov 16, 2023
Dear F3716BUsimones, Thank you for your detailed feedback. We are sorry to hear that the resort's design was not to your liking. Concerning the concierge services, we have carefully considered your comments and are working alongside the team to ensure we fix these glitches. We are thankful for your contribution in this matter. As for the menus, we are in the process of enhancing them to include more options. We do hope you choose to visit us and allow us to make up for the experience you had. With Love,
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Aman style rates, holiday inn service. Facilities and food are great, but don’t be fooled this is not a luxury experience. The hotel has 100 rooms, the check in experience is reminiscent of a souk where the sellers are not interested, hotel is very big and requires an uphill 30 minutes walk side to side, availability of buggies relies on a 1 in three change of front desk remembering to send one, e-bikes required 6 follow up calls to get delivered. Restaurant is overwhelmed and understaffed, table and pass do not get cleaned, we had to witness fellow diners standing at the pass yelling at the chef for food.
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Date of stay: January 2025Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Don’t expect good service - allow plenty of time and calls for buggies
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Our Habitas, Owner at Our Habitas AlUla
Responded Jan 13, 2025
Dear Enrico, We’re pleased to hear that you enjoyed our facilities and food, but we sincerely apologize for the challenges you encountered during your stay. We truly value your input, as it helps us identify areas for improvement. We understand that the check-in experience and the overall service at the property did not meet the high standards we strive for. We deeply regret the delays with the buggies and e-bikes, as well as the issues at the restaurant. We are actively working to enhance these services and ensure that both the efficiency and the quality of service reflect the experience we wish to offer our guests. Your comments regarding the staffing and the general layout of the property have been noted, and we will work to make improvements to ensure smoother experiences for our guests in the future. We sincerely appreciate your feedback and hope to have the opportunity to welcome you back in the future with an improved experience. Warm Regards,
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Now, don't get me wrong, I have had some great family holidays at various Haven sites, but they are more designed for entertainment and action, whereas Habitas is geared towards Zen and relaxation. We stayed at the 'caravan site', but that is not really doing it justice. A well spaced set of airstream in a stunning location. Overall, it is very difficult to fault. Marvellous food. Whether it be breakfast on the caravan site or going up to Tama restaurant on the main site. There are plenty of zen activities to do each day, including yoga and outdoor, rock face cinema. Transport between the 2 sites for use of the pool, etc., was very well organised. If you are looking for a 'chill' location, with lots of added local attractions to break up the calm, this is an excellent choice. The only downside? It is not cheap!
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Date of stay: November 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Obviously best to go in the cooler part of the year.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Our Habitas, Owner at Our Habitas AlUla
Responded Dec 21, 2024
Dera Pwillholme, Thank you for your review. We’re delighted that you enjoyed the serene atmosphere, the food, and the variety of activities offered. We aim to create a peaceful retreat with convenient transport between sites and unique experiences like our outdoor cinema. We appreciate your feedback on value and hope to welcome you back for another relaxing stay. With Love,
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My wife and I decided to write a review because there is too much feedback only on Instagram. The resort is beautifully located in Ashar Valley. There are also many art installations in the resort (they are interesting and beautiful), which more or less attract Instagram tourists. When we arrived at the resort, we unfortunately encountered rush hour check in and check out. Unfortunately, we did not receive any genuine or personal welcome from the employees. Which ones did we enjoy in CARAVAN by Habitas. Check in was quick. From the employee's side, everything was just blurted out about what is in the resort and what is happening at any time, all too quickly for me to even understand. The staff took us to the villa in a buggy. Where he just dropped us and our bags off and left. No explanation about the villa or anything else. Because of this, we got a very bad opinion about everything in the beginning. But later it turned out that there are also warm-hearted people in the resort who work hard to create a pleasant stay. Even the free activities were great. As far as the food is concerned, it is average for such a resort standard, I think it should be more varied and more emphasis on local food. In conclusion, I would like to emphasize that not everything is bad, there are also good sides. In the resort there is peace, you can relax the soul and body. The employees who are in charge of activities in the resort contribute to this. Employees work with heart. My wife and I have been to several similar resorts in the UAE with a similar price, here is still a little missing to reach the level of the UAE resorts. I hope that the next time we meet, things will be even better.
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Date of stay: December 2023
Value
Location
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Response from Charles Saliba, General Manager at Our Habitas AlUla
Responded Jan 4, 2024
Dear Mike_NinaLj, Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment. We will share your feedback with our team for improvising our services and organizing everything in a better way. Your review means a lot to us and hope to see you back here soon. With Love
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Only hotel guests have pool access. Lovely pool. Great food in the Hôtel. Helpful if you can ride a bike as everyone goes to the public spaces by bicycle but they do come get you too. Travel arrangements can be made through Pink Panther. They are excellent.
There are more places to choose from in the AlUla area.
PRICE RANGE
C$509 - C$826 (Based on Average Rates for a Standard Room)
FORMERLY KNOWN AS
Habitas AlUla Resort
LOCATION
Saudi ArabiaAl Madinah ProvinceAlUla
NUMBER OF ROOMS
96
Prices are the average nightly price provided by our partners and may not include all taxes and fees. Taxes and fees that are shown are estimates only. Please see our partners for more details.
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