• The 20,000-square-foot mansion has nine bedrooms and 11 full bathrooms. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
    The 20,000-square-foot mansion has nine bedrooms and 11 full bathrooms. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
  • Floor-to-ceiling glass windows create a light and airy living space. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
    Floor-to-ceiling glass windows create a light and airy living space. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
  • The pool grotto. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
    The pool grotto. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
  • An aerial view of Elisium. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
    An aerial view of Elisium. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
  • Elisium sits on a stretch of private beach. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
    Elisium sits on a stretch of private beach. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
  • The downstairs living area is home to two 11-foot built-in fish tanks. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
    The downstairs living area is home to two 11-foot built-in fish tanks. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
  • A double staircase leads from the entrance area to the upper floors. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
    A double staircase leads from the entrance area to the upper floors. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
  • The family kitchen features top-of-the-range Sub Zero, Wolf and Bertazolli appliances. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
    The family kitchen features top-of-the-range Sub Zero, Wolf and Bertazolli appliances. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
  • The family kitchen. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
    The family kitchen. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
  • The property also has a 60-foot infinity pool. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
    The property also has a 60-foot infinity pool. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
  • The pool grotto has caves and waterfalls. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
    The pool grotto has caves and waterfalls. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
  • The outdoor kitchen gazebo. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
    The outdoor kitchen gazebo. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
  • Master bathrooms are fitted with sunken bath tubs and rain showers. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
    Master bathrooms are fitted with sunken bath tubs and rain showers. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
  • The mansion is located within Ocean Club Estates, one of the newest and most exclusive residential communities in The Bahamas. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
    The mansion is located within Ocean Club Estates, one of the newest and most exclusive residential communities in The Bahamas. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty

This $32 million mansion in the Bahamas comes with a private beach and a Porsche – international property of the week


Selina Denman
  • English
  • Arabic

Sitting on nearly an acre of prime Bahamian beachfront, with its own private dock, this nine-bedroom mansion is a masterclass in luxurious island living.

Named Elisium, from the ancient Greek word that means a place or state of perfect happiness, the property is located on the easternmost tip of Paradise Island, within the Ocean Club Estates, one of the newest and most exclusive residential communities in The Bahamas.

But even by the estate's exacting standards, Elisium is something special. The property is listed by Damianos Sotheby's International Realty for $32 million.

Floor-to-ceiling windows create a light and airy space. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
Floor-to-ceiling windows create a light and airy space. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty

The key details

Set at the end of a quiet cul-de-sac, on a stretch of private beach, this newly constructed colonial-style mansion covers 20,000 square feet. A formal sitting room features three full floor-to-ceiling windows and a 28-foot-high coffered ceiling, as well as two curving, 11-foot-high built-in fish tanks.

A family kitchen and dining area are complemented by a separate chef's kitchen and pantry, all fitted with top-of-the-range Sub-Zero Wolf and Bertazzoni appliances.

A grand double staircase connects the main entrance to the second floor, which is home to two king-sized master en-suite bedrooms. Both feature generous south-facing cantilevered balconies. Also on the second floor is a guest wing featuring three large bedroom suites and a formal dining room.

The entire third floor of the property is taken up by a study and the 3,500-square-foot ultra-master bedroom suite, which is flanked by two separate bathrooms, each featuring wall-hung rainwater showers and free-standing bathtubs.

What’s the story?

On days that the private stretch of beach doesn’t quite cut it, the property also has a 60-foot infinity pool with double outdoor showers and an outdoor kitchen gazebo, as well as a pool grotto with caves, waterfalls, a spa and sunken floor jets.

Adjacent to the residence’s private dock is a 3,000-square-foot guest cottage with two bedrooms, a full kitchen, and living and dining areas.

Also included in the $32m price tag are a Range Rover Vogue, a Porsche Panamera, a Commander 1000 ATV, a golf cart, and two jet skis, all of which can be comfortably stored in the sizeable four double garage. The property also comes partially furnished.

The property's inviting pool grotto. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty
The property's inviting pool grotto. Courtesy Sotheby’s International Realty

Owners and residents of Ocean Club Estates enjoy 24-hour patrolled security, and the option to purchase a membership at the estate’s Tom Weiskopf designed golf course and club house. Residents are also eligible to join the Ocean Club Residences Marina & Yacht Club, and enjoy the facilities at the nearby Atlantis and Four Seasons resorts.

What the brokers say…

This is "a home built with entertaining top of mind" is the listing description on the Damianos Sotheby's International Realty website.

"Elisium is a showpiece colonial-style mansion that commands almost a full acre of beach and canal front property. It is the only residence in the community to benefit from both a manicured private beach and a private dock located in the protected Ocean Club Estates marina basin.”

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption. 

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks. 

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes. 

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion. 

8. Pillar 2 implementation 

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations. 

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity. 

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

Three tips from La Perle's performers

1 The kind of water athletes drink is important. Gwilym Hooson, a 28-year-old British performer who is currently recovering from knee surgery, found that out when the company was still in Studio City, training for 12 hours a day. “The physio team was like: ‘Why is everyone getting cramps?’ And then they realised we had to add salt and sugar to the water,” he says.

2 A little chocolate is a good thing. “It’s emergency energy,” says Craig Paul Smith, La Perle’s head coach and former Cirque du Soleil performer, gesturing to an almost-empty open box of mini chocolate bars on his desk backstage.

3 Take chances, says Young, who has worked all over the world, including most recently at Dragone’s show in China. “Every time we go out of our comfort zone, we learn a lot about ourselves,” she says.

F1 drivers' standings

1. Lewis Hamilton, Mercedes 281

2. Sebastian Vettel, Ferrari 247

3. Valtteri Bottas, Mercedes 222

4. Daniel Ricciardo, Red Bull 177

5. Kimi Raikkonen, Ferrari 138

6. Max Verstappen, Red Bull 93

7. Sergio Perez, Force India 86

8. Esteban Ocon, Force India 56

Dubai Bling season three

Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed 

Rating: 1/5

Springtime in a Broken Mirror,
Mario Benedetti, Penguin Modern Classics

 

In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe

Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010

Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille

Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm

Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year

Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”

Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners

TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013 

Tuesday results:

  • Singapore bt Malaysia by 29 runs
  • UAE bt Oman by 13 runs
  • Hong Kong bt Nepal by 3 wickets

Final:
Thursday, UAE v Hong Kong

HOSTS

T20 WORLD CUP 

2024: US and West Indies; 2026: India and Sri Lanka; 2028: Australia and New Zealand; 2030: England, Ireland and Scotland 

ODI WORLD CUP 

2027: South Africa, Zimbabwe and Namibia; 2031: India and
Bangladesh 

CHAMPIONS TROPHY 

2025: Pakistan; 2029: India  

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Ashes 2019 schedule

August 1-5: First Test, Edgbaston

August 14-18: Second Test, Lord's

August 22-26: Third Test, Headingley

September 4-8: Fourth Test, Old Trafford

September 12-16: Fifth Test, Oval

How green is the expo nursery?

Some 400,000 shrubs and 13,000 trees in the on-site nursery

An additional 450,000 shrubs and 4,000 trees to be delivered in the months leading up to the expo

Ghaf, date palm, acacia arabica, acacia tortilis, vitex or sage, techoma and the salvadora are just some heat tolerant native plants in the nursery

Approximately 340 species of shrubs and trees selected for diverse landscape

The nursery team works exclusively with organic fertilisers and pesticides

All shrubs and trees supplied by Dubai Municipality

Most sourced from farms, nurseries across the country

Plants and trees are re-potted when they arrive at nursery to give them room to grow

Some mature trees are in open areas or planted within the expo site

Green waste is recycled as compost

Treated sewage effluent supplied by Dubai Municipality is used to meet the majority of the nursery’s irrigation needs

Construction workforce peaked at 40,000 workers

About 65,000 people have signed up to volunteer

Main themes of expo is  ‘Connecting Minds, Creating the Future’ and three subthemes of opportunity, mobility and sustainability.

Expo 2020 Dubai to open in October 2020 and run for six months

The specs

Price, base / as tested Dh100,000 (estimate)

Engine 2.4L four-cylinder 

Gearbox Nine-speed automatic 

Power 184bhp at 6,400rpm

Torque 237Nm at 3,900rpm

Fuel economy, combined 9.4L/100km

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The burning issue

The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.

Part three: an affection for classic cars lives on

Read part two: how climate change drove the race for an alternative 

Read part one: how cars came to the UAE

PRESIDENTS CUP

Draw for Presidents Cup fourball matches on Thursday (Internationals first mention). All times UAE:

02.32am (Thursday): Marc Leishman/Joaquin Niemann v Tiger Woods/Justin Thomas
02.47am (Thursday): Adam Hadwin/Im Sung-jae v Xander Schauffele/Patrick Cantlay
03.02am (Thursday): Adam Scott/An Byeong-hun v Bryson DeChambeau/Tony Finau
03.17am (Thursday): Hideki Matsuyama/CT Pan v Webb Simpson/Patrick Reed
03.32am (Thursday): Abraham Ancer/Louis Oosthuizen v Dustin Johnson/Gary Woodland

Visa changes give families fresh hope

Foreign workers can sponsor family members based solely on their income

Male residents employed in the UAE can sponsor immediate family members, such as wife and children, subject to conditions that include a minimum salary of Dh 4,000 or Dh 3,000 plus accommodation.

Attested original marriage certificate, birth certificate of the child, ejari or rental contract, labour contract, salary certificate must be submitted to the government authorised typing centre to complete the sponsorship process

In Abu Dhabi, a woman can sponsor her husband and children if she holds a residence permit stating she is an engineer, teacher, doctor, nurse or any profession related to the medical sector and her monthly salary is at least Dh 10,000 or Dh 8,000 plus accommodation.

In Dubai, if a woman is not employed in the above categories she can get approval to sponsor her family if her monthly salary is more than Dh 10,000 and with a special permission from the Department of Naturalization and Residency Dubai.

To sponsor parents, a worker should earn Dh20,000 or Dh19,000 a month, plus a two-bedroom accommodation

 

 

 

Director: Laxman Utekar

Cast: Vicky Kaushal, Akshaye Khanna, Diana Penty, Vineet Kumar Singh, Rashmika Mandanna

Rating: 1/5

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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESally%20El-Hosaini%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ENathalie%20Issa%2C%20Manal%20Issa%2C%20Ahmed%20Malek%20and%20Ali%20Suliman%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E4%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs

Price, base / as tested Dh1,470,000 (est)
Engine 6.9-litre twin-turbo W12
Gearbox eight-speed automatic
Power 626bhp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,350rpm
Fuel economy, combined 14.0L / 100km

What is hepatitis?

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver, which can lead to fibrosis (scarring), cirrhosis or liver cancer.

There are 5 main hepatitis viruses, referred to as types A, B, C, D and E.

Hepatitis C is mostly transmitted through exposure to infective blood. This can occur through blood transfusions, contaminated injections during medical procedures, and through injecting drugs. Sexual transmission is also possible, but is much less common.

People infected with hepatitis C experience few or no symptoms, meaning they can live with the virus for years without being diagnosed. This delay in treatment can increase the risk of significant liver damage.

There are an estimated 170 million carriers of Hepatitis C around the world.

The virus causes approximately 399,000 fatalities each year worldwide, according to WHO.

 

THE BIO

Ms Davison came to Dubai from Kerala after her marriage in 1996 when she was 21-years-old

Since 2001, Ms Davison has worked at many affordable schools such as Our Own English High School in Sharjah, and The Apple International School and Amled School in Dubai

Favourite Book: The Alchemist

Favourite quote: Failing to prepare is preparing to fail

Favourite place to Travel to: Vienna

Favourite cuisine: Italian food

Favourite Movie : Scent of a Woman

 

 

The biog

Age: 30

Position: Senior lab superintendent at Emirates Global Aluminium

Education: Bachelor of science in chemical engineering, post graduate degree in light metal reduction technology

Favourite part of job: The challenge, because it is challenging

Favourite quote: “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” Gandi

Timeline

2012-2015

The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East

May 2017

The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts

September 2021

Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act

October 2021

Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence 

December 2024

Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group

May 2025

The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan

July 2025

The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan

August 2025

Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision

October 2025

Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange

November 2025

180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE