In Dubai’s hugely competitive luxury hotel market, doing something new is harder than you might think. The city is already home to the world’s tallest hotel, the world’s only "seven-star" hotel and countless other luxury properties that tick every imaginable box from family-friendly to romantic, desert retreats to beachside.
And that is where the very soon-to-open Anantara World Islands Dubai Resort has things relatively easy.
As the first hotel to open on Dubai’s long-awaited World Islands, the hotel is already doing something different. Thankfully, in typical Anantara mode, that’s not quite enough for the luxury retreat that's located on the South American continent of the World Islands development.
Instead, Anantara has created something unlike anything that already exists in the Emirates.
The initial opening date is Saturday, December 18. Ahead of the big opening, The National was invited for a sneak peek behind the scenes at Anantara World Islands Dubai Resort.
As it's located some four kilometres off the coast of Dubai, on the World Islands site closest to the mainland, guests staying at the resort will arrive and check in at Anantara Dubai The Palm.
From there a very sleek luxury speedboat will whisk guests across the Arabian Gulf on a 15-minute trip towards the private island paradise.
Incidentally, this is the same way that workers had to get most of the furnishings, fittings and finishings for Anantara World Islands across to the resort.
Upon reaching the resort, a wooden jetty takes guests to the property's welcome pavilion. This pergola-style structure sits on the ocean's edge and is where travellers will be given a cool refreshment and enjoy a musical welcome ceremony, something that's customary in many of Anantara’s resorts around the world. At this property, the welcome takes place underneath an impressive chandelier crafted out of hundreds of harvested oyster shells – a nod to the UAE's pearl diving history.
A tropical island escape off the coast of the UAE
Walking into the sand-covered resort, it's not too much of a stretch of the imagination to think you've actually left Dubai behind. It’s hard to say where we feel we've gone to – the resort blends Anantara’s signature Thai influences with a sense of Maldivian luxury, Arabian elements and even some Zanzibari vibes. The result is decidedly tropical.
Guests checking in can wander at ease along the sandy walkways that wind through the resort, listening to the sound of the birds and taking in the tropical-style gardens that are currently still in their infancy, but already blooming with colour. Thai-style tuk-tuks are also on hand to ferry guests from one place to another.
An undulating swimming pool dotted with and surrounded by palm trees greets guests near the entrance. There’s a pool bar on the shoreline to the left of the pool, and a rock-art Instagram-worthy spot with the endless blue of the ocean behind it.
Tapas, Mediterranean, Indian and Middle Eastern eats, plus a plastic-free policy
Next to the pool is Helios, Anantara World Islands Dubai Resort’s Mediterranean all-day dining restaurant. The spacious eatery has fully retractable glass doors which can open up to let the breeze in when the weather is nice, or be closed to keep things cool in summer.
It’s one of three main restaurants on site. There’s also Luna, a Frida Kahlo-inspired South American lounge that’s located above Helios. Serving tapas and a wide range of drinks, this colourful restaurant's elevated position guarantees awesome views over the ocean back towards the Dubai skyline.
Qamar is the resort's Middle Eastern and Indian restaurant which is at once elegant and romantic without being ostentatious. Al fresco dining or shisha on the terrace is bound to be popular here thanks to traditional majlis-style seating, and uninterrupted vistas across the World Islands.
At the heart of the resort is The Grand House. This lobby area has beautiful palm-inspired decor and bamboo-style furniture and is also another place where guests can have a refreshment or a light bite.
In all of the restaurants and across the resort there's a strict no-plastic policy, with compostable coffee pods in the mini bars and water derived from Anantara’s filtration system, and served to guests in refillable glass bottles.
Cabana spa rooms, yoga and a gym with views to remember
The island has 70 rooms, suites and villas, ranging from the elevated Ocean View rooms, all of which have a balcony, to the four-bedroom Beach Pool Villa which spans a massive 224 square metres.
One of the really nice things about the design is that it really doesn't feel like you're in a resort. Each of the villas, suites and rooms are all slightly different from one another, giving the impression that you are instead wandering through a tropical village, albeit one that’s home to some serious mansions.
Huge thatched roofs adorned with Thai chofas allude to Anantara’s Thai heritage and the high ceilings inside the villas build a real sense of space. The design is coastal, with a subtle colour palate and materials like wood, wicker, linen and other natural products.
Fitness fans will adore the gym which has to be a contender for the best workout views in the world. There’s also a yoga hall and a padel court. The resort beach is lined with sunloungers, and there are in-ocean wooden swings just off the shoreline.
Famed for its spa facilities, Anantara's newest member is no different. While it wasn't open for a sneak peek during our visit, we're told that treatments will be given in luxurious spa cabanas and signature therapies are the Island Lomi Lomi massage and a Couples’ Island Escape.
The area will also be home to a large greenhouse that will eventually support the hotel’s food and beverage offerings with produce grown and used on-site.
Bookings will be opening soon and with initial rates starting from Dh1,600, checking in to Dubai’s newest tropical island might not cost quite as much as you would have expected.
Anantara World Islands Dubai Resort; anantara.com
See inside another new Dubai hotel – 25Hours Hotel One Central:
The specs
Engine: four-litre V6 and 3.5-litre V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: six-speed and 10-speed
Power: 271 and 409 horsepower
Torque: 385 and 650Nm
Price: from Dh229,900 to Dh355,000
Tips for newlyweds to better manage finances
All couples are unique and have to create a financial blueprint that is most suitable for their relationship, says Vijay Valecha, chief investment officer at Century Financial. He offers his top five tips for couples to better manage their finances.
Discuss your assets and debts: When married, it’s important to understand each other’s personal financial situation. It’s necessary to know upfront what each party brings to the table, as debts and assets affect spending habits and joint loan qualifications. Discussing all aspects of their finances as a couple prevents anyone from being blindsided later.
Decide on the financial/saving goals: Spouses should independently list their top goals and share their lists with one another to shape a joint plan. Writing down clear goals will help them determine how much to save each month, how much to put aside for short-term goals, and how they will reach their long-term financial goals.
Set a budget: A budget can keep the couple be mindful of their income and expenses. With a monthly budget, couples will know exactly how much they can spend in a category each month, how much they have to work with and what spending areas need to be evaluated.
Decide who manages what: When it comes to handling finances, it’s a good idea to decide who manages what. For example, one person might take on the day-to-day bills, while the other tackles long-term investments and retirement plans.
Money date nights: Talking about money should be a healthy, ongoing conversation and couples should not wait for something to go wrong. They should set time aside every month to talk about future financial decisions and see the progress they’ve made together towards accomplishing their goals.
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IF YOU GO
The flights: FlyDubai offers direct flights to Catania Airport from Dubai International Terminal 2 daily with return fares starting from Dh1,895.
The details: Access to the 2,900-metre elevation point at Mount Etna by cable car and 4x4 transport vehicle cost around €57.50 (Dh248) per adult. Entry into Teatro Greco costs €10 (Dh43). For more go to www.visitsicily.info
Where to stay: Hilton Giardini Naxos offers beachfront access and accessible to Taormina and Mount Etna. Rooms start from around €130 (Dh561) per night, including taxes.
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The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
Price: From Dh359,900 ($98,000)
On sale: Now
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
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.
