Stepping off the speedboat onto soft white sand with lush tropical vegetation, it can be easy to mistake this resort for Bali or the Maldives.
In fact, it’s part of Dubai’s latest eye-catching mega-project, the Anantara World Islands just 15 minutes from the city’s coast.
The resort is the first to open on the World Islands, an archipelago of 300 islands in the shape, as its name suggests, of the world. Think of Dubai’s own Hamptons on the Persian Gulf.
Anantara World Islands Dubai Resort is Anantara’s second resort in the city after its inaugural Palm Jumeirah property, developers Nakheel’s man-made island project, and is as luxurious as befits the glitzy city, now home to some of the most extravagant hotels in the world. world.
Unlike Palm Jumeirah, the resort on “South American” Coronation Island is totally isolated, accessible only after a James Bond-style speedboat ride.
No one can enter the island without registering their passport, guaranteeing whoever comes, including royalty, maximum privacy and security. A helipad will also be opened soon on the island.
Blending the chain’s Thai roots with the essence of Emirati tradition, the resort, now the new ultra-private playground for the rich and famous, is stylish and modern. The natural finishes are contoured with elements of nature and the landscaping has not been spared.
Eight hundred and fifty coconut palms were brought from Oman, as were 500 palm trees and another 4,000 or more native tropical trees. A greenhouse is also growing a variety of fruit trees, while a giant bird cage now houses around 200 tropical birds to create the island’s own native colony, in addition to the 12 feisty peacocks that strut around.
Dubai’s hottest new address
A giant chandelier made from hundreds of oyster shells hangs majestically within the structure of the pergola into which new guests are welcomed, shimmering in the wind and paying homage to the UAE’s pearl diving history.
The resort has 70 accommodations, with 40 of them being pool villas. While there is so much to do here – from tennis to spa treatments, a state-of-the-art gym, cinema under the stars and water sports – our guide, Dev Panjala, tells us that most people come to eat, rest, relax. . It is, he says, an urban escape for those who can.
“People are happy to come here and enjoy the room, the pool, the beach,” he says. “It’s all about relaxing.”
The World project has been under construction for nearly two decades. First announced by Nakheel in 2003 with construction completed in 2008, it was beset by a series of setbacks, including the global recession and practical challenges such as bringing water and electricity to the islands.
The multibillion-dollar mega-project was the brainchild of Dubai entrepreneur Sultan Ahmed Bin Sulayem, chairman and CEO of DP World, who also has a home on the island, but it’s not just the rich and famous who can enjoy Dubai’s hottest new address.
With rates starting at $440 for ocean-view rooms with balconies, the new Anantara resort is on par with many of the city’s most upscale properties, the difference being that all rooms are just steps from the sand.
For a taste of ultra-luxury, guests can choose one of the 424-square-foot, 4-bedroom Beach Pool Villas that cost up to $9,800 a night. The secluded beachfront properties feel more like guests are on a private island than a resort.
serenity and simplicity
On the night we visited, the stars shone over the resort, which has a serenity and simplicity unlike other island destinations in the city, which still push opulence over their surroundings.
Instead, bamboo houses and palm trees dot the shoreline, and sandy walkways wind through the resort.
As Dubai’s dramatic skyline fades into the horizon, the air fills with birdsong instead of car horns.
“For Dubai, that’s what makes this place unique,” says resort manager Giacomo Puntel. “Here, the only sounds you hear are the sea and the birds. You can’t find this anywhere else in Dubai.”
Offering an island escape away from the hustle and bustle of city life is what will appeal to guests who can find a taste of the tropics on their doorstep.
“There are no cars, the air is clean, it’s quiet, and that’s why people come here. It’s a little bit of the Maldives without leaving home. We want to replicate the same experience, the same feeling and the same sense of relaxation that the tourist would find in the Maldives.”
He says the much smaller guest capacity makes it a welcome change from the UAE’s plethora of mega hotels. Here, each guest is greeted by name and served by a single room host.
Celebrities and VIPs
Created from sand dredged from the Gulf, each of the islands, which are supported by several million tons of rock, range from 250,000 to 900,000 square feet and the entire collection covers about 5.4 miles in diameter.
Properties around the development and even entire islands have been bought up by the rich and famous from all over the world and no doubt now that it is officially open it will be the most sought after destination for Dubai’s long line of celebrities and VIP visitors.
As the resort is still newly opened, there’s a lot more to come, including glamping experiences, ocean “bubble dinner” on floating plexiglass spheres, and new restaurants.
Today’s top dining destinations are Qamar, an Arabic-Indian restaurant, the spot for fine dining, while Helios is a casual Mediterranean beachfront restaurant overlooking the city’s glittering skyline.
There’s also a South American bar and lounge, Luna, and a cafe, Grand House, in the lobby overlooking the main pool and resort deck.
In an attempt to offset the damage from construction in the area, the islands are now home to one of the world’s largest coral nurseries, as marine experts cultivate a new marine ecosystem.
At the resort, efforts to be more sustainable include limiting plastic, introducing recycling projects and solar-powered pool cooling systems.
“We’re really doing what we can to make sure everything is as sustainable as possible,” says Puntel.
Source: CNN Brasil
