Dubai's newest hotel has opened for overnight stays.
Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah is now welcoming guests, with overnight rates from Dh1,500.
The hotel group’s first resort in the UAE opened on Thursday and is a sprawling beachside haven that's geared towards leisure travellers.
Set on Palm West Beach, the family-friendly property is spread over 7,000 square metres and has more than 600 guest rooms. Making the most of its shoreline location, every room and suite has at least one private balcony and views over the Arabian Gulf.
“We are very excited for the launch and official opening today. We have been working on opening our doors for quite some time — and we cannot wait to showcase the first ever Marriott Resort in the UAE and also the 50th Marriott property in Dubai,” Gerrit Schmitt, general manager at Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah told The National.
Travellers visiting will step into the five-star resort via the Greatroom lobby — a spacious and stylish area.
Guestrooms have a contemporary design inspired by the ocean, and some nice little touches such as a pillow menu, mood lighting and huge bathtubs. About 80 per cent of rooms have interconnecting doors making it an ideal choice for families.
Little ones are also well looked after at the children's club, which has indoor and outdoor play areas, a pool, games room and an extensive schedule of activities and events. There's also a dedicated check-in zone for youngsters and rooms are equipped with mini-robes and slippers so they can cosy up too.
The resort's 10 bars and restaurants, including Dubai's first upscale Korean steakhouse
Guests can choose from five restaurants and bars, now open in soft launch, with another five opening next year.
The current selection includes rustic Italian spot Cucina, which also has its own ice cream parlour at Gelateria by Cucina; super spacious all-day dining venue Levantera, which has a boho aesthetic and a menu influenced by the Mediterranean and a separate children's buffet. The Lobby Lounge serves mouthwatering cakes, coffees and light bites. It also has a chocolate ravioli display featuring blocks of deliciously crafted chocolate, fused with local ingredients and presented under glass domes.
Outside, Myami Pool Bar & Lounge elevates poolside eats with a menu fusing American, Caribbean, and Latino flavours, plus mixologists serving drinks inspired by South Beach Miami. Beach casual Mexican dining is also available on Marriott's beach at Senor Pico at West Palm Beach.
When fully operational, the hotel will have 10 on-site restaurants and bars including Bal Harbour Beach, which offers marina views, and Above Eleven, which originated in Bangkok and serves a Peruvian, Japanese, New York-inspired menu in an open-air rooftop location.
Next year, Smoki Moto Dubai, the first high-end Korean steakhouse in the city will be launched, as well as another restaurant, which is yet to be revealed.
Travellers lucky enough to be staying in a club room have access to Marriott's M Club. This 24-hour lounge serves complimentary drinks and snacks, afternoon tea and breakfast for guests who prefer a more intimate dining experience. It also has handy meeting rooms, ideal if you need to take a Zoom call while on a trip.
The Saray Spa is still in development, with travellers having to wait until 2023 to experience the Middle Eastern-inspired spa. We are told it will be worth the wait, with new modern therapies being added to the spa brand's tried-and-tested traditional treatments, including the Saray Hammam, an elevated experience of the traditional cleansing ritual. Until it opens, guests can enjoy massages and other services in the comfort of their room.
Fitness fans can work out at the 24-hour fitness suite, which looks over the sea and has views to keep even the least dedicated runner on their treadmill.
Marriott Resort Palm Jumeirah is the latest addition to Palm West Beach, which has also recently welcomed Hilton Dubai Palm Jumeirah and Radisson Beach Resort Palm Jumeirah.
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Scoreline
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Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
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
25-MAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Daniel Akpeyi
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina, Abdullahi Shehu, Chidozie Awaziem, William Ekong, Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo, Jamilu Collins, Semi Ajayi
Midfielders: John Obi Mikel, Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, John Ogu
Forwards: Ahmed Musa, Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon, Henry Onyekuru, Odion Ighalo, Alexander Iwobi, Samuel Kalu, Paul Onuachu, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze
On Standby: Theophilus Afelokhai, Bryan Idowu, Ikouwem Utin, Mikel Agu, Junior Ajayi, Valentine Ozornwafor
The smuggler
Eldarir had arrived at JFK in January 2020 with three suitcases, containing goods he valued at $300, when he was directed to a search area.
Officers found 41 gold artefacts among the bags, including amulets from a funerary set which prepared the deceased for the afterlife.
Also found was a cartouche of a Ptolemaic king on a relief that was originally part of a royal building or temple.
The largest single group of items found in Eldarir’s cases were 400 shabtis, or figurines.
Khouli conviction
Khouli smuggled items into the US by making false declarations to customs about the country of origin and value of the items.
According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement, he provided “false provenances which stated that [two] Egyptian antiquities were part of a collection assembled by Khouli's father in Israel in the 1960s” when in fact “Khouli acquired the Egyptian antiquities from other dealers”.
He was sentenced to one year of probation, six months of home confinement and 200 hours of community service in 2012 after admitting buying and smuggling Egyptian antiquities, including coffins, funerary boats and limestone figures.
For sale
A number of other items said to come from the collection of Ezeldeen Taha Eldarir are currently or recently for sale.
Their provenance is described in near identical terms as the British Museum shabti: bought from Salahaddin Sirmali, "authenticated and appraised" by Hossen Rashed, then imported to the US in 1948.
- An Egyptian Mummy mask dating from 700BC-30BC, is on offer for £11,807 ($15,275) online by a seller in Mexico
- A coffin lid dating back to 664BC-332BC was offered for sale by a Colorado-based art dealer, with a starting price of $65,000
- A shabti that was on sale through a Chicago-based coin dealer, dating from 1567BC-1085BC, is up for $1,950
Company Fact Box
Company name/date started: Abwaab Technologies / September 2019
Founders: Hamdi Tabbaa, co-founder and CEO. Hussein Alsarabi, co-founder and CTO
Based: Amman, Jordan
Sector: Education Technology
Size (employees/revenue): Total team size: 65. Full-time employees: 25. Revenue undisclosed
Stage: early-stage startup
Investors: Adam Tech Ventures, Endure Capital, Equitrust, the World Bank-backed Innovative Startups SMEs Fund, a London investment fund, a number of former and current executives from Uber and Netflix, among others.
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.5-litre turbocharged four-cylinder
Transmission: Constant Variable (CVT)
Power: 141bhp
Torque: 250Nm
Price: Dh64,500
On sale: Now
Landfill in numbers
• Landfill gas is composed of 50 per cent methane
• Methane is 28 times more harmful than Co2 in terms of global warming
• 11 million total tonnes of waste are being generated annually in Abu Dhabi
• 18,000 tonnes per year of hazardous and medical waste is produced in Abu Dhabi emirate per year
• 20,000 litres of cooking oil produced in Abu Dhabi’s cafeterias and restaurants every day is thrown away
• 50 per cent of Abu Dhabi’s waste is from construction and demolition
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
If you go
The flights
There are various ways of getting to the southern Serengeti in Tanzania from the UAE. The exact route and airstrip depends on your overall trip itinerary and which camp you’re staying at.
Flydubai flies direct from Dubai to Kilimanjaro International Airport from Dh1,350 return, including taxes; this can be followed by a short flight from Kilimanjaro to the Serengeti with Coastal Aviation from about US$700 (Dh2,500) return, including taxes. Kenya Airways, Emirates and Etihad offer flights via Nairobi or Dar es Salaam.
LEADERBOARD
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The%20specs
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'Brazen'
Director: Monika Mitchell
Starring: Alyssa Milano, Sam Page, Colleen Wheeler
Rating: 3/5
%E2%80%98White%20Elephant%E2%80%99
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