There is no doubt that the UAE is home to some spectacular properties. From penthouse apartments to plush villas with sprawling gardens and incredible pools, it’s a real estate haven.
Each week, The National showcases some of the finest homes on offer in its Property of the Week. Here, we take a closer look at a villa on Palm Jumeirah.
The key details
This five-bedroom villa sits on Frond L on The Palm with fantastic views out across the water towards the Kempinski Hotel and Residences and Atlantis, The Palm – both of which light up gloriously at night.
Fully upgraded and extended, it has a built up area of 7,000 square feet on a 7,411 square feet plot.
It comes fully furnished, including artwork and artefacts worth €1 million ($1.13m), a recreation room with a billiards table and full-size piano, plus there's a gym. It's on the market for Dh45m with LuxuryProperty.com.
What's the story?
A lot of the mansions found on Palm Jumeirah are sprawling properties with yawning spaces that can require expert skill and craft to fill effectively.
This home is somewhat different in that instead of being built long and wide, it goes up - three floors. And if it was on a more miniature scale you'd want to wrap it up in a box and place it under the Christmas tree before opening amid great excitement on the big day.
On the inside, it's a visual extravaganza with branded Italian furniture and stylish touches nearly everywhere you look. The open plan dining and reception rooms in particular are a feast for the eyes.
It's all very modern – and in places very black and white – so more traditional buyers may find it's not all to their taste.
However, there's no denying a lot of effort has gone into giving this home a style of its own and it's certainly impactful.
What the broker says...
Does the more vertical build style make it more appealing? Is this unusual on The Palm?
In a word, yes. The more space the better on The Palm, and Garden Homes that are G+2 [ground floor plus two storey] will always be an attractive investment opportunity for any buyer. There are only certain layout types offering a G+2 option, and that scarcity adds to the attraction and the value of these home.
Are high-value buyers seeking homes filled with artistic treasure or do they prefer to bring their own?
Each buyer has a different opinion on this question, but what we are seeing a lot this year is that buyers are looking for something that is ready to go and turnkey, so they can simply bring their suitcases and move in. Sellers who are now willing to take the time and effort to interior design and stage their properties for sale are not only having more success in selling their properties, but they are also achieving a higher premium on the sale price too.
How high would this rank in terms of Palm Jumeirah’s finest?
It's right up there. It has size, space, an excellent sunset location and has been tastefully upgraded.
Ornamental dolphins in the front garden – is that start of a Dubai trend?
Quite possibly. Like the beautiful inside of most of the properties here on The Palm, the gardens are the first step to showcasing the property. Sellers with well planned and landscaped gardens offer an insight on how nice the inside of the home will be too.
- Riccardo Scala, director - The Private Client Office, LuxuryProperty.com
The specs
Price, base / as tested Dh135,000
Engine 1.6L turbo
Gearbox Six speed automatic with manual and sports mode
Power 165hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 240Nm @ 1,400rpm 0-100kph: 9.2 seconds
Top speed 420 kph (governed)
Fuel economy, combined 35.2L / 100km (est)
FIGHT%20CARD
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The specs
Engine: 5.0-litre supercharged V8
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 575bhp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: Dh554,000
On sale: now
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
Winner: AF Al Moreeb, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap | Dh80,000 | 1,600m
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6pm: Handicap | Dh80,000 | 2,200m
Winner: Hazeme, Richard Mullen, Jean de Roualle
6.30pm: Handicap | Dh85,000 | 2,200m
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7pm: Shadwell Farm for Private Owners Handicap | Dh70,000 | 2,200m
Winner: Nawwaf KB, Patrick Cosgrave, Helal Al Alawi
7.30pm: Handicap (TB) | Dh100,000 | 1,600m
Winner: Treasured Times, Bernardo Pinheiro, Rashed Bouresly
SPECS
Nissan 370z Nismo
Engine: 3.7-litre V6
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 363hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh184,500
Picture of Joumblatt and Hariri breaking bread sets Twitter alight
Mr Joumblatt’s pessimism regarding the Lebanese political situation didn’t stop him from enjoying a cheerful dinner on Tuesday with several politicians including Mr Hariri.
Caretaker Culture Minister Ghattas Khoury tweeted a picture of the group sitting around a table at a discrete fish restaurant in Beirut’s upscale Sodeco area.
Mr Joumblatt told The National that the fish served at Kelly’s Fish lounge had been very good.
“They really enjoyed their time”, remembers the restaurant owner. “Mr Hariri was taking selfies with everybody”.
Mr Hariri and Mr Joumblatt often have dinner together to discuss recent political developments.
Mr Joumblatt was a close ally of Mr Hariri’s assassinated father, former prime minister Rafik Hariri. The pair were leading figures in the political grouping against the 15-year Syrian occupation of Lebanon that ended after mass protests in 2005 in the wake of Rafik Hariri’s murder. After the younger Hariri took over his father’s mantle in 2004, the relationship with Mr Joumblatt endured.
However, the pair have not always been so close. In the run-up to the election last year, Messrs Hariri and Joumblatt went months without speaking over an argument regarding the new proportional electoral law to be used for the first time. Mr Joumblatt worried that a proportional system, which Mr Hariri backed, would see the influence of his small sect diminished.
With so much of Lebanese politics agreed in late-night meetings behind closed doors, the media and pundits put significant weight on how regularly, where and with who senior politicians meet.
In the picture, alongside Messrs Khoury and Hariri were Mr Joumbatt and his wife Nora, PSP politician Wael Abou Faour and Egyptian ambassador to Lebanon Nazih el Nagari.
The picture of the dinner led to a flurry of excitement on Twitter that it signified an imminent government formation. “God willing, white smoke will rise soon and Walid Beik [a nickname for Walid Joumblatt] will accept to give up the minister of industry”, one user replied to the tweet. “Blessings to you…We would like you to form a cabinet”, wrote another.
The next few days will be crucial in determining whether these wishes come true.
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Name: Kumulus Water
Started: 2021
Founders: Iheb Triki and Mohamed Ali Abid
Based: Tunisia
Sector: Water technology
Number of staff: 22
Investment raised: $4 million
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Sudden change in behaviour or displays higher levels of stress or anxiety
Shows signs of depression or isolation
Ability to sleep well diminishes
Academic performance begins to deteriorate
Changes in eating habits
Struggles to concentrate
Refuses to go to school
Behaviour changes and is aggressive towards siblings
Begins to use language they do not normally use
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Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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