What to expect from Wynn Al Marjan Island: Gaming to entertainment, rooms and restaurants


Farah Andrews
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Wynn Al Marjan Island is preparing to open in Ras Al Khaimah in spring 2027.

The property will be the UAE’s first gaming resort, having secured the country’s first gaming license last year. It is expected to significantly boost tourism in Ras Al Khaimah.

The resort will ascend 305 meters above sea level, across 70 storeys. As the top-10 list of tallest hotels in the world currently stands, this will place the hotel in eighth place, above the Address Beach Resort in Dubai, which is 301 metres tall.

As well as a spa, salon, 22 restaurants, shopping and a theatre, it will have 360-degree water views, a marina and 420 metres of private beach.

A rendering of Wynn Al Marjan Island, with its marina and shoreline visible. Photo: Wynn
A rendering of Wynn Al Marjan Island, with its marina and shoreline visible. Photo: Wynn

Gaming and gambling

Wynn Al Marjan Island was announced in January 2022, with news that it would include a “gaming area” on a designated floor. Internationally, Wynn is known for its casino hotel resorts in Las Vegas, Boston and Macau.

“Wynn Al Marjan Island will have an exclusive, 15-year gaming license for Ras Al Khaimah, which is renewable, but not for the entire UAE,” a representative for the hotel tells The National. The representative adds that the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA) will determine who is permitted into the gaming area.

“Gaming” is a term widely used for gambling in the US; as it stands, gambling is not currently permitted in the UAE. Previously, the gaming element of the hotel has been described by a representative as “only one of the many elements of the resort”.

Entertainment and shopping

A rendering of the shopping promenade at Wynn Al Marjan Island. Photo: Wynn
A rendering of the shopping promenade at Wynn Al Marjan Island. Photo: Wynn

The Wynn Las Vegas is known for its on-stage entertainment – with the Lake of Dreams and Awakening among its long-term productions and frequent guest shows.

At the Wynn Al Marjan Island, productions will also be an entertainment forethought. There will be an “intimately-sized” theatre at the resort, which will open with a show that is “quite unlike anything we have done before,” Todd-Avery Lenahan, president and chief creative officer at Wynn Design and Development, said during a property tour at Wynn Las Vegas this month. Lenahan didn’t confirm the company’s name, but added they they’re a London theatre company with international experience.

Like its sister resort, there will be a Sea of Dreams show. The water, animation and light performance will be visible from the majority of the 22 restaurants and lounges at the resort, according to Lenahan.

Supper club Delilah will stage “nightly live music and exclusive performances,” and visitors can expect guest DJs appearances at the various clubs and lounges at the resort.

There will also be a shopping promenade, architecturally inspired by European Palladian architecture.

Bars and restaurants

A rendering of Alain Ducasse's French-American steakhouse at Wynn Al Marjan Island. Photo: Wynn Resorts
A rendering of Alain Ducasse's French-American steakhouse at Wynn Al Marjan Island. Photo: Wynn Resorts

The first restaurants and lounges at the resort have been announced.

The property will be home to a steakhouse by celebrated French chef Alain Ducasse and the first international outpost of Delilah, the popular supper club at Wynn Las Vegas.

There will also be an Aft Cocktail Deck at the resort. In total, there will be 22 restaurants and lounges.

Lenahan has said there will also be Indo-Persian, Italian, Lebanese, Indian, Greek and Japanese restaurants, as well as a food hall, pool bars and a lobby bar.

"It's quite an incredible collection of restaurants," Lenahan said during the property tour, "all of which will be taking advantage of beautiful views out to the ocean".

A rendering of Delilah at Wynn Al Marjan Island. Photo: Wynn Resorts
A rendering of Delilah at Wynn Al Marjan Island. Photo: Wynn Resorts

In Las Vegas, the eponymous Delilah is a fictional 1950s showgirl inspired by the likes of Rita Hayworth and Lucille Ball. During a visit to the Las Vegas venue, Lenahan said that the UAE's patron will be "inspired by an entertainment industry icon from Beirut".

Ten categories of rooms and suites

The resort will have 1,530 rooms and suites, split over 10 different room categories. This includes Enclave, described by the Wynn team as a “hotel within a hotel", which is located in the top floors of the property’s central tower, and townhouse accommodation. Upon opening, it will be one of the largest hotels in the UAE, in terms of room number. JW Marriott Marquis Hotel Dubai stands as the biggest, with 1,608 rooms.

There will be separate entrances for the main property, Enclave rooms and townhouses, as well as designated public entrances for the theatre, restaurants and shopping.

The rooms have a warm aesthetic, with a neutral pink and off-white colour scheme, broken up with splashes of cool green.

Bathrooms within the Enclave part of the property are spacious, and include a wet room with a shower and large bath inside.

Beach and wellness facilities

Artist illustration of the property, with a view of the beach and several swimming pools. Photo: Wynn
Artist illustration of the property, with a view of the beach and several swimming pools. Photo: Wynn

Set on its own island, the property will boast 420 metres of private beach. Among the swimming pools, there will be adults-only and family-friendly areas, as well as a cabanas and bungalows spread across the beachfront. There will also be a day club, or beach club, a described by Lenahan as “its own little fantasy land”.

As part of the Enclave resort, there will also be dedicated pools, cabanas and lawns.

The spa will be “its own destination” within the property, according to Lenahan, with a dedicated spa and wellness floor. There will be men’s and women’s salons, fitness and wellness areas and treatment suites, as well as retail and dining offerings on the floor. The spa will also offer thermal experiences, including hammams, steam rooms and dry saunas, with colour therapy and chromotherapy.

War

Director: Siddharth Anand

Cast: Hrithik Roshan, Tiger Shroff, Ashutosh Rana, Vaani Kapoor

Rating: Two out of five stars 

Why your domicile status is important

Your UK residence status is assessed using the statutory residence test. While your residence status – ie where you live - is assessed every year, your domicile status is assessed over your lifetime.

Your domicile of origin generally comes from your parents and if your parents were not married, then it is decided by your father. Your domicile is generally the country your father considered his permanent home when you were born. 

UK residents who have their permanent home ("domicile") outside the UK may not have to pay UK tax on foreign income. For example, they do not pay tax on foreign income or gains if they are less than £2,000 in the tax year and do not transfer that gain to a UK bank account.

A UK-domiciled person, however, is liable for UK tax on their worldwide income and gains when they are resident in the UK.

SERIE A FIXTURES

Saturday Spezia v Lazio (6pm), Juventus v Torino (9pm), Inter Milan v Bologna (7.45pm)

Sunday Verona v Cagliari (3.30pm), Parma v Benevento, AS Roma v Sassuolo, Udinese v Atalanta (all 6pm), Crotone v Napoli (9pm), Sampdoria v AC Milan (11.45pm)

Monday Fiorentina v Genoa (11.45pm)

About Krews

Founder: Ahmed Al Qubaisi

Based: Abu Dhabi

Founded: January 2019

Number of employees: 10

Sector: Technology/Social media 

Funding to date: Estimated $300,000 from Hub71 in-kind support

 

UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES

All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated

Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid

Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona

Building boom turning to bust as Turkey's economy slows

Deep in a provincial region of northwestern Turkey, it looks like a mirage - hundreds of luxury houses built in neat rows, their pointed towers somewhere between French chateau and Disney castle.

Meant to provide luxurious accommodations for foreign buyers, the houses are however standing empty in what is anything but a fairytale for their investors.

The ambitious development has been hit by regional turmoil as well as the slump in the Turkish construction industry - a key sector - as the country's economy heads towards what could be a hard landing in an intensifying downturn.

After a long period of solid growth, Turkey's economy contracted 1.1 per cent in the third quarter, and many economists expect it will enter into recession this year.

The country has been hit by high inflation and a currency crisis in August. The lira lost 28 per cent of its value against the dollar in 2018 and markets are still unconvinced by the readiness of the government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to tackle underlying economic issues.

The villas close to the town centre of Mudurnu in the Bolu region are intended to resemble European architecture and are part of the Sarot Group's Burj Al Babas project.

But the development of 732 villas and a shopping centre - which began in 2014 - is now in limbo as Sarot Group has sought bankruptcy protection.

It is one of hundreds of Turkish companies that have done so as they seek cover from creditors and to restructure their debts.

Keep it fun and engaging

Stuart Ritchie, director of wealth advice at AES International, says children cannot learn something overnight, so it helps to have a fun routine that keeps them engaged and interested.

“I explain to my daughter that the money I draw from an ATM or the money on my bank card doesn’t just magically appear – it’s money I have earned from my job. I show her how this works by giving her little chores around the house so she can earn pocket money,” says Mr Ritchie.

His daughter is allowed to spend half of her pocket money, while the other half goes into a bank account. When this money hits a certain milestone, Mr Ritchie rewards his daughter with a small lump sum.

He also recommends books that teach the importance of money management for children, such as The Squirrel Manifesto by Ric Edelman and Jean Edelman.

Trolls World Tour

Directed by: Walt Dohrn, David Smith

Starring: Anna Kendrick, Justin Timberlake

Rating: 4 stars

The%20Little%20Mermaid%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Rob%20Marshall%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EHalle%20Bailey%2C%20Jonah%20Hauer-King%2C%20Melissa%20McCarthy%2C%20Javier%20Bardem%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2%2F5%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specs: 2019 BMW X4

Price, base / as tested: Dh276,675 / Dh346,800

Engine: 3.0-litre turbocharged in-line six-cylinder

Transmission: Eight-speed automatic

Power: 354hp @ 5,500rpm

Torque: 500Nm @ 1,550rpm

Fuel economy, combined: 9.0L / 100km

SPEC%20SHEET
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M2%2C%208-core%20CPU%2C%20up%20to%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.6-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201664%2C%20224ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%2C%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206%2C%20Bluetooth%205.0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2052.6Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2018%20hours%2C%20MagSafe%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201080p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20Apple%20ProRes%2C%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-speaker%20system%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20support%20for%20Dolby%20Atmos%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20and%20dynamic%20head%20tracking%20(with%20AirPods)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Silver%2C%20space%20grey%2C%20starlight%2C%20midnight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Air%2C%2030W%20or%2035W%20dual-port%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C-to-MagSafe%20cable%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh4%2C999%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
BMW M5 specs

Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor

Power: 727hp

Torque: 1,000Nm

Transmission: 8-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh650,000

Lexus LX700h specs

Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor

Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm

Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm

Transmission: 10-speed auto

Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km

On sale: Now

Price: From Dh590,000

Updated: September 29, 2025, 3:36 AM