There is no doubt that the UAE is home to some spectacular properties. From penthouse apartments to plush villas with sprawling gardens and incredible pools, it’s a real estate haven.
Each week, The National showcases some of the finest homes on offer in its Property of the Week. Here, we take a closer look at Dubai's truly remarkable The Floating Seahorse Villas.
The key details
The Floating Seahorse Villas development comprises 133 villas, which sit afloat off The World Islands. The properties, which are being sold for €20 million ($24m), are set across three storeys and 4,004 square feet, including an external deck area and coral gardens.
As of Tuesday, 131 of the 133 villas, which sleep up to eight people, were sold.
See a selection of underwater views from The Floating Seahorse Villas:
What's the story?
For many, the closest they'll come to own a coral garden at home is a high-maintenance fish tank. That will not be the case for owners of The Floating Seahorse Villas, a collection of properties that feature among the $5 billion The Heart of Europe project on Dubai's The World Islands.
The handover of the buoyant properties began at the end of 2020, with four villas floated each month. According to Josef Kleindienst, chairman of Kleindienst Group that is developing the project, The Floating Seahorse Villas will be ready to accept visitors and owners from the last quarter of 2021 onwards.
The properties are set across three floors, with underwater, sea and sky levels.
The underwater bedroom level is undoubtedly a primary selling point, with submerged rooms that can be used as either bedrooms or extra living spaces.
The lower level boasts floor-to-ceiling glass walls throughout, with incredible underwater views of the marine life and colourful coral reefs. A night light above the coral gardens allows for night-time reef and marine life visibility.
Guests enter via a foyer on the sea level, where they'll find a balance of indoor and outdoor living, with private decks at the front and back of the property. As well as unlimited sea vistas, residents will also enjoy Dubai skyline views, including glimpses of the Burj Khalifa.
An over-water hammock provides the perfect setting for relaxing al fresco, while looking over the coral garden underneath. Water access is possible via an in-sea ladder.
There is a fully equipped kitchen on the sea level, with a built-in fridge and appliances, as well as a sliding wall, which can be used to create a closed-off kitchen.
The top floor, or sky level, features a guest toilet, as well as a dining area, which has en-suite kitchen facilities. There is also a skylit ceiling, Jacuzzi, wall-mounted shower and sun lounging space.
The properties offer a balance of secluded island living with a connected community feel. The majority of the properties are connected via walkways to the heart-shaped Honeymoon Island, with access to a Portofino-inspired hotel yet to be completed.
The fully furnished Signature properties boast interiors designed by The Heart of Europe. Furniture is chosen from a selection of different brands, which can be customised by the owners.
What the brokers say ...
Do you anticipate people will live in The Floating Seahorse Villas full-time?
This is a tourist project and a second-home destination; it’s not a residential project. We are not assuming people are coming to live here, we are assuming people come for a nice holiday, a long weekend, a party or a celebration and then they go back home.
However, some owners may want to use their unit as one of their many primary residences, as it is fairly frequent for our clients to own many properties across the globe.
Do you think these are the most unique properties on the Dubai market?
The Floating Seahorse Villas are a world first, unique to the global market and Dubai. The floating villas offer many unique selling points; I wanted to see underwater treasures, marine life and the captivating underwater landscape without getting wet. A passion for creating the unimagined experience drove me to travel and study underwater projects globally.
Have the properties increased in value?
Those who originally purchased a Floating Seahorse Villa for Dh5m quadrupled their investment in 2020, as they were reselling for Dh20m, delivering favourable return on investment. The selling price further appreciated to Dh88m in December 2020, upon completion of phase one and handover commencing.
Has the design of the villas changed throughout the building process?
Originally, The Floating Seahorse Villas were made from steel, but are now made from maintenance-free, marine-grade concrete below the surface level and a super-light aluminium skeleton above water, with a Glass Reinforced Plastic cladding adding a high-end glossy yacht finish. Further design and testing has shown that a concrete shell provides a longer life of 100-plus years.
Are the properties adaptable to buyers' tastes?
The Signature Edition of The Floating Seahorse Villas are fully customisable and personalised to suit individual styles and tastes. Each Signature Edition villa will be bespoke and distinctive, allowing buyers to select from a variety of different premium quality finishes, ranging from flooring to kitchens and bathrooms, as well as interiors.
The coral gardens are affixed to the outside of the villas as an aquatic ecosystem, to attract marine life – including fish and turtles – to feed from it.
The coral reefs have been created by marine biologists and aquarists at the Marine Life Sciences Centre, to ensure the best shapes and textures to encourage coral growth.
How much interest has there been in the development?
Initially, we expected our No 1 customer would be European, however we have been pleased to witness an overwhelming interest from stakeholders throughout the GCC.
In terms of investors in the overall project, the UAE and Saudi Arabia are followed by Egyptians, Indians and French buyers in the top five, with further interest coming from as far afield as Brazil, China and the UK.
The UAE (46 per cent) and Saudi Arabia (18 per cent) are again on top when it comes to buying The Floating Seahorses Villas, followed by Kuwait (12 per cent), St Kitts and Nevis (12 per cent), and France (11 per cent). So far, we have sold 131 units sold out of 133.
- Josef Kleindienst, chairman of Kleindienst Group, The Heart of Europe
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Zayed Sustainability Prize
The years Ramadan fell in May
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
HIJRA
Starring: Lamar Faden, Khairiah Nathmy, Nawaf Al-Dhufairy
Director: Shahad Ameen
Rating: 3/5
More coverage from the Future Forum
What sanctions would be reimposed?
Under ‘snapback’, measures imposed on Iran by the UN Security Council in six resolutions would be restored, including:
- An arms embargo
- A ban on uranium enrichment and reprocessing
- A ban on launches and other activities with ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons, as well as ballistic missile technology transfer and technical assistance
- A targeted global asset freeze and travel ban on Iranian individuals and entities
- Authorisation for countries to inspect Iran Air Cargo and Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines cargoes for banned goods
Match info
Huddersfield Town 0
Chelsea 3
Kante (34'), Jorginho (45' pen), Pedro (80')
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
The years Ramadan fell in May
Zayed Sustainability Prize
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Akeed
Based: Muscat
Launch year: 2018
Number of employees: 40
Sector: Online food delivery
Funding: Raised $3.2m since inception
Key findings of Jenkins report
- Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
- Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
- Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
- Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
Fund-raising tips for start-ups
Develop an innovative business concept
Have the ability to differentiate yourself from competitors
Put in place a business continuity plan after Covid-19
Prepare for the worst-case scenario (further lockdowns, long wait for a vaccine, etc.)
Have enough cash to stay afloat for the next 12 to 18 months
Be creative and innovative to reduce expenses
Be prepared to use Covid-19 as an opportunity for your business
* Tips from Jassim Al Marzooqi and Walid Hanna
The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
The specs: Fenyr SuperSport
Price, base: Dh5.1 million
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 800hp @ 7,100pm
Torque: 980Nm @ 4,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 13.5L / 100km
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
More on Quran memorisation:
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The five pillars of Islam
1. Fasting
2. Prayer
3. Hajj
4. Shahada
5. Zakat
THE DETAILS
Director: Milan Jhaveri
Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series
Cast: John Abraham, Manoj Bajpayee
Rating: 2/5
PROFILE BOX:
Company/date started: 2015
Founder/CEO: Rami Salman, Rishav Jalan, Ayush Chordia
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: Technology, Sales, Voice, Artificial Intelligence
Size: (employees/revenue) 10/ 100,000 downloads
Stage: 1 ($800,000)
Investors: Eight first-round investors including, Beco Capital, 500 Startups, Dubai Silicon Oasis, Hala Fadel, Odin Financial Services, Dubai Angel Investors, Womena, Arzan VC
About Housecall
Date started: July 2020
Founders: Omar and Humaid Alzaabi
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech
# of staff: 10
Funding to date: Self-funded
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Zayed Sustainability Prize
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EProcessor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Apple%20M3%2C%208-core%20CPU%2C%20up%20to%2010-core%20CPU%2C%2016-core%20Neural%20Engine%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDisplay%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2013.6-inch%20Liquid%20Retina%2C%202560%20x%201664%2C%20224ppi%2C%20500%20nits%2C%20True%20Tone%2C%20wide%20colour%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EMemory%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%208%2F16%2F24GB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStorage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20256%2F512GB%20%2F%201%2F2TB%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EI%2FO%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Thunderbolt%203%2FUSB-4%20(2)%2C%203.5mm%20audio%2C%20Touch%20ID%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EConnectivity%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Wi-Fi%206E%2C%20Bluetooth%205.3%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBattery%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2052.6Wh%20lithium-polymer%2C%20up%20to%2018%20hours%2C%20MagSafe%20charging%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECamera%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%201080p%20FaceTime%20HD%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EVideo%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Support%20for%20Apple%20ProRes%2C%20HDR%20with%20Dolby%20Vision%2C%20HDR10%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAudio%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204-speaker%20system%2C%20wide%20stereo%2C%20support%20for%20Dolby%20Atmos%2C%20Spatial%20Audio%20and%20dynamic%20head%20tracking%20(with%20AirPods)%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EColours%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Midnight%2C%20silver%2C%20space%20grey%2C%20starlight%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EIn%20the%20box%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20MacBook%20Air%2C%2030W%2F35W%20dual-port%2F70w%20power%20adapter%2C%20USB-C-to-MagSafe%20cable%2C%202%20Apple%20stickers%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20From%20Dh4%2C599%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Farage on Muslim Brotherhood
Nigel Farage told Reform's annual conference that the party will proscribe the Muslim Brotherhood if he becomes Prime Minister.
"We will stop dangerous organisations with links to terrorism operating in our country," he said. "Quite why we've been so gutless about this – both Labour and Conservative – I don't know.
“All across the Middle East, countries have banned and proscribed the Muslim Brotherhood as a dangerous organisation. We will do the very same.”
It is 10 years since a ground-breaking report into the Muslim Brotherhood by Sir John Jenkins.
Among the former diplomat's findings was an assessment that “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” has “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
The prime minister at the time, David Cameron, who commissioned the report, said membership or association with the Muslim Brotherhood was a "possible indicator of extremism" but it would not be banned.
More on Quran memorisation:
The Sand Castle
Director: Matty Brown
Stars: Nadine Labaki, Ziad Bakri, Zain Al Rafeea, Riman Al Rafeea
Rating: 2.5/5
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The biog
First Job: Abu Dhabi Department of Petroleum in 1974
Current role: Chairperson of Al Maskari Holding since 2008
Career high: Regularly cited on Forbes list of 100 most powerful Arab Businesswomen
Achievement: Helped establish Al Maskari Medical Centre in 1969 in Abu Dhabi’s Western Region
Future plan: Will now concentrate on her charitable work
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
GAC GS8 Specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 248hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 400Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 9.1L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh149,900
Married Malala
Malala Yousafzai is enjoying married life, her father said.
The 24-year-old married Pakistan cricket executive Asser Malik last year in a small ceremony in the UK.
Ziauddin Yousafzai told The National his daughter was ‘very happy’ with her husband.
