Dubai's Al Habtoor City unveils latest design
Three luxury residential towers, including multi-level penthouses, have been added to plans for the Al Habtoor City development near Dubai's Business Bay area.
The towers will join the development's original plan for three internationally branded hotels, the W Hotel, St Regis and The Westin, as well as an aqua theatre. Spread across 10m square feet, the entire project will now cost $3bn.
"Residents of the VIP penthouses will be ensured exclusivity," a statement from Al Habtoor Group said.
"The two VIP/presidential style penthouses will be uber-stylish, fitted to the highest standards, with the most exclusive finishing materials from some of the world's top brands."
However Al Habtoor Group chairman Khalaf Al Habtoor said the VIP penthouses will not be sold.
"But if we did put them on the market, we would not sell any of them for less than $250m each," he said.
The three new residential towers will include a total of 1,460 apartments, ranging from one to seven bedrooms. Eleven penthouses will also be built.
During the announcement on Monday, vice-chairman and CEO Muhammad Al Habtoor also revealed the company was investigating how to air-condition the outside boulevard area to allow for year-round dining.
In total, the project will include more than 3,000 hotel and residential suites and is expected to receive 20,000 visitors a day.
It is being built on the site of the former Metropolitan Hotel, on Sheikh Zayed Road just south of Business Bay, and is expected to be completed in 2016.
The Dubai Water Canal announced last week also will run through the city.
Please click the following page for a rundown of the three hotels and the 'Aqua Theatre' that will be a part of Al Habtoor City...
St. Regis Dubai
The St. Regis Dubai will feature a total of 235 rooms including 49 suites. The 5-storey hotel will also offer extensive meeting and event space as well as a wide range of luxury experiences with eight culinary, lounge and bar venues, a signature spa, swimming pool, a state-of-the-art fitness centre and an elegant ballroom.
The hotel will also feature multiple gardens including a Musical Garden with mosaic musical notes leading to a musical fountain. A Reception Garden, Promenade Garden and a Sculpture Garden will all also offer space for outdoor functions. The grounds of The St. Regis Dubai will include a private helipad to cater to its VIP visitors.
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W Dubai - Sheikh Zayed Road
The new W Dubai – Sheikh Zayed Road will comprise 355 guest rooms including 60 suites, six ‘WOW Suites’ and one ‘Extreme WOW Suite’ – the first of its kind in the world. The 27-storey hotel will offer eight contemporary dining venues, W Lounge (W’s take on the traditional lobby), WET pool deck, SWEAT fitness centre, a signature spa and stylish meeting and event spaces.
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The Westin Dubai
The Westin Dubai – Sheikh Zayed Road will feature 863 guest rooms and 146 suites, including a Presidential Suite and Royal Suite. The guest rooms and suites of the 37-story hotel will be outfitted with the renowned Westin Heavenly Bed® as well as the Heavenly Bath®. Other signature features will include the Westin Heavenly Spa, consisting of six treatment rooms and the WestinWORKOUT® fitness facility.
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The Aqua Theatre Arena
The multi-billion dirham development will also feature a one of-a-kind entertainment theatre. The Al Habtoor Group and Franco Dragone Entertainment Group have teamed up to offer the only permanent water-based theatre production between Las Vegas and Macau. Franco Dragone was the mastermind behind the Cirque du Soleil productions before starting his own company in 2000, and is already a big hit in the UAE, following his Abu Dhabi creation and visual poem ‘Story of a Fort, Legacy of a Nation’.
The venue of the purpose-built theatre, designed by Paris-based designer Jean Rabasse, will open in 2016. The theatre auditorium will be 30 metres high and have a capacity of 1,400 unique seats. Lights, sounds and water elements will come together at the Dubai theatre to create an extravagant and spectacular show.