Visitors to Mleiha will have more options to stay overnight as Al Faya Retreat expands from five rooms to 20 accommodation units by the fourth quarter of 2026, Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) has announced.
The expansion, unveiled during Shurooq’s 19th consecutive participation at Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2026, is designed to increase accommodation capacity without creating a separate hospitality development or significantly changing the retreat’s relationship with the surrounding desert landscape.
Al Faya Retreat expansion: what is changing?
The additional accommodation will allow more visitors to stay in Mleiha for longer and experience its archaeological and natural attractions, including desert journeys, natural formations and night-sky observation.
Rather than adding a new development alongside the existing retreat, Shurooq said the expansion will build on Al Faya’s existing facilities and operational infrastructure. This is intended to avoid duplicating infrastructure and to limit the footprint of intervention in the site.
The new units will be positioned individually across the desert terrain, with open views and privacy maintained. Their design also takes account of heat and solar exposure.
The units will be manufactured off-site, reducing the need for construction activity, excavation and material storage within the site itself. Shurooq said works will follow heritage-protection and site-management requirements and be carried out in coordination with the relevant authorities.
What does the expansion mean for visitors?
The most immediate change is capacity: Al Faya Retreat will have 20 accommodation units instead of its original five rooms.
The additional capacity is intended to make it possible for more visitors to stay in Mleiha and spend more time exploring the area’s archaeological and environmental heritage.
Shurooq said the expansion is also expected to support hospitality, transport, guided tours and other visitor-related services, while consideration will be given to the site’s carrying capacity and the quality of the visitor experience.
There are no accommodation prices or specific opening dates for the new units provided in the announcement.
Why Mleiha matters to the project
Al Faya Retreat is located within Mleiha National Park, home to the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Faya site.
The site records human presence in desert environments and shows how people moved and adapted to climatic change over long periods. As a result, Shurooq is positioning the retreat not simply as somewhere to stay, but as a starting point for experiencing Mleiha’s archaeological and natural heritage.
The expansion is intended to strengthen that role by connecting visitors with the area’s archaeological sites, environmental values and landscape rather than treating the desert primarily as a backdrop for accommodation.
Historic buildings will remain at the centre of Al Faya
The original Al Faya Retreat occupies two restored buildings dating from the 1960s: a former medical clinic and a shop beside Mleiha’s oldest petrol station.
The historic fuel pump has been preserved, while Shurooq adapted the buildings into the original five-room retreat.
Following the expansion, these buildings will become spa and wellness spaces, while remaining the architectural heart of the property and retaining their connection to the area’s local memory.
Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer, CEO of Shurooq, said: “Al Faya Retreat has a clear identity and a hospitality experience closely connected to the nature of its setting, while its accommodation capacity has been deliberately limited since its launch to preserve the privacy of the experience and its connection to the site. The expansion therefore allows us to welcome more visitors and develop the experience we offer them without changing the elements that have given the retreat its distinct character. This is the approach we follow across our destinations: directing investment towards what creates genuine value for the destination and the visitor, while preserving what deserves protection as the destination grows and evolves.”
Ahmed Obaid Al Qaseer
He added: “For Shurooq, growth does not simply mean making a destination bigger, but allowing it to evolve in a way that suits its setting and identity. At Al Faya Retreat, that means increasing our capacity to welcome visitors and expanding the experience while respecting the site’s natural and archaeological value and minimising intervention wherever possible. This balance between development and preservation is what we want to define the long-term growth of our destinations.”
Khawla Al Hashimi, Chief Projects Officer at Shurooq, said: “At Al Faya, good design is measured as much by what we choose not to add as by what we build. We considered the entire guest journey: the sense of arrival, the movement between spaces, the way views are revealed and the rhythm created by moments of openness and enclosure. The architecture is intentionally quiet and precise, allowing the desert to remain the dominant experience. That discipline gives the project its coherence and ensures that every element has a clear purpose.”
When will Minor Hotels take over Sharjah Collection?
Minor Hotels is scheduled to assume management and operation of Sharjah Collection from October 2026.
Amir Golbarg, Chief Operating Officer, Middle East & Africa at Minor Hotels, said: “We are very pleased to be part of this next chapter for Al Faya Retreat. Sharjah Collection has a clear and distinctive identity, and our role is to support that identity through the quality of the guest experience. Minor Hotels brings global hospitality expertise while recognising that every destination in the collection must retain its own character. We look forward to working closely with Shurooq to create memorable stays that reflect the warmth, culture and individuality of Sharjah.”
Al Faya Retreat is one of seven nature- and heritage-led properties in Sharjah Collection. The others are Al Badayer Retreat, Kingfisher Retreat, Moon Retreat, Najd Al Meqsar, Al Rayaheen Retreat and Nomad.
The collection spans Sharjah’s desert, mountain, coastal, mangrove and heritage settings, with each property designed around the character of its location.
tanvir@dubainewsweek.com
