Photo: Emirates Emirates and Marriott International have signed an agreement to establish Emirates Wolgan Valley, a luxury Ritz-Carlton Lodge to open in the Blue Mountains region of Australia. The first lodge in the world to carry the Ritz-Carlton Lodge brand is expected to open in mid-2026.
The project will include 40 suites and operate as an "all-inclusive" resort, within a vast private nature reserve in an area designated as a World Heritage Site. The lodge is designed as a luxury complex that integrates into the natural environment, with an emphasis on sustainability, preserving natural values, and design inspired by the place.
Since 2006, Emirates has invested more than $150 million in the development of the Wolgan Valley Resort, preserving historic buildings, including a 19th-century farm, alongside extensive projects to restore local flora and fauna, including the planting of over a million native trees.
Photo: EmiratesThe company is now investing tens of millions of additional dollars in renovating and upgrading the site, in collaboration with Marriott, with the aim of turning it into an international-level luxury lodge under the Ritz-Carlton brand.
Despite the closure of the access road to the site in 2023, the airline has continued to maintain the complex and employ a number of local workers, out of a long-term commitment to the area and the local community. With the opening of the lodge, approximately 150 new jobs are expected to be created, as well as expanding contracts with local suppliers in the areas of food, equipment and various services. Access to the site will be via SUVs or helicopters.
Photo: Emirates