Shurooq will expand its Al Faya Retreat in Mleiha from five rooms to 20 accommodation units, targeting completion by the fourth quarter of 2026, the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority announced at Arabian Travel Market.
Ahmed Al Qaseer, CEO of Shurooq, made the Al Faya Retreat expansion announcement on the sidelines of the travel industry event.
What the expanded Al Faya Retreat will offer
The retreat sits within Mleiha National Park, a region nominated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), the additional capacity is intended to allow more visitors to stay at the retreat and spend longer in Mleiha, deepening their connection with the area.
Reporting on the ATM 2026 announcement noted the expanded property will add a spa and a new dining menu alongside the extra rooms, according to Khaleej Times. The Gulf Business report also confirmed the Q4 2026 target.
Al Faya Retreat is built on the site of Sharjah’s first petrol station and an adjacent clinic, an adaptive reuse project that has become a centrepiece of what Shurooq markets as the Sharjah Collection.
Other Sharjah Collection properties due to reopen
Two other Sharjah Collection properties are expected to reopen next month as temperatures fall. Nomad, a mountain trailer retreat in Kalba, comprises 20 eco-luxury accommodation trailers built from natural materials and powered by a hybrid energy system incorporating solar power. The retreat is positioned around an off-grid model with limited phone signal.
The Moon Retreat offers 10 domes and six private tents overlooking the desert. Both properties closed during the summer months.
Shaikha Al Shamsi, Senior Director of Marketing at Shurooq, said the authority recorded a five percent increase in guests across Sharjah Collection resorts and hotels in August 2026 compared with August 2025. Sharjah Collections is managed by Minor Hotels, appointed by Shurooq.
Al Shamsi attributed the rise to demand for nature-based travel. ‘A lot of people from different emirates are showing huge interest because Sharjah provides authentic and natural experiences, you interact with nature itself, which you find a lot in Sharjah. This is what keeps us unique,’ she said.
She said the trend extends to younger travellers. ‘People actually want to interact with nature, and this is what we are famous for as an emirate.’
Al Shamsi also pointed to the model underpinning each property. ‘Each retreat is built around keeping the authenticity and identity of the place. Our hotels are boutique properties. It’s more than a room.’
She cited Najd Al Muqsar, a heritage village more than 200 years old with seven rooms in Khor Fakkan, as an example of how Shurooq builds experiences around place and community rather than accommodation alone.
The Al Faya Retreat expansion is due to complete in the final quarter of 2026.
