Property of the week: Dh40 million flat with spa, gym and Burj Khalifa views could be Dubai's swankiest penthouse

Index Tower in DIFC is a key part of the city's skyline

Everything feels smooth and modern. All images, unless stated, courtesy Luxhabitat Sotheby's International Realty

Kitchen views don't come much better.

Index Tower stretches 80 floors. It's 328 metres tall. Antonie Robertson / The National

The tower has a quadruple-height ceiling in the lobby. Courtesy Emirates Reit

The comfort extends outside as well as in.

The living area is open plan.

The bathrooms are exquisite.

The personal gym is highly convenient during Covid-19 times.

Ready for relaxation time.

More stylish bathrooms would be hard to come by.

Even the staircases fit in effortlessly.

The artwork is bright and lively.

The top floor has a gym, sauna and spa.

The views of Burj Khalifa and Downtown.

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 best homes on offer in its Property of the Week. This week, it's a triplex penthouse in Dubai's Index Tower ...

The key details

This four-bedroom, five-bathroom penthouse is spread across three floors at the top of one of Dubai's most recognisable buildings. It rings in at 868 square metres and comes with some of the finest views of Burj Khalifa and the Downtown area.

It is on the market for Dh40 million.

What's the story with this Index Tower home?

Located in the Dubai International Financial Centre area, this is a property sure to impress the financial hot-shots and city slickers.

It's so swish you'd want to invite not just clients but colleagues as well, and there would certainly be no need for phoney Zoom backgrounds while working from home.

In fact, you could Zoom with a different genuine backdrop every day for a couple of weeks and impress each time. Or just locate oneself with the Burj Khalifa over your shoulder and invite a great deal of envy over the view, which, understandably for an 80-storey tower, is rather spectacular.

This isn't a home, though, where the oohs and ahhs are reserved for staring out of the window – it's a full living experience set in the sky.

The main living space is open plan and the kitchen has what all UAE apartment-dwellers crave – windows offering natural light (and, of course, a view).

The master suite is on the second floor and includes a Japanese soaking tub, a king-size Jacuzzi and not one, but two walk-in closets for all of those designer suits.

On the third floor, there are all of the penthouse trimmings, namely a spa, office, terrace and a gym for those who like to keep moving but are squeezed for time.

If that doesn't all sound "cool" enough, then it's worth noting that the tower's designers, Foster + Partners, had the desert climate very much in mind with their creation.

They oriented the building from east to west, "turning away from the city axis to maximise views and reduce solar gain, the building's core mass absorbs heat and limits its reliance on mechanical ventilation". This means its internal temperature should stay below 28°C without the air-conditioning on.

Dubai penthouses and city workers: what the brokers say ...

Is Index Tower the favourite among wealthy city workers? 

Index Tower is one of the most popular buildings in the DIFC / Downtown area. With a direct, unobstructed sight of Burj Khalifa and the Downtown skyline, it offers one of the most prized views in town. Combine that with luxurious amenities and well-appointed properties, and we have a highly demanded building for city dwellers looking for a suave lifestyle.

Does it come furnished?

Yes, the penthouse comes fully furnished.

What's the thinking behind the interior?

The modern and minimal interior was chosen to highlight every aspect of the architectural layout and symphony between the different parts of the penthouse.

Is Dh40m generally the going rate for a top-end penthouse in Dubai?

When it comes to properties such as this, there are no limits to the going rate, especially in the ultra-luxury market. A property like this, fully upgraded and uniquely laid out over three floors, deserves this price tag and then some.

Where else would you take clients seeking a penthouse in that price bracket?

For price comparison's sake, we can look at a project like Volante, Le Reve or the 118 Downtown.

Chris Whitehead, managing partner at Luxhabitat Sotheby's International Realty