Expect original art and quirky props at Saudi Arabia's first 25hours hotel in Al Khobar, plus a co-working space and retro room service deliveries. Olivia Palamountain reports

Ennismore has partnered with Tilal Real Estate Company to bring its unconventional 25hours hotel brand to Al Khobar, marking another significant expansion in Saudi Arabia's growing hospitality sector.

Slated to open in 2028, the 25hours Hotel Heart of Khobar will feature 170 guestrooms and suites, alongside 80 serviced apartments for extended stays. The development will also introduce Ennismore's co-working brand, Working From_, to Saudi Arabia for the first time, with a 2,000-sqm workspace featuring a

Working From_ member perks include free access to meeting rooms, free printing, lunch desk delivery, and access to hotel perks, including special room rates and F&B discounts.

"We are proud to announce the 25hours Hotel Heart of Khobar with our partners, Tilal Real Estate Company," says Louis Abboud, chief development officer & deputy head of IMEAT at Ennismore. "25hours launched in the Middle East in 2021 and has since redefined and reinvented hospitality in the region."

The hotel, part of a new mixed-use development designed by WATG London, will be located in central Al Khobar, a city connected to Bahrain via a 25km bridge. The property will maintain the brand's distinctive character, featuring original art, quirky props and curated objects delivered with the company's signature humour.

Guests will have access to multiple restaurants, a pool and gym, along with unique features such as an "analogue circus" experience offering nostalgic items from typewriters to Polaroids and vinyl records delivered to rooms.

Abdulrahman AlBassam, CEO of Tilal Real Estate Company, highlighted the strategic significance of the partnership: "This collaboration unites major industry players: Tamimi Group as a Strategic Investor, Ennismore as a lifestyle hospitality company, and Tilal as an urban developer. Together, we aim to infuse innovative elements into our projects to deliver exceptional and distinctive lodging experiences."

The Working From_ workspace will offer various membership options, with perks including free access to meeting rooms, printing services, lunch desk delivery, and hotel benefits such as special room rates and food and beverage discounts.

Founded in Hamburg in 2006, 25hours Hotels currently operates 15 properties across German-speaking countries, Florence, Paris, Dubai, and Copenhagen. The brand's expansion in Saudi Arabia is part of Ennismore's broader development pipeline in the kingdom, which includes projects in Trojena, Riyadh, Jeddah, and The Red Sea.

The Heart of Khobar development aims to create what AlBassam describes as "a cohesive, integrated community supporting the concept of live, play, and work in one place." He added that the project "aligns with Vision 2030 to position the Eastern Region among the most desirable Saudi cities to live in globally."