The New Openings In Dubai To Know About
NATALEE COCKS
HOTELS
The Uptown Opening:
SO/
SO/ is a luxury hotel that’s just about to open in Dubai's Uptown district. From Ennismore – the group behind The Hoxton, Estelle Manor and House of Koko – this hotel comprises 146 guest rooms and 42 suites decorated in the same vibrant and luxurious manner. There will be multiple dining options, a rooftop lounge, wellness spa, fitness centre and a pool with a sweeping view of the city skyline, plus a range of entertainment options, including a private cinema. As well as the design and spacious suites, one of the hotel's main draws is its proximity to some of Dubai's most iconic attractions, including Burj Khalifa and Dubai Mall.
Visit SO-Hotels.com
The Luxury Launch:
The Lana, Dorchester Collection
Part of the Dorchester Collection, The Lana is due to open in November. In a building designed by Foster + Partners, the interiors have been designed by renowned Parisian duo Gilles et Boissier and are intended to make the most of Dubai's famous vistas, with views of Burj Khalifa, sunsets to the northwest and striking landscapes to the southeast. The hotel's 225 guest rooms include 69 suites and all feature floor-to-ceiling windows, stone parquet flooring and triple-height ceilings. The living spaces are decorated with dark marble, rounded furniture and soft hues of gold, beige and olive. The in-room experience is enhanced with deep-soaking bathtubs – some positioned in the windows, offering guests a great view of the city below. We also love the look of the impressive-looking rooftop infinity pool.
Visit DorchesterCollection.com
The Cabins:
JA Hatta Fort Hotel
A good option for adventurous families or those seeking a relaxing break from city life, the recently opened JA Hatta Fort Hotel offers guests the opportunity to get closer to Hatta's beautiful natural landscapes. The Deluxe Terra Cabins provide more than enough space for up to six guests and feature flexible sleeping arrangements, walk-in rain showers, a projector plus a dedicated patio and window-side seating, with interior touches to complement the surrounding scenery. Guests staying in the Terra Cabins are invited to enjoy all the resort's facilities, including 24-hour in-room dining, a selection of restaurants and a wide range of leisure and recreational activities, including two outdoor pools, padel courts and animal encounters.
Visit JAResortsHotels.com
The Mega Newcomer:
Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab
At the tip of the peninsula on Dubai’s most exclusive private beach, Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab features an avant-garde design by architect Shaun Killa, 387 hotel rooms and suites, 82 luxury residences and an 82-berth superyacht marina by D-Marin. When it opens later this year, guests will be able to enjoy five pools, ten restaurants and nine bars, and unobstructed views of Burj Al Arab Jumeirah from every bedroom. We can’t wait to experience the impressive spa, which will be set over three floors. The space will provide female-only spaces and 13 treatment rooms, each with a private terrace and views over the Arabian Peninsula.
Visit Jumeirah.com
The One To Look Ahead For:
One&Only One Za’abeel
One&Only One Za’abeel Dubai is taking reservations for its launch on 1st December. The hotel is the group’s first vertical urban resort and is housed in dual skyscrapers designed by architect Nikken Sekkei. The two buildings will be intersected by The Link (see below), the world’s longest cantilever, which offers a choice of fine restaurants and lounges. In keeping with what you’d expect from a One&Only resort, the property’s rooms, suites and Villa One penthouse are among the largest in Dubai. Meaning ‘white sand’ in the local Emirati dialect, Za’abeel’s name is woven through the design of the resort, with a soothing neutral colour palette and subtle sand motifs in the textiles, artworks and sculptural lighting. The resort will also feature a rejuvenating Spa Clinic, state-of-the-art fitness hub, KidsOnly Club and a handful of luxury retail spaces.
Visit OneAndOnlyResorts.com
RESTAURANTS & BARS
The Dining Destination:
The Link
Part of the forthcoming One&Only One Za’abeel, The Link is set to be the world’s longest cantilever, set between the dual towers of the resort. The space will bring together an impressive number of globally renowned chefs to create 11 exciting culinary concepts in one location. Calling itself a ‘modern Middle Eastern food hall’, the line-up includes sophisticated French dining at La Dame de Pic by Anne-Sophie Pic, the most decorated Michelin-starred female chef in the world, Qabu by Paco Morales, Sagetsu with Tetsuya Wakuda, DuangDy by Bo.Lan, Arrazuna by Mehmet Gürs, StreetXO by Dabiz Muñoz and more.
Visit OneAndOnlyResorts.com
The Chic Hangout:
Josette
Those looking for a touch of Paris in Dubai should head to Josette, a newly opened French restaurant in Dubai International Financial Centre. With its bright marshmallow pink walls and vast chandeliers, Josette has been designed in collaboration with some of the music and art industry's top designers, including London-based artist and interior designer Luke Edward Hall, the man behind the Hotel Les Deux Gares in Paris. Petit Josette is a smaller café space that’s open during the day, while The Hidden Room is the place to explore at night. The restaurant also hosts cabaret shows as well as performances by the exclusive Josette String Quartet throughout the evening.
Visit Josette.com
The Rooftop:
St Regis Gardens
The St Regis Gardens, on Palm Jumeirah, will fully launch at the end of summer. The impressive space features a collection of restaurants, some of which are already open, with others set to arrive soon. The restaurants showcase big international names alongside homegrown talent, adding to the hotel's all-day dining Cordelia and the newly opened Turkish restaurant RÜYA, plus the trio of concepts at the top of the Palm Tower: Aura Skypool, Sushisamba and CouCou. The St Regis Gardens will be divided between the east and west sides, with a huge rooftop space. The already open venues include Soho Garden Palm Jumeirah and Trèsind Studio, a Michelin-starred restaurant headed up by Himanshu Saini, serving a fresh take on Indian cuisine. We’re looking forward to booking at table at Leña, a steakhouse overseen by leading Andalusian chef Dani García, and Signor Sassi, a new Italian restaurant.
Visit Marriott.com
The London Launch:
City Social Dubai
City Social Dubai is the latest restaurant from celebrity chef Jason Atherton. Launched earlier this year, like its London counterpart, the restaurant can be found at the top of a skyscraper – in this case, Grosvenor House – offering 360° views of Dubai’s skyline. Drawing inspiration from its sister location off Liverpool Street, City Social Dubai brings a different culinary experience to the city. The menu features some of Atherton's signature dishes, such as Scottish salmon with king crab, cucumber, dill and trout eggs, as well as exciting additions including ravioli of shellfish with seaweed, mushroom jam and sweetcorn velouté.
Visit CitySocialDubai.com
BEAUTY & WELLNESS
The Retreat:
Bab Al Shams
Bab Al Shams – Arabic for ‘gateway to the sun’– is a luxurious desert retreat which reopened in February following a major renovation. The resort combines traditional Arabic architecture with contemporary luxury and is one of our favourites on this list. Each of the spacious rooms and suites offer views of the surrounding desert landscape. Guests can indulge in a range of dining options, from authentic Arabian cuisine to international dishes, and relax at the spa which offers treatments inspired by local traditions. The resort also offers guests a variety of outdoor activities, including falconry, camel riding, desert treks and more.
Visit BabAlShams.com
The Spa:
MindSpa at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah
Burj Al Arab Jumeirah recently launched a MindSpa treatment, a first-of-its-kind treatment in the Middle East. MindSpa at Burj Al Arab Jumeirah aims to help guests tackle the root causes of the brain’s most common ailments in a 25-minute session which uses binaural sounds, brain entrainment and 3D state-of-the-art sound technology to develop an avant-garde ‘brain massage’. There are numerous benefits to this treatment, including enhanced sleep quality, a heightened mental focus, reduction of the effects of insomnia, and a reset of the nervous system.
Visit Jumeirah.com
The Salon:
Boho Arjan
Need a blowdry or nail treatment? Boho opened in Q Gardens Boutique Residences in July. Specialising in creative hair colour, haircuts and styling (including special services for curly hair), customised scalp treatments, grooming and nail services, Boho uses brands and practices to bring sustainability and eco-preservation to the forefront of its services. Most of the brands used are vegan and ethically sourced – think Davines – and the space itself has been designed using natural materials. The team also provides lash and brow services, waxing and threading.
Visit BohoSalon.ae
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