Undisputed as a global epicenter for extravagance and innovation, Dubai is poised for a new stage in its evolution, especially as visitors flock to the emirate to experience one-of-a-kind luxury.

According to data from the Dubai Departments of Economy and Tourism’s 2024 Performance Report, the emirate saw a 9 percent increase in global visitors for the first 11 months of 2024 with 16.8 million visitors. That means Dubai is well on its way to becoming the world’s most-visited city by 2025. Set out by the Dubai Department of Tourism and Commerce Marketing, the ambitious goal aims to attract 25 million visitors this year alone.

Never one to shy away from glitz and glamour, the city’s bold plans include a $35 billion renovation of a new passenger terminal at Al Maktoum International Airport, designed by Leslie Jones Architecture. In 2028, Therme Dubai – Islands in the Sky will also join the skyline. The futuristic wellness destination, set to rise in Zabeel Park, will feature a design by New York-based architecture firm Diller Scofidio + Renfro and boast floating botanical gardens, stacked terraces, and cascading pools filled with thermal and mineral waters.

In 2028, the Therme Dubai wellness destination will rise in Zabeel Park, shown in a rendering

Hoteliers, too, are betting big on the emirate. Indeed, more than 2,700 new hotel rooms were opened in Dubai in the first half of 2024, with an additional 10,100 set to come online by the end of 2025, according to research by real estate advisory group and property consultant Cavendish Maxwell.

Looking ahead, many brands are setting their sights on Dubai with luxe properties, including the Jumeirah Marsa Al Arab; the Six Senses the Palm, Dubai; the Corinthia Dubai; a new Gran Melia beach resort; and an outpost of SHA Wellness Clinic slated for 2026 on Sahel Al Emarat, the halfway point between Abu Dhabi and Dubai.

Not to be outdone is the Ciel Dubai Marina from London-based Norr Group. Rising 82 floors at a height of 1,200 feet, it’s anticipated to become the world’s largest building when it opens in Q3 of this year. With 1,000 rooms, the hotel will also flaunt 12 gardens vertically stacked within a 984-foot-tall atrium.

Aman will also join in on the action with the reveal of its sister brand Janu Dubai. Arriving in the city’s financial center in 2027, the 150-room hotel will occupy a tower designed by Herzog & de Meuron and, like its Tokyo counterpart, will contrast the secluded simplicities of the Aman portfolio. Energetic, playful amenities like an exclusive members club and a wellness center will attract newcomers and loyalists alike.

According to Mark Eacott, global vice president of design for Ennismore, authenticity is the centerpiece of a successful project in Dubai in 2025. “People have different interpretations of Dubai and its level of sophistication,” he says. “If you create something unique and meaningful and you can deliver on that, then you’re giving [guests] a reason not to leave.”

Here, we highlight five properties making their mark in the emirate.

Delano Dubai

The 9,000-square-foot penthouse at the Delano Dubai mixes light and dark materials

Eacott delivered authenticity with the new Delano Dubai, a collaboration between Ennismore’s in-house team, Elastic Architects, La Bottega, SA Consultants, and Y Design. Part of the Bluewaters Dubai island, the property pays homage to the brand’s Miami flagship while adding a contemporary twist.

Grained materials and veined marble were used to create distinctive colorblocking in contrast with whitewashed oak redolent of Delano South Beach. Signature elements like white curtains further echo the brand’s understated hallmarks, but not without some moments of extravagance.

Rose Bar stands out in the F&B lineup with rich Lato marble, decadent red velvet curtains, and, of course, a grandiose bar fashioned to resemble a rose petal. “The public areas and the restaurants are much more their own identity and expression, which is great for guests because there’s a real expression of where the Delano stops and starts,” Eacott adds.

Restrained opulence reigns in the 167 guestrooms and 84 suites, which were enlarged during renovations with large groups and longer stays in mind. A five-bedroom penthouse, meanwhile, serves as the centerpiece of the hotel, setting a new tone for the Delano. “It shows understanding of luxury and where Dubai [is headed],” Eacott says. “So many people have moved to Dubai. There’s so much diversity and culture now that it was bound to happen.”

The Lana, Dubai

An infinity rooftop pool at the Lana showcases city and desert views

Dorchester Collection’s first Middle Eastern property, the Lana, opened last year. Housed inside a Foster + Partners building with interiors by Paris firm Gilles & Boissier, the 225-room downtown property eschews flash for refinement with a soothing and discrete counterpoint of muted tones, carved stonework, and terracotta.

The hotel welcomes guests with a statement wall composed of thousands of shimmering pink mosaics in dialogue with a textured gold wall intervention. The piece by British artist Sophie Coryndon recalls the sculptural rhythms of a beehive in homage to the brand’s UK roots and the design’s floral motifs.

“We designed the entire project from A to Z, meaning we started with a building, which was almost an empty box. We understood how the traveler will discover the space—where they stop or sit, what they look at, so there’s a play on how they will evolve in it,” says firm cofounder Patrick Gilles. Consider the lobby floor. Made of “a kaleidoscope of different materials,” points out firm cofounder Dorothée Boissier, it melds raw and polished stones in hues of pink, beige, and gray. “What I hope,” Gilles adds, “is for travelers to be surprised when they walk through the doors.”

SIRO One Za’abeel

Twisting linear lighting hangs above a communal table at SIRO One Za’abeel

SIRO has arrived as the most invested player in Dubai’s wellness market with a new location inside the city’s One Za’abeel tower, which is also home to the One&Only One Za’abeel by Kuala Lumpur-based Jean-Michel Gathy.

“The decision to open a hotel in One Za’abeel aligned with SIRO’s vision to pioneer fitness and recovery-focused hospitality in a landmark location,” says Sarah Felch, vice president of design and technical services for Kerzner International, which partnered with LW Design’s local office on the project. “LW Design brought SIRO’s core pillars—fitness, nutrition, sleep, recovery, and mindfulness—to life, creating an immersive wellness destination that energizes and rejuvenates guests throughout their stay.”

The holistic design includes public spaces developed to foster energy and connection and accommodations crafted to promote escapism and tranquility. Serenity is permeated through lighter finishes as well as polished plaster, oak timber cladding, and textured tiles paired with black metal detailing and green accents.

Darker finishes and dynamic lighting distinguish the fitness and wellness facilities on the 30th floor, while light plaster walls and timber cladding set the tone one floor up in the recovery floor. “By prioritizing simplicity and functionality,” Felch adds, “we ensured that spaces could be intuitively explored and personalized, empowering guests to make the experience their own.”

Mr. C Residences Downtown

The indoor pool at the Mr. C Residences Downtown, shown in a rendering

Alongside Miami-based architecture firm Arquitectonica, global design studio 1508 is spearheading the design of the Mr. C Residences Downtown, scheduled to open in 2026. The second branded residences in Dubai from the Cipriani family, it will boast more than 162 units and hospitality-like amenities, including indoor-outdoor pools, a holistic spa, and more.

1508 came onto the project last fall when the building was already half built, but “because we worked with the brand before, we understood what they wanted,” says London-based Leo Bertacchini, 1508’s design director and principal. To that end, the team leaned into classic European living, with residences bathed in natural light and floor-to-ceiling windows that invite in views of downtown Dubai and the Arabian Gulf.

The challenge, however, was two-fold: to craft a residential building that channels Cipriani’s brand standards of timeless Italian elegance while differentiating this location from its sister property in Jumeirah. The latter is a six-story, 27-unit boutique, while the downtown tower is a “proper skyscraper,” says Bertacchini. “There are beautiful vistas with one side positioned in front of the Burj Khalifa and the other facing the sea.”

Luxury will reach new heights with the Nobile Collection, a limited selection of 22 four-bedroom residences located on the top floors. Here, bedrooms boast Calacatta marble finishes, custom chandeliers, and cashmere-covered walls. “It’s a bit extravagant,” Bertacchini adds, “but it’s one of those things that will [resonate] with people.”

Baccarat Hotel & Residences Dubai

A shimmering glass exterior will define the Baccarat Hotel & Residences Dubai, shown in a rendering

Experiential hospitality is at the heart of the forthcoming Baccarat Hotel & Residences Dubai, another 1508 project. Slated for a 2027 opening, the 145-key property is also a collaboration between Dubai-based investment firm Shamal Holding, Starwood Hotels (formerly SH Hotels & Resorts), and architecture firm Studio Libeskind.

“In hospitality, there’s a demand for spaces to be more expressive and immersive. People want emotionally engaging spaces,” says Anthony Taylor, the Dubai-based design principal and regional manager at 1508. “People want to experience what space means and they want to explore that with vibrance, interesting color combinations, drama, depth, a sense of identity, and a sense of place in the vernacular.”

To breathe new life into a historic French brand, 1508 sought to maximize Baccarat’s theatrical legacy. “We wanted to focus on the playful and then take that in a softer direction,” Taylor says.

A light, ethereal air will be infused across the forthcoming urban retreat in details like curved marble and portals framed by ribbed glass. In addition to sinewy lines, color will be a key anchor for the property, with silver surfaces installed in the lobby to shimmer beneath chandeliers. “The modern heritage was about creating something that was balanced and had that sense of quality,” adds Taylor.

Quality is what Dubai does best, he adds. Home to a swath of elite consultants, developers, and more, the city continues to serve as a playground for brands to innovate and rediscover themselves with an audience always eager for a new experience. “Spaces are becoming more luxurious,” he says. “That in itself, and along with the brands that are being attracted to Dubai, make it a place people want to explore. The more you have, the more people come.”

 

This article originally appeared in HD’s February/March 2025 issue.