Carrie Johnson, the wife of former British prime minister Boris Johnson, says she has “never been on such a kid-friendly holiday” at a new “dream” Red Sea resort.
While Mr Johnson was visiting Saudi Arabia for the Saudi Media Forum last week, his family took the opportunity to join him during the half-term break for a beach getaway.
The country came as a surprise to Ms Johnson, who wrote on Instagram: “I had no idea there were beaches like this in Saudi.”
“I haven’t been to the Maldives but it’s what I imagine the Maldives to be like but with way less people,” she added.
Taking to social media, Ms Johnson shared pictures of her family on holiday, with her children on the beach, splashing in the sea and partaking in watersports, as well as the food and drink offerings at the two-year-old St Regis Red Sea Resort.
The luxury resort can be found on a private island just off the coast of Saudi Arabia, accessed via speedboat or seaplane.
The hotel is situated in the heart of the area of the Red Sea Project, which is developing the area’s archipelago of 90 untouched islands into a luxury tourism destination.
The hotel first welcomed guests in January 2024, becoming the first island resort that opened in the Red Sea against a backdrop of white sandy beaches, a large coral reef, desert dunes and dormant volcanoes.
The St Regis is made up 90 villas, each with a private pool. More pools, a fitness centre, spa, children’s club and fine dining restaurants can also be found within the resort.
The hotel also offers a butler service which promises to personalise the experience of guests.
Ms Johnson said that no other holiday they had been on had been as kid-friendly as the St Regis Resort, giving credits to its “incredible” kids club open from 10am until 7pm that her three kids “absolutely loved”.
She said that they went most mornings, which meant Ms Johnson could “actually read a few pages of my book”.
“Everyone was so, so friendly to our kids doing everything they could to give them the best holiday,” Ms Johnson wrote.
“Full disclosure this is not a cheap holiday. It’s very luxurious. The food was insanely good (the Japanese restaurant in particular) and the beds were the most comfortable I’ve ever, ever slept in,” she added.
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