Dar Tantora: The Future of Luxury, Written in Mudbrick

They’re redefining the meaning of modern luxury by reviving 800-year-old mudbrick homes into 30 guest ‘Dars’ in the heart of Al Ula’s Old Town.

This is 𝗗𝗮𝗿 𝗧𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗮 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹 by Kerten Hospitality.

A sanctuary of heritage in Saudi Arabia’s ancient desert.
And it’s rewriting the rules of modern hospitality.

But not by going bigger.
By going deeper.

In AlUla’s Old Town, where ancient civilizations once thrived, Dar Tantora The House Hotel rises quietly among time-worn walls, a living masterpiece bridging Saudi Arabia’s past and its visionary future.

Each of its 30 restored Dars is a chapter of memory, blending traditional Arabian design with modern comfort. Built using mud-brick techniques, the property champions sustainable, low-impact hospitality. Interiors are adorned with traditional frescoes, Persian carpets and wooden furniture. Every courtyard and corridor tells a story of craftsmanship, culture, and resilience.

“Rather than impose on history, we worked with it, restoring the village so guests can feel its soul again.” — Shahira Fahmy Architects - SFA

Here, time isn’t measured in hours,
but in texture, scent, and silence.
Dar Tantora doesn’t just preserve history.
It translates it.

• No excess. Only essence.
• No spectacle. Only soul.
• No division between luxury and heritage, only harmony.

Natural materials and hand-finished plaster meet discreet modern comforts, even hidden air-conditioning designed to preserve the village’s rhythm.

Guests don’t just stay here, 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦.

They’re greeted by the scent of earth and oud.
They choose a fragrance for their Dar,
a vinyl record for the evening,
a pace that matches the desert wind.

Meals draw from local gardens and are crafted with care at 𝗝𝗼𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗼𝘀, the hotel’s signature restaurant, now officially recognized by the MICHELIN Guide with a Bib Gourmand distinction, celebrating creativity, authenticity, and value.

A collaboration between Chef Jaume Puigdengolas Rey, a MICHELIN-starred visionary, and Chef Clint M.R, Joontos reflects what Kerten Hospitality stands for: innovation rooted in locality, food that feels like the land it comes from.

Named after the ancient Tantora sundial, once used to mark the seasons, the hotel reminds us that true hospitality moves with nature, not against it.

Recognized by TIME as one of the World’s Greatest Places of 2024,
Dar Tantora proves the future of luxury won’t be written in marble,
but in mudbrick, memory, and meaning.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗵𝗼𝘀𝗽𝗶𝘁𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗹𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀?
• Heritage is innovation.
• Silence is the new service.
• Guests don’t seek escape, they seek essence.
• Sustainability is a philosophy, not a feature.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝗮𝘄𝗮𝘆?
True luxury isn’t what you build, it’s what you restore.
Dar Tantora The House Hotel isn’t accommodation.
It’s an awakening.

How do you see the meaning of luxury evolving as travelers seek more presence, purpose, and place?