Inside a Dh14m modern oceanfront town house on Dubai's Bluewaters Island


Ian Oxborrow
  • English
  • Arabic

In this weekly instalment over the past year I've featured the big, the beautiful and, to put it politely, the slightly bizarre in the wonderful world of UAE property. We've had a home with a car showroom in the garden, another with a stone tavern out back and one that looked as though it belonged in the 1800s.

Amid the countless interiors my eyes have had the task of perusing, so many of them left me thankful that I haven't set up camp there. It's not necessarily that they are badly done, more that they simply haven't been to my taste.

But now that 2019 is coming to an end, I have found one that I can confidently say has absolutely nailed it in pretty much every respect

The prize-winner (I'm the prize-giver) is, of course, this town house on Dubai's Bluewaters Island.

There are larger villa offerings with all of the trimmings elsewhere in Dubai, but if you can do without a nightclub in the basement and an Olympic-sized swimming pool located next to a championship golf course then there's a decent chance you will like this place – especially if you're keen on a squeaky clean, modern interior.

Bluewaters Island has only been open for a year, so there's an airy freshness to his place. Add in the sea views and light that pours in from the intriguing upstairs-downstairs design (a first-floor family room overlooks the main living room) and the feeling of an island-getaway sensation suddenly becomes very real.

The ground-floor living area is open plan, with a kitchen featuring Italian appliances by Elba. Scandinavian wooden floors add warmth amid the mass of white walls.

Of the four bedrooms, three are on the first floor and have a private balcony; the fourth is on the ground floor.

If a pool needs to be a part of your life, then that box is ticked. Although it is just a plunge pool, it does overlook the Arabian Gulf and is set on a decent sized front patio.

The naysayers would point to the lack of its own private plot and the public walkway that runs along the frontage in full view of the pool.

However, covering 6,581 square feet and costing Dh14 million, the Meraas property offers a tempting alternative to, say, penthouse living in other parts of Dubai. There's also the opportunity to stroll around the island and explore the restaurants and shops. You can also stroll along a wooden walkway to reach the nearby Jumeirah Beach Residence in 15 minutes.

Tourists look out across the water in the shadow of Ain Dubai at Bluewaters Island. Chris Whiteoak / The National
Tourists look out across the water in the shadow of Ain Dubai at Bluewaters Island. Chris Whiteoak / The National

Q&A: Sam Lange, private client adviser at LuxuryProperty.com

Bluewaters has now been open for a year. How is it progressing?
Bluewaters is progressing very well. Within a year of opening, all the residential buildings are ready to move into and a great number of the commercial units are open. The remaining commercial units will open in due course, and we can also look forward to the grand opening of Ain Dubai.

How many town houses are on the island?

There are a total of 17 town houses, making them among the most exclusive residences on the island. Of these, only a handful are still available on the market.

Is privacy an issue or are the pathways in front of the property for residents only?

I wouldn't say privacy is a major issue. While there is a 'public' pathway in front of the town houses, it is not heavily trafficked and is used primarily by residents. Due to the design of Bluewaters, the retail and dining hub is concentrated on one side of the island while the residences are spread along the other side. It is a clever bit of design that immediately creates a sense of privacy for the residences while still keeping everything open to the public.

How much would this property rent for?
Each of the properties that has sold so far has been purchased either as a primary residence or as a second or third home for the buyer. That being said, I would estimate a rent of roughly Dh450,000. That number would go up or down depending on which unit number it is.

Is there anything else comparable in Dubai in terms of modern island living?
In terms of lifestyle there really is nothing like Bluewaters. This island gives you everything that you need, with its own supermarket, several restaurants and cafes and several shops.  Then there is Caesars Palace Bluewaters which has its own amenities, including a Hell's Kitchen restaurant from Gordon Ramsay and a private beach.

UAE v IRELAND

All matches start at 10am, and will be played in Abu Dhabi

1st ODI, Friday, January 8

2nd ODI, Sunday, January 10

3rd ODI, Tuesday, January 12

4th ODI, Thursday, January 14

Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3EDate%20started%3A%20January%202022%3Cbr%3EFounders%3A%20Omar%20Abu%20Innab%2C%20Silvia%20Eldawi%2C%20Walid%20Shihabi%3Cbr%3EBased%3A%20Dubai%3Cbr%3ESector%3A%20PropTech%20%2F%20investment%3Cbr%3EEmployees%3A%2040%3Cbr%3EStage%3A%20Seed%3Cbr%3EInvestors%3A%20Multiple%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Tips to stay safe during hot weather
  • Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of fluids, especially water. Avoid alcohol and caffeine, which can increase dehydration.
  • Seek cool environments: Use air conditioning, fans, or visit community spaces with climate control.
  • Limit outdoor activities: Avoid strenuous activity during peak heat. If outside, seek shade and wear a wide-brimmed hat.
  • Dress appropriately: Wear lightweight, loose and light-coloured clothing to facilitate heat loss.
  • Check on vulnerable people: Regularly check in on elderly neighbours, young children and those with health conditions.
  • Home adaptations: Use blinds or curtains to block sunlight, avoid using ovens or stoves, and ventilate living spaces during cooler hours.
  • Recognise heat illness: Learn the signs of heat exhaustion and heat stroke (dizziness, confusion, rapid pulse, nausea), and seek medical attention if symptoms occur.
F1 The Movie

Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem

Director: Joseph Kosinski

Rating: 4/5

Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
  • Priority access to new homes from participating developers
  • Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
  • Flexible payment plans from developers
  • Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
  • DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
SPECS
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202-litre%204-cylinder%20turbo%20and%203.6-litre%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESeven-speed%20automatic%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20235hp%20and%20310hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E258Nm%20and%20271Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh185%2C100%0D%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Juvenile arthritis

Along with doctors, families and teachers can help pick up cases of arthritis in children.
Most types of childhood arthritis are known as juvenile idiopathic arthritis. JIA causes pain and inflammation in one or more joints for at least six weeks.
Dr Betina Rogalski said "The younger the child the more difficult it into pick up the symptoms. If the child is small, it may just be a bit grumpy or pull its leg a way or not feel like walking,” she said.
According to The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases in US, the most common symptoms of juvenile arthritis are joint swelling, pain, and stiffness that doesn’t go away. Usually it affects the knees, hands, and feet, and it’s worse in the morning or after a nap.
Limping in the morning because of a stiff knee, excessive clumsiness, having a high fever and skin rash are other symptoms. Children may also have swelling in lymph nodes in the neck and other parts of the body.
Arthritis in children can cause eye inflammation and growth problems and can cause bones and joints to grow unevenly.
In the UK, about 15,000 children and young people are affected by arthritis.

THREE
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Nayla%20Al%20Khaja%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStarring%3A%20Jefferson%20Hall%2C%20Faten%20Ahmed%2C%20Noura%20Alabed%2C%20Saud%20Alzarooni%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%203.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What is a Ponzi scheme?

A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.

Company Profile:

Name: The Protein Bakeshop

Date of start: 2013

Founders: Rashi Chowdhary and Saad Umerani

Based: Dubai

Size, number of employees: 12

Funding/investors:  $400,000 (2018) 

Conflict, drought, famine

Estimates of the number of deaths caused by the famine range from 400,000 to 1 million, according to a document prepared for the UK House of Lords in 2024.
It has been claimed that the policies of the Ethiopian government, which took control after deposing Emperor Haile Selassie in a military-led revolution in 1974, contributed to the scale of the famine.
Dr Miriam Bradley, senior lecturer in humanitarian studies at the University of Manchester, has argued that, by the early 1980s, “several government policies combined to cause, rather than prevent, a famine which lasted from 1983 to 1985. Mengistu’s government imposed Stalinist-model agricultural policies involving forced collectivisation and villagisation [relocation of communities into planned villages].
The West became aware of the catastrophe through a series of BBC News reports by journalist Michael Buerk in October 1984 describing a “biblical famine” and containing graphic images of thousands of people, including children, facing starvation.

Band Aid

Bob Geldof, singer with the Irish rock group The Boomtown Rats, formed Band Aid in response to the horrific images shown in the news broadcasts.
With Midge Ure of the band Ultravox, he wrote the hit charity single Do They Know it’s Christmas in December 1984, featuring a string of high-profile musicians.
Following the single’s success, the idea to stage a rock concert evolved.
Live Aid was a series of simultaneous concerts that took place at Wembley Stadium in London, John F Kennedy Stadium in Philadelphia, the US, and at various other venues across the world.
The combined event was broadcast to an estimated worldwide audience of 1.5 billion.