Assessment: The St. Regis Purple Sea Resort

What we liked: The St. Regis Purple Sea Resort delivers polished service from the second you arrive at Purple Sea Worldwide Airport. The non-public island setting is serene, superbly landscaped, and affords an opulent various to established Indian Ocean locations, with villa choices that really feel each refined and deeply related to the ocean.

What we didn’t love: There isn’t any home reef off the seaside, so water excursions require a ship journey. Alcohol was not but obtainable on the time of our keep, and travellers searching for a full of life social ambiance might discover the resort extra mellow than anticipated.

The right way to e book: This property participates within the Marriott Bonvoy program, with with normal room redemptions costing 188,000–250,000 factors per night time.

If you’re reserving a money fee, attain out to Prince Assortment. Because the resort participates within the Marriott STARS most well-liked accomplice program, bookings by means of Prince Assortment embody complimentary breakfast for 2, a 100 USD credit score, improve precedence, and different premium perks at no further value.

The St. Regis Purple Sea Resort – About The Property

Opened in early 2024, The St. Regis Purple Sea Resort is among the first luxurious properties inside Purple Sea World’s groundbreaking, sustainability pushed growth. Set on a personal island inside the Ummahat archipelago, the resort affords solely 90 villas, giving it an intimate really feel regardless of its expansive pure environment.

The resort attracts on the idea of “regenerative luxurious,” mixing pure varieties and curves with gentle woods, coastal tones, and natural textures. Overwater Coral Villas spiral outward over the lagoon, whereas Dune Villas mix seamlessly into sculpted sand formations, making a harmonious connection between structure and panorama. The resort can be totally photo voltaic powered, reinforcing its dedication to sustainability.

The ambiance is one in every of relaxed class, balancing brilliant, ethereal areas with discreet design particulars that prioritise privateness over extravagance. Mixed with signature St. Regis butler service, it offers a elegant but relaxed island expertise.

Location

The Purple Sea area sits alongside the western coast of Saudi Arabia between the Arabian Peninsula and northeastern Africa, a couple of 1.5-hour flight from Riyadh and roughly one hour from Jeddah.

The resort sits by itself non-public island within the Ummahat Islands. Entry begins at Purple Sea Worldwide Airport, the gateway for the area.

On the airport, Purple Sea World organizes transfers for all visitors to their respective resorts. The journey to The St. Regis Purple Sea Resort begins with a 25-minute experience by means of untouched desert in a Mercedes EQS to the Turtle Bay Seashore Membership jetty, adopted by a 45-minute boat experience to the island. As soon as on the island, motion is principally by bicycle, buggy, or on foot, reinforcing the sense of peaceable seclusion.

Reserving

We skilled this property on an trade fee, however regular charges for the standard One Bed room Dune Villa with one king mattress begin at 6,615 (SAR) and up earlier than taxes, or 188,000–250,000 Bonvoy factors per night time.

The vacation spot intrigued us, each as a brand new entrant into luxurious journey area and as a substitute for the Maldives.

Pre-arrival communication was glorious. The resort reached out for flight particulars, arrival and departure occasions, and passport and visa data properly prematurely, guaranteeing a clean airport expertise. Transfers to and from the resort are typically included with most money charges. We paid for our keep utilizing Marriott present playing cards bought at a 20% low cost, which supplied further financial savings.

At Prince of Journey, we worth Marriott Bonvoy factors at about 0.8 cents (CAD) or 0.6 cents (USD). With excessive money charges at this resort, redeeming factors can be good worth.

Had we charged incidentals to a card, we might have chosen the Marriott Bonvoy American Categorical Card for its elevated Bonvoy incomes and annual Free Evening Award.

The St. Regis Purple Sea Resort is bookable by means of Marriott STARS by way of Prince Assortment, offering unique advantages similar to a 100 USD credit score, breakfast for 2, precedence for upgrades, early verify in, late try, and a personalised welcome.

The St. Regis Purple Sea Resort – Test-In Expertise

Arrival begins at Purple Sea Worldwide Airport, the place after going by means of immigration, resort visitors are welcomed right into a brilliant and open lounge providing Arabic espresso, tea, and dates. Workers collected our baggage particulars and transferred our luggage on to the resort, permitting a really seamless and relaxed switch.

We have been pushed in a Mercedes EQS to the Seashore Membership to then catch our boat switch. The water shifts from deep blue to luminous turquoise as you method, making a memorable arrival.

Managerial workers greeted us on the island pier with cool towels and welcome drinks, creating an instantaneous sense of hospitality. Our butler launched herself and guided us by means of a quick island orientation en path to the Arrival Pavilion.

The island was quiet, pristine, and superbly landscaped. Curved villas, white sand, and turquoise waters set a peaceable tone. By the point we reached our overwater Coral Villa, two bicycles have been already ready for our use and our baggage had already been positioned inside together with welcome treats.

As a Marriott Bonvoy Titanium Elite member, we acquired the next:

• Improve: Confirmed by means of a Nightly Improve Award right into a Two Bed room Coral Villa.
• Welcome amenity: 1,000 factors plus in villa treats of dates, nuts, dried fruit, and recent fruit.
• Late check-out: We didn’t want this as we have been transferring to Nujuma, a Ritz-Carlton Reserve, although the resort affords versatile timing tailor-made to a visitor’s departure.
• Breakfast: Included with our keep and usually supplied to all visitors.

The St. Regis Purple Sea Resort – Two Bed room Overwater Coral Villa

The Two Bed room Overwater Coral Villa combines brilliant coastal design with expansive indoor and outside area. Inside, the lounge options ground to ceiling home windows and comfortable, impartial décor. A curved couch and textured seating creates an inviting area for stress-free with snacks or watching a film.

Conveniences like a powder room and a discreet nook kitchenette added consolation with out disrupting the villa’s ethereal really feel. The kitchenette features a microwave, beverage fridge, sink, toaster, and tea and occasional station.

Sliding doorways result in a beneficiant terrace with loungers, a eating space, a plunge pool, and steps descending into the water. Privateness screens create a secluded retreat with out limiting views.

The primary bed room contains two queen beds. Its ensuite contains a double vainness, bathe, and freestanding tub, with décor that subtly mirrors seashells and coral textures.

The main bedroom affords panoramic ocean views, a luxurious king mattress, a spherical chaise lounge, and a writing desk.

Its grasp ensuite is anchored by a big round soaking tub, complemented by a spacious bathe, double vainness, and separate water closet. Closet area is built-in inside the lavatory, conserving the bed room clear and uncluttered. Sodashi facilities and bathtub salts additional enhanced the spa-like really feel.

Total, the villa felt expansive but cozy, best for households or associates searching for a trendy, modern overwater expertise with direct lagoon entry and ample privateness.

The St. Regis Purple Sea Resort – Meals and Drink

The resort options a number of eating venues:

• Nesma for Center Jap-inspired all-day eating
• Gishiki 45 for Japanese fare
• Tilina for a fine-dining expertise
• The Seashore Membership for informal meals
• The St. Regis Bar for night atmosphere, drinks, and stay music

Breakfast at Nesma is included with all stays and was glorious, combining an well-rounded buffet with à la carte menu for predominant dishes.

We particularly loved Grill Evening on the Seashore Membership one night time, which provided a relaxed ambiance with recent seafood and meats grilled to order.

Tilina supplied an elevated night, with dishes that have been visually inventive and flavourfully refined, whereas Gishiki 45 served glorious Japanese-inspired dishes, together with a matcha dessert that I particularly loved.

Eating costs are excessive however consistent with high-end Maldivian resorts; anticipate lunch to value round $100 USD and dinner round $250+ USD for 2 visitors. Wherever we dined, service was attentive with out being rushed, with workers rapidly remembering preferences.

Regardless of the absence of alcohol, the resort excelled in its non-alcoholic drinks. Mocktails have been flavourful and thoughtfully crafted, and we ceaselessly acquired complimentary welcome drinks at meals or by the pool, which added a heat contact to the expertise.

The St. Regis Purple Sea Resort – Different Amenities

Company can discover the island by bicycle, on foot, or by way of buggy organized by means of the butler.

The seaside is scenic with shallow turquoise waters, although the sand is barely extra coarse than in different Indian Ocean places. Alongside the shoreline, elegant wood cabanas provide shade, with inbuilt cooling followers, and ample privateness because of their thoughtfully spaced placement.

Simply off the primary seaside, two swimming pools together with an adults-only possibility, present a serene retreat overlooking the water past. The world is lined with loungers, and attentive workers provide iced water and put together seaside beds with considerate consideration as quickly as you arrive.

The full-service spa included a vitality pool, chilly plunge, lap pool, yoga pavilion, and a well-equipped fitness center. Our complimentary yoga session was distinctive, with an teacher who supplied one of the efficient stretches we have now skilled at any resort. Tennis and padel courts are additionally obtainable and complimentary for visitor use.

The Little Treasures youngsters membership is vibrant and thoughtfully designed, providing indoor and outside play areas with each day programming for kids aged 4–12 and teenagers.

Water actions could be organized by means of the WAWA Water Sports activities heart. Complimentary water sports activities embody kayaking and paddle boarding for half-hour per day. The Galaxea diving centre manages snorkelling and diving journeys to close by outer reefs, because the resort itself doesn’t have an excellent home reef.

Service all through the resort is excellent. Workers anticipate wants effortlessly, and our butler supplied a number of memorable gestures, together with bringing us a platter of mangosteen after noticing how a lot we loved them, and gifting us a boxed candle and room spray set after listening to my husband touch upon the villa’s scent.

Lastly, every night at sundown, the resort hosts the normal St. Regis sabrage ceremony on the bar, including a celebratory contact to shut the day.

Conclusion

Throughout our keep, occupancy was low because the Purple Sea area awaited expanded worldwide flight entry, which created an unusual sense of tranquil exclusivity. Whilst customer numbers develop, the resort’s considerate format and considerable area be sure that visitors can nonetheless discover their very own quiet nook of paradise.

The St. Regis Purple Sea Resort is right for {couples}, households, and travellers searching for a serene, trendy, and splendid island escape with distinctive service. For these interested in rising locations past the Maldives, the Purple Sea affords a compelling new various, and we might fortunately return because the area continues to evolve.