Located in Saudi Arabia’s forthcoming “wellness haven” of Amaala, the Equinox Resort will have a magnesium salt rooftop pool and signature gym. Jenny Southan reports
Red Sea Global, the developer behind the “world’s most ambitious regenerative tourism destinations” – Amaala and the Red Sea, in Saudi Arabia – has announced a partnership with cutting-edge gym and wellness hotel creator Equinox, to open the Equinox Resort Amaala.
Designed by renowned architecural firm Foster and Partners, the Equinox Resort, in the emerging destination of Amaala, will take the form of an integrated “wellness haven” that will also welcome hotels from Clinique La Prairie, Six Senses and Rosewood.
The 128-room Equinox Resort will focus on sports, fitness and lifestyle. Highlights include a magnesium salt rooftop pool, a spa, beach club and signature Equinox fitness club (already found in cities such as New York and London).
Features of the Equinox hotel in New York (pictured below) include health-boosting minibars, a fleet of personal trainers, access to Halo Neuroscience headsets to stimulate brain function and boost performance, cryotherapy chambers and on-demand vitamin IV drips. 
The porte cochere (covered entrance) of the Equinox Resort Amaala provides a dramatic entrance for guests as they arrive by either boat or car. The hotel itself features four open courtyards, which take inspiration from traditional architecture.
The shaded courtyards, with the intelligent use of the landscape and water features, naturally cools the air allowing guests to enjoy the resort in comfort even during the warmest days. Guest rooms have been carefully planned to capture either the panoramic views of the Hijaz Cove or the marina with its super yachts and the marina promenade.
John Pagano, Group CEO of Red Sea Global, says: “Amaala brings the best in health and wellness together in an area of extraordinary natural beauty to offer exceptional and transformative experiences for guests.
“Equinox’s unique brand of luxury and fitness is a fantastic fit, allowing visitors to choose seeking self-improvement during their stay, getting back to nature on land or at sea, or simply enjoying quiet moments with loved ones in comfort and privacy.”
The Equinox Resort Amaala will be located in the Amaala Marina Village, which has also been designed by Foster and Partners. It will feature a collection of luxury hotels, villas and condominiums all set in a “lively retail precinct with stunning marina views”. 
The Village, part of the wider Triple Bay development, has been designed to adopt the best elements of local architecture such as narrow winding streets that have been orientated to capture and channel breezes, offer shade and filter light, delivering natural climate control to enhance the comfort of guests.
The Red Sea is situated along Saudi Arabia’s west coast and is home to some of the most diverse and delicate natural environments. Red Sea Global has put protection and regeneration at the center of its development ethos.
It aims to achieve a 30 per cent net conservation benefit by 2040, which will be achieved by enhancing biologically diverse habitats including mangroves, seagrass, corals, and land vegetation. This commitment is seen throughout the design and careful planning of Amaala.
Phase One of Amaala – focused on the Triple Bay masterplan – is well underway, with the first guests set to be welcomed in 2024. It will consist of eight resorts offering upwards of 1,200 hotel keys.
Once complete, Amaala will be home to more than 3,900 hotel rooms across 29 hotels, and approximately 1,200 luxury residential villas, apartments, and estate homes, supporting high-end retail, fine dining, wellness and recreational facilities.