A competition was recently held to find an inspirational name for Dubai’s extraordinarily high-tech new fountain. This surprisingly impressive aquatic marvel - costing £170million - is located in the lake bordered by the Burj Dubai tower and the Dubai Mall.

Produced by the same company responsible for the jets of water that ‘dance’ to music outside the Bellagio Hotel in Las Vegas, the Dubai fountain takes the process to a more advanced level with extraordinary swirls and pyrotechnic blasts of high-pressure water that rocket upwards like fireworks.

The Katherine Jenkins song Time To Say Goodbye takes on an interesting new dimension when played out as a water ballet.

About 4,000 people entered the competition to name the fountain. After careful deliberation and much fanfare, the winning entry was ceremonially revealed. The name for the Dubai fountain would be…Dubai Fountain.

In Dubai, it seems, the poetry lies in the modern wonders themselves rather than their names. And standing on the balcony of The Address hotel, which has a grandstand view of the fountain, you have rather a lot to say ‘wow’ about.

You could start with the heat. Last week, when daytime temperatures reached 45C, everybody agreed that it was probably mild for the time of year. ‘You should be here when it’s in the mid-50s,’ said one local. ‘Now that’s hot.’

The newly opened Dubai Mall - the world’s largest shopping arcade - offers ‘wow’ moments of its own.

The sheer scale of the place is mind-boggling (it covers ten acres and boasts a dozen ‘malls within a mall’), but for many the mall’s most attractive feature is the ice-skating rink where even non-skaters will enjoy the welcome nip in the air.

The biggest wows, however, must be reserved for the neighbouring Burj Dubai tower, the world’s tallest man-made structure at 2,684ft, and built at cost of around £2.75billion.

Each morning at The Address I would throw back the curtains and stand amazed at the tower, which filled the view from my balcony like a giant rocket ready to blast off.

The tower officially opens in September, which is set to be a month of achievements in Dubai. On September 9, the emirate’s £2.6billion new metro system will open and bring, it is hoped, much needed relief to the appalling congestion which cripples Dubai’s roads.

As you drive - very slowly, of course - through Dubai, you can see dozens of metro stations hastily being completed amid a cocoon of scaffolding, looking like alien eggs about to hatch.

The metro, in theory, is marvellous. In practice nobody is sure how keen people will be to walk to their nearest station in terrifying levels of heat - although I wouldn’t discount the possibility of Dubai attempting to air-condition its pavements; the lakefront walk outside the Dubai Mall, for example, already has stretches where ice-cold air is blasted out on to the street.

Making a splash: The aquarium at Dubai Mall

But for anyone keen to travel to Dubai over the next couple of months, another ‘wow’ is likely to be the bargain-basement prices currently on offer.

Surf the internet and you will find five-star hotels offering rooms from about £150 a night, and flights from London to Dubai advertised from £199 return.

Much has been written about the sudden downturn in Dubai’s fortunes, some gloating that the economic powerhouse of the Gulf has been dealt a heavy blow by the recession.

Redundant executives, it is reported, unable to pay the loans on their BMWs and Porsches, are simply dumping the cars at the airport car park and heading home.

There is no doubt that Dubai has been affected by the recession. And new hotels have been opening apace, even though business has slipped from last year, meaning that hotel occupancy has declined.

So it’s not surprising there are plenty of bargains this summer. If you don’t mind the heat, you can be sure of exceptionally good value.

Dubai Fashion Fiesta (DFF), a highlight of Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) this year, unveiled four days of the region’s best in fashion through a glittering red carpet ceremony graced by international celebrities and top models on Friday, June 19, at the Dubai International Convention and Exhibition Center.

More than 500 high profile guests from Dubai’s social circle including fashionistas from all over the country, models, designers, media, and famous celebrities from different countries thronged the venue to witness the ultimate fashion gathering of the season. Some of the renowned personalities that graced the opening were Sabrina Barnett, top model-turned singer and brand ambassador of DFF in the US; Larisa Katz, fashion designer and brand ambassador of DFF in Europe; Detlif Turisis, CEO of World Beauty organization; Prince of Malaysia Reza Sha Dato; and Bollywood celebrities Riya Sen, Raima Sen, and Sayali Bhagat.

The show started when evening gowns from Dubai-based fashion boutique Si Fashion Gallery set the first stage for avant-garde style, as models strutted down the ramp in resplendent ready-to-wear evening collection. The collection was essentially created for the Middle Eastern woman in an eclectic range of colours.

A special presentation of five Dubai-based designers displayed their fashion flair for outstanding five pieces for each collection. Exquisite Indian craftsmanship and delicate embroidery took the limelight as Rohit Verma showcased his collection of kameez-salwars and nightgowns. Emirati designer Rabia Z. played a fashion forward concept with the traditional abaya to reflect individualistic self-expression of modern Arab women. Amber Feroz owed his inspiration to his native city, Banaras, and reflected its rich weaving traditions with pails of color swirls, silken skeins and woven gold fused with modern cuts. The creator of well-recognized Islamic fashion label “Shabhaya”, Shabana Asif blended sophistication and elegance with unique designs, exclusive fabric and intricate embroidery. Whereas, the award-winning Emirati designer Zahra Komastagi, focused on Jalabiyas and stunning crystal studded flowing evening gowns that oozed feminine grace.

The glamorous night capped as DFF’s brand ambassador in the USA, supermodel, actress, singer turned fashion designer Sabrina Barnett showcased 27 pieces from her collection “Empowering Women”. Her high street fashion style combined with bold allegiance to discerning awareness paved the way to a successful array of beautiful pieces of fashion.

On the other hand, Dubai-based British opera singer Stacey Ormond who has performed in front of Queen Elizabeth and Prince Charles on many occasions added a touch of musical poetry to the event through a special song. The wonderful array of kiosks provided to an exhibit of designers also charged up the excitement all throughout.

DFF’s first night ended on a high note with several nods of agreement that the event marked Dubai’s leading status in bringing the latest and the best in haute couture and high fashion. DFF runs till June 21 in Dubai International Exhibition & Convention Centre Hall 5.

DSS discounts and entertainment keep shoppers busy at BurJuman

During the first weekend of Dubai Summer Surprises (DSS) 2009, shoppers at BurJuman expressed their delight at the various programmes and discounted promotions in the shopping mall.

Dubai residents Alex Milkovski, Marina Bubalo and Galonjic Dejan were thrilled to show off their shopping bags. These Serbian nationals felt that DSS had lots of offerings this year. Alex said, “We are so excited to go to the mall and check out the DSS programmes. We were surprised to know that we can also participate at raffle draws by just shopping.” Marina added, “We are waiting for more promotions in the coming weeks.”

Mukesh Chheda, from India, was also motivated to roam around the shopping mall. He said, “It’s my first DSS and I heard a lot of good things on how great the promotions are. Now that I am here at BurJuman, I can say that whatever I heard was so true. DSS really makes shopping very affordable. That’s what we need during these times.”

On the other hand, wife and mother Gopika Gurdasani was roaming around the mall with her kids. Although she wasn’t in for shopping, she was more than happy about DSS. Gopika told, “I’m thankful that DSS has wonderful events for children. We are staying in Dubai this summer, and we need these types of activities for our kids. The DSS activities are enjoyable and educational, and really great for the children.”

Visiting tourists from Kuwait, Arwa and Umme Khan, believed that DSS made their trip to Dubai more memorable. Arwa said, “The discounts are wonderful. I could buy a lot of stuff to take back home.” Umme added , “We love the promotions. It’s just amazing.”

BurJuman, a key sponsor of DSS this year, hosts numerous luxury brand outlets that are offering massive discounts during the summer extravaganza.

Support services group Serco has won a 10-year, £245m contract to provide air traffic control at Dubai’s airports. The emirate is attempting to transform itself into the world’s biggest airport hub.

Dubai Airport is already the world’s 11th-busiest cargo airport and 20th-biggest in terms of passengers carried. Maktoum Airport, a new facility under construction in the desert south-east of the city, is projected to become the world’s busiest when it is completed in 2017, with a capacity of 160m passengers. Atlanta, the world’s busiest passenger hub, has a capacity of 90m passengers.

There have been fears that Maktoum would be abandoned after the tightening of credit caused a sharp downturn in Dubai’s construction sector last autumn. But Dubai Airports says the first terminal at the site, with a capacity of 7m-9m passengers, is on schedule to open next June, though details of the remaining facilities are still being finalised.

The contract, to be announced today, will cover radar services in and around the airport and will give Serco a role in designing the layout of Dubai’s airspace routes.

Serco’s background is in radar services - the group grew from a 1987 management buy-out of the Radio Corporation of America’s UK arm, which has held contracts for the maintenance of RAF Flying dales’ ballistic missile early warning station in north Yorkshire for almost 50 years.

It also provides air traffic control services in Bahrain, where RCA UK signed its first contract in 1947, in Abu Dhabi, and in the smaller emirates of Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah.

Serco’s most ambitious attempt to expand into air traffic control fell apart in 2001 after it lost a tender to be the minority partner in the UK’s part-privatised National Air Traffic Services, following heavy campaigning by unions. The company wrote off £10.2m spent preparing the bid, which went to a consortium of BAA and UK airlines.

The group has signed £1bn worth of new contracts since the stat of the year and been appointed preferred bidder for a further £750m.

The TV celebrity’s camp confirmed that she had split from The Hills star Doug Reinhardt early this week, sparking rumours that she will cancel her visit to Dubai, website www.ahlanlive.com reported.

“In response to the enquiry on whether Paris Hilton has split up with Doug Reinhardt, yes, this is true they are no longer together,” the heiress’s spokesman was quoted as saying on the website.

But they remain close friends, the spokesman added. The news comes just days after Hilton appeared on U.S. latenight show Jimmy Kimmel Live! and announced that her boyfriend was “hotter” than Brad Pitt.

Hilton was due to fly to the Dubai next week, to start filming “Paris Hilton My New BFF - Dubai”. The show is to be modelled on her raunchy MTV series in which Hilton tests women to see if they could be her best friend forever (BFF).

But the trip has been thrown into doubt amid fears the broken-hearted star will not be emotionally strong enough to go in front of the camera after the split from the six-month love affair.

The star has had a string of high profile short-lived relationships with celebrity men.

It’s too hot in the United Arab Emirates in summer, I hear you shout. So what? Dubai, the place for all “created” seasons - they have a ski slope there! - has tons of activities in store for you, so why not experience something new.

And if you do decide to go, here’s one of the things you can look forward to.

Dubai Summer Surprises is designed to promote Dubai as a destination with world-class travel infrastructure and a tax-free shopping environment. Now in its twelfth year, Dubai Summer Surprises 2009 will run from June 11 - August 14, spanning 65 days.

Last year, the event attracted 2.1 million visitors and generated AED 3.35 billion ($1.31 billion).

The theme this year is “Surprising Dubai” - incorporating all of the city’s attractions and those that the summer event will offer, including some of the best shopping deals, world-class entertainment shows, prizes and raffle draws worth millions and over 30 spas providing rejuvenating experiences.

Around 4,000 retail outlets will participate offering discounts of up to 80% on a variety of consumer goods and leading international brands.

Also expect cool activities at the beach including rain parties, barbecue nights, covered sun beds, beach spa treatments and sea food restaurants.

Here are some of the signature events we think you should see:

One of the great things about Dubai is its culture. From July 1 - July 10, Min Bladi Al Emarat is a traditional event that focuses on Emirati heritage activities and has been a major crowd puller since it was featured in In-Mall Events. With the best displays of local food and culture, this event is an authentic presentation of UAE culture.

Flower rain at Burjuman centre.

For those into fashion, the Sheila and Abaya Fashion show is Islamic fashion at its finest. Held from June 27 - June 30, this gathering of talented local Sheila and Abaya designers is among the most glamorous shows for local attire in Dubai. The event also hands out the best designer award.

For the kiddies, a competitive but fun-filled series of sport activities are in store with the Kids Olympics, a must-watch event for all families. It is held from July 23 to July 29.

Food is another great feature in Dubai Summer Surprises. The Junior Chef of the Year Awards, from July 8 - July 14, recognises culinary talent across the region. The jury for the Awards include Master Chefs from around the world. During the event, multi-national chefs battle it out to showcase their finest dishes in numerous categories.

Get in touch with your arty side at Arts Oasis from July 9 - July 15. Arts Oasis is an opportunity to meet highly regarded and well-known resident artists and their works from around the world. Organised in cooperation with the Dubai Cultural Council, Arts Oasis 2009 will emphasise the “Go-Green” theme to highlight the effects of global warming.

As travellers, photographs are one outlet to express our experience. You can check out the Photography Exhibition from August 6 - August 13. The exhibition attracts some of the best talent in the country. This year, the Photography Exhibition will be open to all talented photographers whose entries will be judged by an eminent jury for the DSS 2009 Photography Award.

With these activities and more, Dubai is the place to be this summer. And don’t worry about the heat, the air-conditioning for all these events will keep you cool and you’ll forget that you’re in a desert…really!

The total spending at shopping malls last summer exceeded Dh1 billion, according to the Dubai Shopping Malls Group, which represents more than 30 malls in the emirate.

Many of these malls have become destinations in themselves, with attractions ranging from indoor entertainment complexes, food courts, play areas, clustered retail areas, attached hotels, cinema complexes, coffee shops, indoor ski facilities to a large aquarium.

A mall can now cater to a family from morning until late at night. Shopping is part of this.

“Malls in Dubai have become destinations and mall-based entertainment and associated activities are one of the key attractions,” said Majid Al Ghurair, Dubai Shopping Malls Group chairman.

“All through summer, shopping malls will be transformed into venues for live entertainment, competitions, workshops and other interactive programmes,” he said. “The annual summer event … is a great example of how the private sector and government can work together …”

Although many people believe Dubai is over-retailed with one of the highest number of retail outlets per capita, officials say this reinforces the emirate’s position as a preferred shopping destination.

“Dubai is not over-retailed as it is made out to be; yes, the city’s gross leasable area is the highest in the region but this is the dynamic nature of Dubai and we are pooling our efforts to ensure that the offers put out this summer will be unmatched by any other retail destination,” said Laila Suhail, CEO of the Dubai Shopping Festival Office.

From next week, Dubai’s malls will be abuzz with activities for the summer.

“Dubai’s position as the fourth-most dominant retail city in the world is the result of concerted efforts on the part of the retail sector and events such as the Dubai Shopping Festival and Dubai Summer Surprises to offer value-added promotions on leading international brands. It must be noted that we achieved this in a short span of time, unlike other seasoned retail destinations that have been retailing for decades,” said Suhail.

Dubai’s first low-cost airline, flydubai, takes off on Monday from Terminal 2 and marks a step-up in the emirate’s aviation history.

The first flight to Beirut on Monday will be followed by others to Damascus, Alexandria and Amman.

The airline will be flying Boeing 737s-800. It has placed orders for 50, valued at $4 billion (Dh14.7 billion).

flydubai has already taken delivery of two aircraft; it will receive four more by 2010.

The airline currently employs 125 people, including cabin crew, and will continue to expand its human resource as more aircraft are received.

flydubai will be adding 14 to 16 more destinations by the year-end, with a focus on the subcontinent and Gulf countries.

While the summer traffic is expected to be low this year due to dampened consumer spending, Gaith Al Gaith, chief executive of flydubai, has said the airline has seen better than expected bookings for the period.

An exciting array of theme park adventures awaits families at The Dubai Mall. The largest-ever SEGA Republic in the Middle East region will open at the mall shortly. A high-adrenaline ride, adventure and gaming zone, SEGA Republic is developed in association with Japan-based SEGA Corporation, one of the global leaders in hi-tech entertainment.

Finishing work on SEGA Republic, the newest leisure attraction at the mall, is currently progressing for opening this summer, for which The Dubai Mall has set apart 76,000 sq ft across two levels. An indoor roller-coaster, thrilling rides and motion simulators, many of which are bespoke attractions for Dubai, are the highlight of SEGA Republic, which will appeal to all members of the family.

Mr Nasser Rafi, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Malls Group, said: “As the world’s largest family shopping and entertainment destination, The Dubai Mall is continuously adding to its retail and leisure portfolio. The opening of SEGA Republic, the largest indoor theme park of its kind in the Middle East region, will complement the successful leisure attractions of the mall such as Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, Dubai Ice Rink and The Waterfall.”

He added: “In the coming months, even as more retail outlets open, the mall will unveil newer leisure concepts such as KidZania®, a unique edu-tainment concept for children and Reel Cinemas, the 22-screen cineplex. Leisure components are a strong draw for families and, in turn, further support retail sales.”

SEGA Republic will feature numerous key attractions including SPIN GEAR, HALFPIPE CANYON, SONIC HOPPER, INITIAL D4 LIMITED, STORM-G and OUTRUN2 SP. With most of the major attractions being based on skill levels, visitors are guaranteed that no two rides are ever the same, providing a unique experience every time. While the bespoke roller-coaster, SPIN GEAR, is set to become a rage among families, HALFPIPE CANYON, a snow/skateboarding simulator that has gained a phenomenal following at SEGA’s Joypolis theme park in Japan, is also keenly awaited by theme park enthusiasts in the region. “Drifting” fans can now experience the thrill of INITIAL D4 LIMITED and SONIC HOPPER, the 9-metre drop tower that provides a breath-taking ride. Visitors can also enjoy up to 250 amusement games, a climbing wall and a host of food and beverage options at SEGA Republic.

Mr Suresh Bhatia, Chief Executive Officer, Emaar Retail LLC, explained: “Most of the attractions in SEGA Republic will be a first-time experience for visitors to the mall and in the region. The selection of rides, roller-coaster, motion ride simulators and games in this all-season indoor theme park, have been made to meet the demands of the fun-loving young population of the region as well as families. Safety aspects are given the highest priority, and SEGA Republic will have a dedicated team of professionals on hand to assist visitors.”

He added: “A judicious leisure mix is one of the biggest attractions of shopping malls today. The Dubai Mall is setting the trend in the region and globally too, with unprecedented leisure concepts which have all been well-received. The indoor environment of SEGA Republic has also been specially developed for the varying rides, keeping the convenience of visitors in mind.”

KidZania®, another leisure concept in the mall to open this year, is a novel concept that introduces children to a scaled-down version of a city in which they can experience the ultimate in role-playing. They can choose from over 70 preferred ‘roles’ and be provided with costumes and other accessories for the complete real-life like experience. Reel Cinemas, the 22-screen cineplex due to open this summer, the largest in the city, will house up to 2,800 seats. Over 900 retailers have already opened at The Dubai Mall and the remaining 300 will open in the next three months. Several of these are flagship stores or mark the Middle East launch of global brands.

About The Dubai Mall:
The Dubai Mall is the world’s largest shopping and entertainment destination spread over a total area of 12 million sq ft. With a total internal floor area of 5.9 million sq ft, the mall has 3.77 million sq ft of gross leasable space which hosts 1,200 retail stores including over 160 food and beverage outlets in food courts that have a capacity to seat 3,000.
The Dubai Mall offers an unparalleled retail mix combined with world-class dining, entertainment and leisure attractions. The leisure attractions include The Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, which features the largest acrylic viewing panel in the world and a walk-through tunnel. The Olympic-sized Dubai Ice-Rink is another key leisure attraction and a destination for skating enthusiasts.
Fashion Avenue, a 440,000 sq ft fashion precinct dedicated to haute couture, positions the mall as the fashion capital of the region; while the Gold Souk is a sprawling gold and jewellery retail showcase with over 200 stores.
The strong family entertainment theme includes KidZania®, an innovative children’s ‘edu-tainment’ concept that is being introduced to the region for the first time; SEGA Republic, a 76,000 sq ft high adrenaline indoor theme park; The Grove, an indoor-outdoor streetscape with fully retractable roof, and the 22-screen Reel Cinemas with a total capacity of 2,800 seats.
For the convenience of visitors, the mall offers over 14,000 car parking spaces.

About Emaar Malls Group LLC:
Emaar Malls Group LLC, is the retail and shopping mall subsidiary of Emaar Properties PJSC. Emaar has announced investments in shopping malls of over US$4 billion (AED 15 billion) with 10 million sq ft of retail property in operation or under development in the emerging markets of the Middle East, North Africa, the Indian Subcontinent and South Asia and is on target to become one of the largest developers of shopping malls in the world. At the forefront of these developments is the flagship The Dubai Mall, the world’s largest mall, in the heart of the Downtown Burj Dubai.
Emaar Malls Group also operates two other malls in Dubai; Souk Al Bahar, an Arabesque shopping and entertainment development on The Old Town Island, and Dubai Marina Mall, a lifestyle shopping mall for residents of the Dubai Marina community. Internationally, Emaar Malls Group is planning or developing shopping centres in Egypt, Syria, Morocco, Turkey, Jordan and Saudi Arabia and continues to drive the company’s expansion strategy on a global scale.

About Emaar Retail:
Emaar Retail is a wholly owned subsidiary of Emaar Malls Group LLC and is the vehicle for all retail operations. Emaar Retail is developing a portfolio of brands in key growth markets and is strategically building new alliances, joint ventures, franchises and licenses for all mall developments under the Emaar Malls Group umbrella.

Emaar Retail also manages the business operations for The Dubai Mall’s leisure and entertainment brands including KidZania®, SEGA Republic, the Olympic-sized ‘Dubai Ice Rink’ and Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo. Emaar Retail has also entered into a joint-venture with Cathay Organisation Holdings Ltd in Singapore, to form Reel Entertainment to develop cinemas across the region including the flagship 22-screen cineplex at The Dubai Mall.
Emaar Retail was established to drive Emaar Malls Group’s developments in key emerging markets across the Middle East, North Africa and the Indian Sub-Continent through creating the right retail mix for the various markets.

Dubai has received interest from sovereign wealth funds ‘beyond the region’ for the second tranche of the $20 billion bond it expects to launch this year, the emirate’s finance chief said on Friday.

‘Immediately after the issuance of the first tranche, we did receive interest from entities beyond the borders of the UAE. Our only issue is that… we will not issue the second tranche until it is needed,’ Nasser al-Sheikh told Reuters Financial Television on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum at the Dead Sea in Jordan.

‘We are in talks with some sovereign wealth funds and some financial institutions who have expressed their interest… We have continuous dialogue with a number of them… beyond the region.’

Earlier this month a member of Dubai’s financial crisis committee said the $20 billion bond programme will be sufficient to stimulate the Gulf emirate’s economy, hit hard by the global financial crisis.

Asked when the Dubai government would begin to invest again, Sheikh said: ‘2009 is a year of stabilisation for us — stabilising the economy, the government stepping up and supporting some of the corporates that have been playing a strategic role in the evolution of Dubai.’

Sheikh, director-general of Dubai Department of Finance, said the priority now was to ‘reactivate’ Islamic mortgage firms Amlak and Tamweel and then start a merger process.

The fate of the merger of the two firms has been under review by a federal government committee this year since the United Arab Emirates government announced in November it was merging them with two state-controlled banks.

The Islamic home financing companies developed their businesses during an economic boom in Dubai that was kicked off by the emirate’s decision in 2002 to allow foreigners to invest in properties on a freehold basis.

They ran into trouble when the global financial crisis brought the boom years to a swift end in Dubai, prompting the government to say it would merge them with two banks to form Emirates Development Bank.

‘Their intentions have changed. We were working on the merger, the merger was the priority but now looking at the importance… they realise how important Amlak and Tamweel are to the Dubai property sector,’ Sheikh said.

‘Priority today is to reactivate both companies because both companies have not been extending mortgages for the past 4-5 months,’ he said.

Bonyan International Investment Group (Holding) L.L.C., one of the leading real estate companies in Dubai, has announced that construction on its ‘Dubai Gate 2’ project is witnessing unhindered progress.
Spearheading the construction activities within the luxury residential development is Transemirates Contracting (TEC), a major construction company in the Gulf region, who has committed to fast tracking the construction process while maintaining the high quality standards that Bonyan Group implements in all its projects. The developer reported that the 15th floor slab of ‘Dubai Gate 2’ has been cast, a week after the slab on the 14th floor was cast, while the block work partitioning of the tower has reached up to the 5th floor.

“The ’Dubai Gate 2’ project reiterates the Bonyan Group’s capacity to deliver high class residential units, and the unimpeded development of its construction reflects the growth of Dubai as an economy amidst the challenges in today’s business world,” said Anas Atatreh, Vice Chairman of the Board, Bonyan International Investment Group (Holding) L.L.C. “Our current focus is to hit the delivery deadline that has been agreed between us and our investors, and we are positive that our efforts for this project will ensure the high expectations and investment returns for our clients.”

Located in Jumeirah Lake Towers, ‘Dubai Gate 2’ is a dynamic waterfront community situated adjacent to Sheikh Zayed Road, which will offer 442 one- two- and three bedroom plush apartments with breathtaking views of the lakes and lush green gardens and seven retail areas. In addition to its enviable location, the tower will also offer customers with a wide range of luxury facilities, including health and fitness amenities such as fitness centres, Jacuzzi and temperature controlled swimming pool. With an overall design inspired by the luxury of waterfront living, the nautical blue and white facade of the residential tower complements the aura of the high profile master development where it will rise.

“We are looking forward to the completion and handover of units within ‘Dubai Gate 2’ to new homeowners, who we believe will appreciate the seamless merging of luxury and convenience and its integration within this residential development. It is our commitment to guarantee that construction within this project will not be hindered in any way,” concluded Atatreh.