Located in the mixed-use Uptown Dubai development by DMCC, SO/ Uptown Dubai opened in Jumeirah Lakes Towers in July 2023. Guest rooms are housed from floor 36 to 45 and offer stunning views of the Dubai Marina and Bluewaters skyline on one side and Emirates Hills on the other.
Once complete, the development will house eight residential and commercial towers, an amphitheatre and atrium, plus Burj 2020, Dubai’s second tallest tower at a proposed 711 metres, courtesy of the same architects who built the 820-metre Burj Khalifa.
The welcome
The sense of anticipation builds as we ascend the ramp leading to the hotel lobby on level six. As the valet and bellhop offer their services, I chase after my nimble-footed five-year-old into the lobby only to find her standing perfectly still (a rare occurrence), mesmerised by a colourful column.
As I move towards my daughter, a flock of birds appear in my peripheral vision. Another step forward and the birds disappear only to be replaced by a florid pattern. Like her, I am transfixed by the floor-to-ceiling artwork that is designed all round with lenticular lenses and inspired by an ever-changing kaleidoscope. It makes for quite a first impression.
We examine it from several angles, glee mounting as more flora and fauna make themselves known, even as documents are processed and instructions on how to access the various amenities in the dual-lift property are explained.
The room
We are staying in a two-bedroom Loft suite on the 45th floor. Both rooms are spacious and kitted out with king-size beds, 65-inch televisions (in addition to a third one in the living room) and spacious wardrobes.
A powder bathroom in the living room, plus a kitchenette with a sink, four-seater dining table and L-shaped couch renders this a suitable space for families of three, four or even five to bunk in.
The drapes and lights are electronically controlled, while the motion-sensor floor lights on each side of the bed means you can pad about post-bedtime without bumping into anything yet without disturbing fellow guests. Toiletries come courtesy of Codage Paris, and each bathroom has his and her faucets, plus a bathtub and separate shower.
The lenticular art in the lobby is not a one-off design hack, either. The 188-key property is replete with Greco-Roman Vitality of Man sculptures, vibrant prints and 3D canvasses. Even the main doors of each room come with a splash of gold paint, akin to the artsy aesthetic at the erstwhile SO Singapore.
None of the rooms in the non-smoking hotel come with a balcony.
The food
It is evident that a lot of thought and effort has gone into SO/ Uptown Dubai’s culinary offerings, be it quality pasta dishes or elevated versions of classic desserts. Even the in-room shawarma comes in a crispy yet buttery flatbread.
Given the expansive menus available in the hotel’s four restaurants (and others like Sur Dubai, Jones the Grocer and Uptown Social on the lower levels of the tower), it’s possible to stay here for days and not repeat a meal.
Pool-side restaurant Lazuli serves dishes at the swim-up bar upon request; lobby-level Brasserie Uptown serves excellent European food; Cironelle Club offers pan-Asian flavours; while French fare awaits at Celeste, a Parisian burlesque-inspired resto-lounge that was out of bounds at the time we visited due to a private event.
Of the dishes I tried during my stay, my top recommendations are: tuna tartare with flecks of juicy mango and rigatoni pasta at Lazuli; Lucky 8 salad, duck dim sum and chicken xiao long bao at Citronelle Club; tiger prawns with lemon-butter; beef tartare with egg yolk and a hit of mustard; and a delectable quinoa salad with avocado, ginger gel and Romesco sauce at Brasserie.
Brasserie also serves breakfast until 11am each morning, its buffet replete with local and international cuisines options, from avocado to za’atar and everything in-between. A juice bar serves a different detox shot each morning.
The neighbourhood
Jumeirah Lakes Towers is replete with cafes, restaurants and lush parks attached to dedicated play areas, as well as affording leisurely strolls around its two man-made lakes.
It also has a handful of 24/7 grocery stores (useful as Uptown Tower’s mini mart shuts at 6pm) and co-working spaces.
It is a five-minute walk from the ground level of the hotel tower and across the road to clusters A and M. From there, JLT is your oyster. That is, if you feel the need to leave the hotel premises at all.
The scene
Buzzing, in a word. The lobby is always teeming with people, as are the restaurants each time we pass during our two-night stay. Best of all, each venue has its own distinct personality and mood, from burlesque and British pub to airy dining hall, intimate lounge and poolside DJ.
Highs and lows
The well thought-out and well executed culinary options steal the show, and I look forward to visiting the restaurants, especially Celeste, independently when dining out next.
Light sleepers are unlikely to get a full night’s rest, however, as the bed springs prove too springy if your partner, like mine, is a mover.
Insider tip
While the hotel bills itself as family-friendly, there is not much for children to do other than the pool, which is when the parks of JLT come in handy. If your stay takes in a Saturday, check out the roaring Tiger brunch at The Citronelle Club.
The verdict
This property is a gourmand’s delight, and best enjoyed by couples or groups of friends as the vibe is hip, young and vibrant.
The bottom line
A room at SO/ Uptown ranges between Dh449 and Dh10,000, not inclusive of taxes. Check-in is from 3pm; checkout is until noon.
This review was conducted at the invitation of the resort and reflects standards during this time. Services may change in the future
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
Jordan cabinet changes
In
- Raed Mozafar Abu Al Saoud, Minister of Water and Irrigation
- Dr Bassam Samir Al Talhouni, Minister of Justice
- Majd Mohamed Shoueikeh, State Minister of Development of Foundation Performance
- Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education and Minister of Higher Education and Scientific Research
- Falah Abdalla Al Ammoush, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Basma Moussa Ishakat, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Ghazi Monawar Al Zein, Minister of Health
- Ibrahim Sobhi Alshahahede, Minister of Agriculture and Minister of Environment
- Dr Mohamed Suleiman Aburamman, Minister of Culture and Minister of Youth
Out
- Dr Adel Issa Al Tawissi, Minister of High Education and Scientific Research
- Hala Noaman “Basiso Lattouf”, Minister of Social Development
- Dr Mahmud Yassin Al Sheyab, Minister of Health
- Yahya Moussa Kasbi, Minister of Public Works and Housing
- Nayef Hamidi Al Fayez, Minister of Environment
- Majd Mohamed Shoueika, Minister of Public Sector Development
- Khalid Moussa Al Huneifat, Minister of Agriculture
- Dr Awad Abu Jarad Al Mushakiba, Minister of Justice
- Mounir Moussa Ouwais, Minister of Water and Agriculture
- Dr Azmi Mahmud Mohafaza, Minister of Education
- Mokarram Mustafa Al Kaysi, Minister of Youth
- Basma Mohamed Al Nousour, Minister of Culture
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Sunday
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Japan v South Africa, 2.15pm
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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
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- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
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How to wear a kandura
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- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
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- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
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- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
How Tesla’s price correction has hit fund managers
Investing in disruptive technology can be a bumpy ride, as investors in Tesla were reminded on Friday, when its stock dropped 7.5 per cent in early trading to $575.
It recovered slightly but still ended the week 15 per cent lower and is down a third from its all-time high of $883 on January 26. The electric car maker’s market cap fell from $834 billion to about $567bn in that time, a drop of an astonishing $267bn, and a blow for those who bought Tesla stock late.
The collapse also hit fund managers that have gone big on Tesla, notably the UK-based Scottish Mortgage Investment Trust and Cathie Wood’s ARK Innovation ETF.
Tesla is the top holding in both funds, making up a hefty 10 per cent of total assets under management. Both funds have fallen by a quarter in the past month.
Matt Weller, global head of market research at GAIN Capital, recently warned that Tesla founder Elon Musk had “flown a bit too close to the sun”, after getting carried away by investing $1.5bn of the company’s money in Bitcoin.
He also predicted Tesla’s sales could struggle as traditional auto manufacturers ramp up electric car production, destroying its first mover advantage.
AJ Bell’s Russ Mould warns that many investors buy tech stocks when earnings forecasts are rising, almost regardless of valuation. “When it works, it really works. But when it goes wrong, elevated valuations leave little or no downside protection.”
A Tesla correction was probably baked in after last year’s astonishing share price surge, and many investors will see this as an opportunity to load up at a reduced price.
Dramatic swings are to be expected when investing in disruptive technology, as Ms Wood at ARK makes clear.
Every week, she sends subscribers a commentary listing “stocks in our strategies that have appreciated or dropped more than 15 per cent in a day” during the week.
Her latest commentary, issued on Friday, showed seven stocks displaying extreme volatility, led by ExOne, a leader in binder jetting 3D printing technology. It jumped 24 per cent, boosted by news that fellow 3D printing specialist Stratasys had beaten fourth-quarter revenues and earnings expectations, seen as good news for the sector.
By contrast, computational drug and material discovery company Schrödinger fell 27 per cent after quarterly and full-year results showed its core software sales and drug development pipeline slowing.
Despite that setback, Ms Wood remains positive, arguing that its “medicinal chemistry platform offers a powerful and unique view into chemical space”.
In her weekly video view, she remains bullish, stating that: “We are on the right side of change, and disruptive innovation is going to deliver exponential growth trajectories for many of our companies, in fact, most of them.”
Ms Wood remains committed to Tesla as she expects global electric car sales to compound at an average annual rate of 82 per cent for the next five years.
She said these are so “enormous that some people find them unbelievable”, and argues that this scepticism, especially among institutional investors, “festers” and creates a great opportunity for ARK.
Only you can decide whether you are a believer or a festering sceptic. If it’s the former, then buckle up.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Ad Astra
Director: James Gray
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Five out of five stars
