The Bvlgari Resort Dubai, sheltered on its own private island, refreshes like a cooling breeze in the heated, bustling climate of this urban financial and leisure capital. Its low-profile beckons, an oasis of restrained elegance and sophistication, in the face of the home of superlatives that is Dubai, land of architectural triumphs like the world’s tallest building, largest shopping mall, and fastest (Lamborghini-equipped) police force. Dubai can be equally alluring and off-putting. Most of its population are expats, and both visitors and residents are subject to a never-ending melding of languages, cultures, cuisine, arts, and religions that almost daily welcome a different holiday, celebration, or trend.
A short drive from the mainland over a bridge of barely a thousand feet, brings you a world away to the Bvlgari Resort, a sublime contrast to the excesses of this metropolis. You are still surrounded by the soaring skyline and bright lights of this very big city. From the blue-tinted floor-to-ceiling windows gracing every room, it’s easy to see the soaring Burj Khalifa. The retail allure of The Dubai Mall is only 15 minutes away. With only 101 rooms and suites and 20 villas, the resort takes guests away to an alternate world. As part of the impressive 1.7 million square foot development in partnership with Meraas, the collaboration has made immense progress with the immense appeal of the Bvlgari branding and its exclusivity. The development boasts six residential buildings with 173 sea-facing apartments and penthouses. There are also 15 mansions with their own private beachfront on lots over 10,500 square feet. For those seeking a very private primary, or even secondary, residence in Dubai the possibilities are very appealing. Unsold mansions are reputedly commanding over Dhs20 million, with rentals going for over Dhs1 million.
When inaugurated in 2017, the Bvlgari Resort Dubai was the fifth hotel in the much-heralded Italian jewelry brand’s hospitality portfolio. In keeping with its earlier successes in Milan, Bali, and London, the Milan-based Antonio Citterio Patricia Vieland and Partners design firm again stepped in to lend their distinctive touch to the project. Typical of the Bvlgari ethos, this urban resort is a beautiful reflection of the traditional roots of its destination. Even as Bvlgari continues to expand into Asia with its recent Shanghai opening, this resort remains the brand’s only property in the Middle East. It is also the only Bvlgari with its own Marina and Yacht Club, which includes berthing for 46 private yachts up to 50 meters and anchorage for 5 superyachts in its bay. The Marina recalls Dubai’s earliest humble beginnings as a hub for pearl divers and fishermen, before its gradual transformation into the busy harbor of an international trading center.
