My Dubai 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
Imagine spending your time watching people fall from the sky past your balcony.
That is how one woman often spends her days in her apartment in one of the UAE’s most famous buildings, Cayan Tower, which happens to be right beside Skydive Dubai.
Ketaki Golatkar, 40, an Indian resident who works in the communications sector, pays a little less than Dh170,000 a year across four cheques to live in the Dubai Marina building.
She invited The National for a tour of her one-bedroom apartment and to see why she could not imagine calling anywhere else home.
You don’t live in a typical Dubai rental set-up, do you?
No. I pay my rent to a property management company which covers everything from the utility bills, furniture – right down to the internet and Netflix.
It’s a little expensive but if I had to buy my own furniture and pay the bills each month, I am pretty sure I would end up spending more.
Why did you choose to live here and not somewhere else?
It’s just really so convenient. I travel a lot for work and this contract means I only have to give a month's notice to leave – not that I plan to.
Everything is taken care of, all the way down to issues with plumbing and other maintenance.
The apartment came fully furnished so it was basically a case of “plug and play”.
I work from home most days and this isn’t like other areas of the marina – it’s pretty quiet and you avoid most of the traffic.
There’s easy access as well on to the Sheikh Zayed Road from here.
What do you get for your money?
The view. It’s nothing short of amazing. It’s so peaceful and you get to see so much of the marina.
It faces Skydive Dubai and when I am in my bedroom, I can watch them descending from the sky.
Like most other buildings in the marina, there is access to the gym and pool.
There are so many cafes and shops beside me, too, and I like to go running in the evenings, around the promenade – even though it’s a little challenging in the weather right now.
Does it offer value for money?
It’s expensive, for sure, but fortunately, I can afford it right now.
I don’t want to have to buy a load of stuff and have to transport it around with me every time I move.
Do you see yourself staying here for the long term?
I have no plans to move anywhere else. It’s definitely not temporary. I want to stay here.
Was it a challenge to put your own stamp on your home if it came fully furnished?
The style of the furniture that was here was pretty unique and it matched my own sensibilities.
There is a blue and grey theme to the apartment. It’s very chic and minimalistic.
I have my own touch in there. There are my books, I have my own library and there are a lot of handloom stuff as well as pictures and posters.
I also have block-printed bedsheets, which is a very Indian tradition.
Is there anything about your home that you would change if you could?
The rent is obviously expensive but there are certain things I don’t want to compromise on. Having a great view is one of them.
