Saudi Arabia’s Ski Retreat Mountain Gets Two Marriott Hotels

Saudi Arabia’s Trojena mountains destination has announced it will house a JW and a W hotel from Marriott. They are two of many international hotels opening atop the man-made ski retreat, where Saudi plans to host the Asia Winter Games in 2029.

The W Hotel adds 236 rooms and 47 suites to the area, along with the lively venues typical at a W, including the WET Deck and Lounge. The 500-key JW Marriott Hotel, meanwhile, will have a ballroom, meeting spaces, five restaurants, a swimming pool and a spa.

No opening dates were provided.

It is the second W property signed by Marriott in the Middle East in less than two months. At the end of August, the brand was announced for Ras Al Khaimah’s Al Marjan Island, a plot that has seen a frenzy of development deals since the Wynn resort was announced there.

Marriott’s Global Recognition

According to heads at NEOM, the two Marriott brands serve to elevate the positioning of the project. “The JW Marriott will be paramount in positioning Trojena as a class-leading venue for major global conferences and exhibitions, as well as high profile events, while W Hotels will transform the way visitors of our mountain destination enjoy entertainment, culture, and culinary experiences,” said Chris Newman, Executive Director of NEOM Hotel Development.

Trojena thus far has five other confirmed hotels, all operating at the top end of the market. An Anantara from Minor Hotels, a super-modern Chedi resort from GHM, a Collective Retreats outpost, and a pair of hotels from Ennismore make Trojena a highly concentrated area for luxury properties.

Planned to open in 2026, Trojena promises three months of winter snow skiing, from December to February. At the time of announcing the Asia Winter Games, when the plausibility of winter sports in the Gulf nation was questioned, Nadhmi al-Nasr, the NEOM chief executive, said: “Trojena will have a suitable infrastructure to create the winter atmosphere in the heart.”