Formal lounges in the premium models are significanly larger than those in the two- and three-bedroom ones.
Formal lounges in the premium models are significanly larger than those in the two- and three-bedroom ones.

An exclusive look inside Saadiyat Beach Villas



Property

Saadiyat Beach Villas, Saadiyat Island's first residential community, developed by the Tourism Development and Investment Company (TDIC), features 344 high-end luxury villas in a gated landscaped development overlooking the immaculate greens of the Saadiyat Beach Golf Club. The completed development will be ready for handover this year, but 10 fully furnished show homes - replicas of those that will make up the community - are ready for viewing now.

The villas can be owned on a freehold basis for Emiratis; foreigners can purchase a 99-year leasehold. The complex is a 10-minute drive from Abu Dhabi's Corniche, with the adjacent Sheikh Khalifa Expressway providing direct access to Yas Island and Sheikh Zayed Road beyond.

Price

Current guide price is from Dh6.5 million to Dh39m, depending on the size and style. Rentals will depend on availability.

Key features

The properties are available in three models: Arabian, Contemporary and Mediterranean, in sizes ranging from three to six bedrooms (3,950 square feet to 14,994 square feet).

All the villas boast premium architectural design, with interior details that reflect each property's individual style. The Arabian model, for instance, features carved arches, terrace colonnades and intricate mosaic features on some floors and walls.

Each theme is continued within the gardens, with planting schemes, hard landscaping and features that reflect the property's architectural style. Swimming pools are available in some of the larger models.

On completion, the development will feature communal parks, swimming pools and terraces, play areas, gym facilities, basketball and squash courts. There are also plans to build schools nearby. The development is adjacent to the beach, golf club and museum, with the facilities and amenities of each within easy reach.

They say

"Global standard master planning, cutting-edge design, modern facilities and inspiring natural beauty combine to make this the Gulf's ultimate luxury residential destination."

We say

An impressive inaugural development for the island. These low-rise, low-density homes, designed by the US architects JZMK, will provide premium accommodation in an unrivalled island setting.

The detached villas are built on either side of a single, tree-lined private road, each fronted by neat landscaped gardens and covered parking. Where the first stretch of properties ends, the road continues to a pretty landscaped park area with a lake and, beyond that, the museum and gallery complex, Manarat al Saadiyat.

Inside each property, you are welcomed into a suitably grand, double-height entrance hall, with a wide corridor/walkway that leads directly to floor-to-ceiling doors at the rear of the house, which allow natural light to flood through the property.

The size of the formal lounges in the two- and three-bedroom properties we saw are generally smaller than those in more traditional villas. While still very generous, they succeed in giving the properties a warmer, more homely feel. In addition, the reduced floor space of the individual rooms means the villas can offer a greater number of rooms and options on how to utilise the living space.

In the premium properties, the rooms are significantly larger, as you would expect. The formal dining room in the premium six-bedroom model, for example, could easily accommodate a dining party of 12 people. A second dining area, part of the open-plan kitchen area at the rear, offers a spacious, more casual area to entertain or relax with family.

The kitchens in all the properties are equipped with high-end appliances and top-quality finishes, with contemporary hardwood cabinets and granite worktops in the Arabian and Mediterranean types, and polished basalt stone worktops in the Contemporary model.

Overall, the striking design of the Contemporary villas impressed us most, displaying a successful marriage of traditional Arabian elements and sharp, sleek modern architectural features such as multi-levelled flat roofs, geometric windows, stainless steel balcony railings and generous roof decks. The Arabian and Mediterranean models, while more traditional in their architectural style, retain a modern edge. The covered terraces and classical-style pools of the larger models underline the sense of true palatial living.

Pluses

The location. The beach is within easy reach and Saadiyat Island will soon be home to a clutch of luxury waterfront hotels, including the St Regis Saadiyat Island Resort, Monte-Carlo Beach Club and the Park Hyatt Abu Dhabi (due to open this year), so in terms of lifestyle quality, the location is unrivalled. Looking forward, the area will include the Saadiyat Beach Marina Village and the island's extensive cultural district, which contains the excellent Fanr restaurant.

Minuses

Proximity to ongoing construction may mean some noise and dust pollution, but where isn't that a problem in Abu Dhabi? By the time of handover, the worst of this should be over.

Company profile

Company name: Fasset
Started: 2019
Founders: Mohammad Raafi Hossain, Daniel Ahmed
Based: Dubai
Sector: FinTech
Initial investment: $2.45 million
Current number of staff: 86
Investment stage: Pre-series B
Investors: Investcorp, Liberty City Ventures, Fatima Gobi Ventures, Primal Capital, Wealthwell Ventures, FHS Capital, VN2 Capital, local family offices

The specs: Lamborghini Aventador SVJ

Price, base: Dh1,731,672

Engine: 6.5-litre V12

Gearbox: Seven-speed automatic

Power: 770hp @ 8,500rpm

Torque: 720Nm @ 6,750rpm

Fuel economy: 19.6L / 100km

Confirmed bouts (more to be added)

Cory Sandhagen v Umar Nurmagomedov
Nick Diaz v Vicente Luque
Michael Chiesa v Tony Ferguson
Deiveson Figueiredo v Marlon Vera
Mackenzie Dern v Loopy Godinez

Tickets for the August 3 Fight Night, held in partnership with the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi, went on sale earlier this month, through www.etihadarena.ae and www.ticketmaster.ae.

SPECS

Nissan 370z Nismo

Engine: 3.7-litre V6

Transmission: seven-speed automatic

Power: 363hp

Torque: 560Nm

Price: Dh184,500

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COMPANY PROFILE

Name: Kinetic 7
Started: 2018
Founder: Rick Parish
Based: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Industry: Clean cooking
Funding: $10 million
Investors: Self-funded

COMPANY PROFILE

Company: Eco Way
Started: December 2023
Founder: Ivan Kroshnyi
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Electric vehicles
Investors: Bootstrapped with undisclosed funding. Looking to raise funds from outside

DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Hugh Jackman, Emma Corrin

Director: Shawn Levy

Rating: 2.5/5

TWISTERS

Director:+Lee+Isaac+Chung

Starring:+Glen+Powell,+Daisy+Edgar-Jones,+Anthony+Ramos

Rating:+2.5/5

Babumoshai Bandookbaaz

Director: Kushan Nandy

Starring: Nawazuddin Siddiqui, Bidita Bag, Jatin Goswami

Three stars

SPECS

Engine: Two-litre four-cylinder turbo
Power: 235hp
Torque: 350Nm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Price: From Dh167,500 ($45,000)
On sale: Now

The specs

Engine: Single front-axle electric motor
Power: 218hp
Torque: 330Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Max touring range: 402km (claimed)
Price: From Dh215,000 (estimate)
On sale: September

Financial considerations before buying a property

Buyers should try to pay as much in cash as possible for a property, limiting the mortgage value to as little as they can afford. This means they not only pay less in interest but their monthly costs are also reduced. Ideally, the monthly mortgage payment should not exceed 20 per cent of the purchaser’s total household income, says Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching.

“If it’s a rental property, plan for the property to have periods when it does not have a tenant. Ensure you have enough cash set aside to pay the mortgage and other costs during these periods, ideally at least six months,” she says. 

Also, shop around for the best mortgage interest rate. Understand the terms and conditions, especially what happens after any introductory periods, Ms Glynn adds.

Using a good mortgage broker is worth the investment to obtain the best rate available for a buyer’s needs and circumstances. A good mortgage broker will help the buyer understand the terms and conditions of the mortgage and make the purchasing process efficient and easier. 

RESULTS

5pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Turf) 1,600m

Winner Thabet Al Reef, Bernardo Pinheiro (jockey), Abdallah Al Hammadi (trainer)

5.30pm Handicap (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,600m

Winner Blue Diamond, Pat Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi

6pm Arabian Triple Crown Round-1 Listed (PA) Dh230,000 (T) 1,600m

Winner Hameem, Adrie de Vries, Abdallah Al Hammadi

6.30pm Wathba Stallions Cup Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (T) 1,400m

Winner Shoja’A Muscat, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami

7pm Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (T) 1,200m

Winner Heros De Lagarde, Szczepan Mazur, Ibrahim Al Hadhrami

7.30pm Handicap (TB) Dh100,000 (T) 2,400m

Winner Good Tidings, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi

J Street Polling Results

97% of Jewish-Americans are concerned about the rise in anti-Semitism

76% of US Jewish voters believe Donald Trump and his allies in the Republican Party are responsible for a rise in anti-Semitism

74% of American Jews agreed that “Trump and the Maga movement are a threat to Jews in America"

Our legal columnist

Name: Yousef Al Bahar

Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994

Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers

Company Profile

Company name: Namara
Started: June 2022
Founder: Mohammed Alnamara
Based: Dubai
Sector: Microfinance
Current number of staff: 16
Investment stage: Series A
Investors: Family offices

Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.

Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.

Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.

“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.

Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.

From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.

Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.

BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.

Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.

Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.

“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.

Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.

“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.

“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”

The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”

The Kingfisher Secret
Anonymous, Penguin Books

The five pillars of Islam

1. Fasting

2. Prayer

3. Hajj

4. Shahada

5. Zakat 

MATCH INFO:

Second Test

Pakistan v Australia, Tuesday-Saturday, 10am​​ daily​​​​​ at Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Entrance is free

ROUTE TO TITLE

Round 1: Beat Leolia Jeanjean 6-1, 6-2
Round 2: Beat Naomi Osaka 7-6, 1-6, 7-5
Round 3: Beat Marie Bouzkova 6-4, 6-2
Round 4: Beat Anastasia Potapova 6-0, 6-0
Quarter-final: Beat Marketa Vondrousova 6-0, 6-2
Semi-final: Beat Coco Gauff 6-2, 6-4
Final: Beat Jasmine Paolini 6-2, 6-2

About Krews

Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi

Based: Abu Dhabi

Founded: January 2019

Number of employees: 10

Sector: Technology/Social media 

Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support

 

The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo

Power: 178hp at 5,500rpm

Torque: 280Nm at 1,350-4,200rpm

Transmission: seven-speed dual-clutch auto

Price: from Dh209,000 

On sale: now