SO/ Hotels has unveiled details of its first property in the Middle East, set to open in Uptown Dubai Tower later this year.
To be called SO/ Uptown Dubai, the hotel will feature 188 luxury rooms and suites, and occupy the top level of the skyscraper.
Work on the 340-metre, 79-floor tower concluded in July last year on the “diamond tower” megaproject close to the Jumeirah Lakes Tower community. The building, which will be the 14th-tallest in Dubai, will be mixed-use with residential units and offices as well.
Designed as a five-star urban resort, SO/ Uptown Dubai will offer panoramic views of the city’s skyline, including Ain Dubai and the Arabian Gulf. Photos of the property show marble bathrooms, rich fabrics and dark wood finishes, alongside high ceilings and large spaces.
Dining options will include Uptown Brasserie, Asian fusion restaurant The Citronelle Club, Savant Bar & Lounge, Celeste and Lazuli, the hotel’s signature pool bar.
Other facilities include fully-equipped conference and meeting facilities, a full-service ballroom with a 1,000-guest capacity, a gym and The Spa by SO/.
Additionally, there will be 227 SO/ branded residences, where residents will have exclusive access to an indoor pool, fully equipped gym, a children's club and creche, the Sky Lounge and a private cinema.
SO/ Hotels is part of hospitality company Ennismore, which has brought the likes of SLS Dubai, Hyde Hotel Dubai and 25hours Hotel One Central to the Emirates. The company recently announced the arrival of the first Mondrian hotel to the UAE, set to open in Abu Dhabi next year.
SO/ Hotels has properties in Berlin, Bangkok, St Petersburg and most recently in Paris, which opened in September.
Uptown Tower is developed by the Dubai Multi Commodities Centre, and is the first of two “supertall towers” at DMCC’s Uptown Dubai District.
“Uptown Tower was inspired by the shape of a diamond as DMCC does a lot of trade in diamonds and gold,” said Sana Farooq, development director, Dubai Multi Commodities Centre.
“That’s why you see a cubic shape to it. People are already talking about how beautiful it is.”
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A ground-level view of Uptown Tower. More than 23,000 vehicles have been involved in delivering around 140,000 cubic metres of concrete to the site. All photos: Victor Besa / The National -
Executive chairman of DMCC, Ahmed bin Sulayem, whose company is building Uptown Tower in Dubai. -
A dummy in full safety gear to remind construction workers at Uptown Tower of on-site safety requirements. -
Workers at the Uptown Tower site, close to Dubai’s JLT district. -
Once completed, the high-rise will stand 340 metres tall and is set to become a distinctive addition to the Dubai skyline. -
A view from high up Uptown Tower. -
A view of the top of Uptown Tower. -
Construction workers at the Dubai site. -
A bird's-eye view from Uptown Tower. Once completed, it will be the 14th tallest skyscraper in Dubai. -
Uptown Towers will be a mixed-use space, featuring offices and residential units, along with a So Sofitel five-star hotel. -
Construction workers on Uptown Tower. The completed building will be 79 storeys high. It will include 22 floors for commercial use and 10 for the hotel. -
A close-up of a construction worker on the Uptown Tower site. -
A view of the under-construction So Sofitel hotel ballroom. -
A panoramic view of the ballroom, which will be able to hold more than 1,500 people. -
A construction worker takes in the view of Dubai from the tower. -
DMCC executive chairman Ahmed bin Sulayem on site. He says the project shows that 'the demand for services in Dubai is increasing all the time'. -
Uptown Tower is reinforced by more than 30,000 tonnes of steel. -
Cherry picker truck-mounted aerial platforms at work on Uptown Tower. -
A view of Dubai through safety mesh on the site. -
A notice reminding workers of Covid-19 precautions on the site. -
DMCC development director Sana Farooq on-site at Uptown Tower. 'People are already talking about how beautiful it is,' she said -
Uptown Tower has been designed to save 15 per cent more energy than the average standard commercial building. -
DMCC said at least 20 per cent of materials have been manufactured and bought locally, within a 160-kilometre radius. -
Uptown Tower is due to open by the third quarter of 2022.
