My Own Home takes you inside a reader-owned property to ask how much they paid, why they decided to buy and what they have done with it since moving in
Vidisha Bathwal loves living in her apartment on the Golden Mile in Dubai's Palm Jumeirah for which she and her husband paid Dh5.5 million ($1.5 million).
The Indian, who owns a catering company in the city, moved to her home in one of the city's most glamorous areas four years ago.
She invited The National into her home to see what makes it so special to her.
Why did you choose to live here?
There's so much space, it's fantastic. We were living in JLT but wanted to move for more space. Now we have a 5,000 sq ft penthouse with an attached balcony, which can serve as a terrace garden, and we can hold 30 to 40 people at parties.
It's also a great location, we are very close to Nakheel Mall. It's just a few minutes' walk away so it's great have that on our doorstep, especially when we have two small kids.
The whole area around is buzzing with life, there are so many different communities – it's great to have that, it allows our children to bond with different people, rather than just mixing with their own nationality.
It's a nice feeling to live in such a vibrant community.
Do you feel like it represents value for money?
Yes. It's great value for money as we are right beside the West Beach. When I moved in four years ago, that wasn't there.
Now there is an influx of great hotels and restaurants right here, just a walk away from the front door.
It's one of the most happening places in Dubai, with people travelling from all over the city to check it out. We just have to walk across the road, though.
What touches have you added to make it feel more personal?
It was an empty place when we moved in so everything that has been done is by us.
We colour-coded some rooms. Our room is blue and white, for example.
We've got a piano in the kids' room and there's a family wall corner with photographs.
Do you plan to stay here in the years to come?
Actually, we are moving to a bigger villa in Dubai Hills later this year.
Ideally, we would like to keep this property, though, and rent it out.
We might keep it as well for guests who come to stay with us, we haven't decided yet.
Do you expect to have regrets about moving to a new community?
I will be really sad to leave The Palm as I've grown to love it over the course of the last four years.
We are definitely looking forward to moving to Dubai Hills but a lot of people say that you never know your neighbours as well when you're in a villa community, rather than apartments.
I can see why that is, because when you're in a community building there's a lot of shared space.
There's a worry you won't see anyone for long periods in a villa community.
Is there anything you would change about where you live if you could?
One disadvantage to living here is that it can be very, very loud.
West Beach being so popular means there is nearly always congestion on the roads.
It has got to the stage that we are so used to it that we can almost drown it out, but then at other times it can be a lot.
It can be bad on Friday and Saturday when there is so much traffic that even the service roads are blocked.
There's not much you can do but wait until it clears out, which can be frustrating.
