THE FIRST BEACH RESORT IN RAS ABROUQ WILL OPEN IN JANUARY 2024 ON THE WEST COAST IN A UNESCO SITE

December 2023 - In partnership with Qatar Airways, Our Habitas will open a new home in January 2024 in Ras Abrouq, bordering a UNESCO protected site on Qatar’s west coast. The opening marks the first Our Habitas home in Qatar and will form part of a new multi-destination hotel circuit in the region, allowing for a deeper discovery of the culture, history, diverse nature and people.

Our Habitas Ras Abrouq, is the hospitality leader’s second hotel in the Middle East, following its regional debut of an award-winning hotel in AlUla, Saudi Arabia. The Qatar Airways partnership comes off the back of Our Habitas’s recent announcement of its forthcoming three properties in Leyja, NEOM Saudi Arabia. 

The new Our Habitas home is located in an untouched region of Qatar, just over an hour’s drive west of Doha and situated at the edge of the UNESCO protected Al-Reem Biosphere Reserve. It will celebrate the brand’s core commitment to delivering Luxury for the Soul through new experiences, drawing from the country’s vibrant creative sector, while celebrating the brand’s core pillars of music, art & culture, wellness, adventure, food and learning. Only 1km from Richard Serra’s iconic sculpture, East Meets West, Our Habitas aims to use the surrounding desert as a place to stage art exhibits, one of a kind pop-up dining experiences, film screenings, concerts and more. The new home will bring visitors to the west coast of Qatar, a region of unique natural beauty not previously on the radar of travellers to the destination. 

Situated within a dramatic coastal and desert backdrop, guests at the home can choose from a selection of 42 villas, ranging from one to four bedrooms, all with private pools and large outdoor decks overlooking the Arabian Gulf. The resort will feature Qissa Restaurant, a terrace lounge, beach club and bar, wellness centre, state-of-the-art gym, watersports adventure hub, large infinity swimming pool and padel courts.

Qatar Airways Group Chief Executive Officer, Engr. Badr Mohammed Al-Meer said: “As the national carrier of the State of Qatar, we are helping propel the 2030 National Vision forward through our partnerships. Together with Our Habitas we are working to unlock the future of travel by curating one-of-a kind innovative experiences. Our Habitas Ras Abrouq, truly is a breathtakingly beautiful Qatari desert destination and now global travellers across the Qatar Airways network can experience this landscape in a unique way when they fly to Doha.”

The partnership between Our Habitas and Qatar Airways will allow luxury travellers seeking out new destinations to discover the natural wonders of Qatar, creating authentic experiences that uncover the history and rich culture. Guests will be able to immerse themselves in ancient traditions such as the craftsmanship of pottery, the art of calligraphy and Al Sadu weaving workshops, alongside watersports, desert survival training and wellness practices centred around mind and body. For those looking to uncover the destination’s emerging cultural scene, Our Habitas will collaborate with Qatar Tourism, Qatar Museums and creative institutions to curate itineraries that provide one-of-a-kind insights to both the region’s history and spotlight the emerging talent forging its future. All programming at the property will be underpinned by the brand’s commitment to developing deep human connections and delivering transformative travel experiences. 

‘Our Journeys’ is part of the company’s broader global offering of multi-destination experiences within countries to enable guests to immerse themselves in culture from every angle. The offering already exists in Mexico, where guests can traverse the country through Our Habitas homes in Tulum, Bacalar and San Miguel de Allende. These experiences feature custom itineraries, assistance with transportation to and from the properties, and special programming included within the package. Our Journey Through Qatar will maintain a similar structure, with the added benefit of integrating with Qatar Airways, which launched direct Doha to AlUla flights earlier this month. 

Our Habitas has committed to fulfilling the United Nation’s Sustainability Development Goals for the year 2030 and ensuring that all new projects align with this vision. Desert Retreat Ras Abrouq has already received recognition for its environmental conservation and achieved a notable 4 Stars rating under Global Sustainability Assessment System (GSAS) Design & Build certification, and a Class B rating under GSAS Construction Management certification.

Co-Founder and CEO Oliver Ripley comments, “Since our inception, Our Habitas has been discovering new destinations, creative talent and magical natural landscapes, and putting them together in a way that drives human connection, exploration and play. In Ras Abrouq, we found a very special place to create a home for creative expression and adventure, in one of the most unique and undiscovered natural landscapes in the world.”

Our Habitas Ras Abrouq will open in January 2024 with rates starting from $700 per night.