My Abu Dhabi Rent takes you inside a reader’s home to have a look at what they get for their money, how much they pay in rent, and asks them what they like and don’t like. Click here if you would like to take part in the series and show us why your home is so special.
Guillaume Nassif feels completely at home in Abu Dhabi's Reem Island, to the extent that he moved into an apartment in the area without even viewing it first.
The French citizen, who heads the legal department at Modon Holding Hospitality, lived in the popular community when he first arrived in the Emirates in 2016 – and jumped at the chance of making a return years later.
Mr Nassif was living in Dubai when a job offer in Abu Dhabi prompted him to switch emirates again in 2023.
He took The National on a tour around his three-bedroom apartment on the top floor of Parkside B Residence on Reem Island, which he shares with his wife, and two children, aged three and five.
Please tell us about the home
The apartment has three bedrooms plus a maid’s room, I'm on the top floor of the building, and there's only one apartment on this floor.
The apartment has some unique features. I've got no neighbours for a start, so it's great if we want to hold gatherings.
The second is the huge terrace. It's about 100 square metres and it's directly adjusted to my apartment. So I'm on the terrace quite often, hosting parties, doing barbecues, and organising play dates for the kids. It's just amazing.
How much do you pay for this apartment?
I pay Dh155,000 annually.
How long have you lived here for?
We moved to this apartment in May 2023. So it's been more than three years now and we're loving it so far.
Why did you choose this apartment?
We were living in Dubai when I got a new job in Abu Dhabi, and it made no sense to stay where I was with the long commute.
A friend of my wife recommended this place. They asked me if I wanted to see the apartment, but we decided to take it without taking a look. I had never visited before living here; we simply signed and that was it. Luck was on our side, though, as we love the space we live in.
What made you opt for this area?
We were really lucky, first of all, but the area of our apartment called Shams is also incredible and exactly what we wanted.
When I moved to the UAE in 2016, I landed on Reem Island before moving to Dubai, and then I came back here.
I knew I wanted to live in Reem ever since.
It was a bit isolated in 2016, but it was getting better and better. Gradually, we got Sorbonne Abu Dhabi University, then a mall, hospitals and finally Reem Park.
I was confident in this particular destination, and I always thought this was the place to be. I was very happy to grow alongside the island.
What amenities do you have in your area?
We've got the usual things on the island, and it is very much state of the art. Two swimming pools and they've got a relaxation area, big terraces, a barbecue area, as well as a gaming zone with a PlayStation.
There's a huge communal garden, where all the kids play, and you've got a playground with slides.
I think the best amenity is the location. I wake up at 4.30am every day to go for a run. From the house, I just need to take a small turn and I'm on the canal and then end up on the beach.
I don't see my place as an apartment, but as an ecosystem.
Reem Park is only four minutes away, so I consider it as part of my area as I go there often too.
How did you make your house into a home?
Apart from decorating and making the place look like us, I think it's our kids; they fill the apartment with joy, love and laughter.
And then our friends, when we host gatherings, they also make it feel like home. At the end of the day, what makes a home is not the place in itself and the way it looks – for all I know it could be a cabana on a beach or a tent – but what makes it a home is the people in it.
Are you thinking about buying a home in the UAE?
We did actually buy a home, and I think it should be handed over in a year's time. It is an apartment that is part of the development right next door to our current place.
It's basically a copy of the apartment we have today in terms of number of rooms and amenities, but the community is much bigger. You've got great surroundings, gardens and the food are amazing.
