Banyan Tree AlUla sets its 47 canyon-view villas into the Ashar Valley, the same sandstone corridor that leads to Hegra, Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site. What separates this resort from most desert luxury openings is that the astronomy isn't an add-on: Banyan Tree AlUla runs complimentary astronomer-led stargazing sessions twice a week, with real telescopes and a working astronomer, not a rental scope propped on a terrace. The resort opened in October 2022, with Mariah Carey performing at the launch party, and the stargazing program has run since that first season.
Stargazing at the Harrat Lounge
Twice a week, an astronomer sets up at the Harrat Lounge with state-of-the-art telescopes and works through the visible constellations, planets, and deep-sky objects for whoever shows up that night. It costs nothing extra, which is unusual at this price point, but seats are limited on busy weeks. Ask at check-in rather than assuming a spot is guaranteed: the desk can tell you which nights run that week and whether the session is likely to fill.
Villas built into the canyon walls
The 47 tented villas run from one to three bedrooms, and each comes with a private plunge pool and a fire pit angled toward the canyon rather than toward a neighboring unit. Interiors lean into Bedouin-inspired design, with woven textures, low furniture, and warm lighting, instead of the glass-box look many desert resorts default to. The resort's infinity-edge rock pool sits directly between two rock faces, which does more for the view than any staged photo could.
Two restaurants and a night by the fire
Dinner splits three ways:
- Saffron: the resort's Thai and international kitchen
- Harrat: regional Saudi cooking, served all day
- Bedouin tent BBQ: an evening of grilled food and live storytelling under canvas
None of the three need a reservation weeks out, but Harrat's terrace seating is the table guests ask for first, so book it a day ahead if the view matters to you.
Hegra at the gate, a certified dark sky beyond it
The Ashar Valley functions as the entry corridor to Hegra, the rock-cut Nabataean tombs that make up Saudi Arabia's first UNESCO World Heritage Site, so a Hegra day trip pairs naturally with a stay here. The wider landscape carries its own credential: the AlUla, Manara and Algharameel Nature Reserves hold International Dark Sky Park certification from DarkSky International, the first such recognition awarded anywhere in Saudi Arabia or the Gulf. That certification is why the resort's stargazing sessions are more than a nice extra: the sky above the Harrat Lounge is measured and genuinely dark, not just marketed that way. For the reserve's full night-sky context, see our AlUla stargazing guide.
Booking and what it costs
Nightly rates start around €624 for the smallest villa category and climb past €682 for the three-bedroom option, putting Banyan Tree AlUla at the upper end of AlUla's lodging market. Book directly through banyantree.com or via Booking.com; both pull from the same room inventory. If you're comparing options in the valley, Our Habitas AlUla runs a different style of stay a short drive away, or see the full ranking of AlUla's desert camps. Late autumn through early spring gives the clearest nights here too; see the best time to go stargazing in AlUla for the season-by-season detail.
