Lifestyle
Villa property goes for 63m in Dubai’s Palm Jumeirah
Luxhabitat Sotheby’s International Realty has announced that it has closed a deal for an LA-inspired beach mansion on the Palm Jumeirah at AED63 million ($17.1 million).
Although the brokers touted it as a property “extremely hard to find”, the deal is nowhere close to the beachfront villa on Palm Jumeirah that sold for a record 280m in the first week of April.
Spanning 8,600 sq ft with its coveted location on N Frond, the five-bedroom Garden home’s smart home technology, excellent condition and bespoke finishes made it a rare option in the market, it stated.
“Homes of this calibre are extremely hard to find in the Dubai market now due to a limited supply of product offerings like these as well as an influx of luxury property buyers who are seeking exactly this type of quality home.
The home was presented in absolute mint condition – which went well noticed by the buyers and made them fall in love with it almost immediately,” remarked Kunal Singh Gupta, the Associate Director of Luxhabitat Sotheby’s International Realty who represented both buyer and seller in the transaction.
The European buyer purchased this Californian style beach house as an end-user who has recently moved to Dubai with his family.
Luxhabitat Sotheby’s International Realty has reported buyers of a similar profile in the recent past – many HNW / UHNW international buyers are being drawn to Dubai as home.
The Palm Jumeirah has made a big comeback after 2020 in terms of prime residential sales. Over AED 4.6 billion in sales have been recorded this year so far in the area, based on data from the Dubai Land Department, out of which 57 villas have been sold for a sales volume of AED 1.59 billion, stated Gupta.
According to him, the most in-demand luxury homes now are those designed in a modern or Mediterranean style, with a larger plot and built-up area as well as mega-mansions with views over beach or golf course or park (depending on the location).
Mediterranean in vogue
Super prime villas, apartments and penthouses are most in demand, as people living here like to enjoy the sun and outdoors as much as possible.
The villa sold was built from scratch on the plot and designed with keen attention to detail by the sellers. The Garden Home with sunset views has a contemporary style and hosts neutral colors.
The exotic open plan living area is modern and airy with a beautiful transition to the outdoors and breath-taking sea views. Automated guillotine windows designed to create seamless indoor/outdoor living with pocket doors to privatise the living & dining space as needed.
All the furniture in the villa is of Italian make – with pieces from high-end brands like Minotti, Flexform, Poliform, Paola Lenti, and Poltrona Frau all flown in from their respective design studios.
The home also has an infinity pool that hosts a swim jet and access to 3km of prime beachfront. According to analysis by Luxhabitat Sotheby’s using data from the Dubai Land Department, the top 10 most expensive properties sold in Q1 2022 were from the Palm Jumeirah, Emirates Hills, Jumeira Bay and Downtown Dubai areas.
Indian travellers planning a holiday in Abu Dhabi can now have the cost of their UAE entry visa covered under a new tourism initiative.
The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) has launched a limited-time programme for eligible Indian passport holders who book qualifying Abu Dhabi holiday packages through participating travel companies and online travel agencies.
The offer is available until October 31, 2026, during an initial pilot that will support up to 20,000 visas.
However, the offer comes with specific booking requirements. Travellers must book a package that includes both a return flight from India and at least three consecutive nights at an Abu Dhabi hotel.
Who is eligible for the free UAE visa offer?
The programme is aimed at Indian passport holders travelling from India to Abu Dhabi.
To qualify, travellers must book through a participating travel partner or online travel agency. The holiday package must include:
- A minimum three-night stay at an Abu Dhabi hotel
- A return flight from India
- Booking through an eligible participating travel partner or OTA
The visa benefit cannot be claimed through an independent application. It is tied to qualifying holiday bookings made through the programme’s participating partners.
When is the Abu Dhabi free visa offer available?
The initiative runs from:
August 1 to October 31, 2026
DCT Abu Dhabi says the pilot programme will initially support up to 20,000 visas.
For eligible bookings, the tourism authority will cover the full cost of the UAE entry visa, potentially reducing the upfront expense for Indian visitors planning a trip to the emirate.
How does the visa fee waiver work?
Travel partners participating in the scheme have two ways to process the visa arrangements.
One option is to work with a DCT-appointed destination management company (DMC). In this case, DCT Abu Dhabi will pay the visa costs directly.
Travel companies can also use their existing DMC partners. Under this arrangement, DCT Abu Dhabi will reimburse Dh285 for each visa issued under the programme.
For travellers, the key point is that the benefit is handled through the participating travel partner rather than by applying for reimbursement independently.
Why is Abu Dhabi targeting Indian travellers?
India continues to be an important international source market for Abu Dhabi’s tourism sector.
According to DCT Abu Dhabi, the new programme is part of wider efforts to make the destination more accessible to Indian visitors while strengthening relationships with travel companies and improving connectivity between India and Abu Dhabi.
The initiative also aims to encourage visitors to spend more time in the emirate exploring its hotels, cultural attractions, entertainment options and natural landscapes.
Is the UAE visa completely free for all Indian tourists?
No.
The offer does not mean that every Indian passport holder automatically receives a free UAE tourist visa.
The visa fee is covered only when travellers meet the programme’s conditions and book through a participating travel partner or online travel agency.
The booking must include at least three consecutive hotel nights in Abu Dhabi and a return flight from India.
Travellers should therefore check with their chosen travel provider before booking to confirm that the package and visa arrangement qualify for the offer.
Abu Dhabi holiday offer:
Who: Eligible Indian passport holders travelling from India
Destination: Abu Dhabi, UAE
Offer period: August 1–October 31, 2026
Hotel requirement: Minimum three consecutive nights
Flight requirement: Return flight from India
Booking requirement: Participating travel partner or OTA
Visa cost: Covered by DCT Abu Dhabi for eligible bookings
Pilot capacity: Up to 20,000 visas
Independent applications: Not eligible for the programme
For Indian travellers already considering an Abu Dhabi getaway, the initiative could make an eligible holiday package more affordable, but checking the participating travel provider and meeting all the booking conditions will be essential.
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