10 new openings in the UAE this summer

While September in the UAE traditionally signals the start of a new season and therefore plenty of new openings, that doesn’t mean there’s nothing to look forward to during the summer.

A host of hotels, restaurants and entertainment facilities have opened across the Emirates in recent days or will open before the season ends.

Here are some of the most exciting spots.

Hotels

Palace Beach Resort Fujairah

Address Hotels & Resorts opened its second property in Fujairah on July 1. Dubbed "a palatial beachfront oasis", Palace Beach Resort Fujairah is a new 167-room resort located on Fujairah's Corniche Road and features deluxe rooms with views of the swimming pool, city or sea, executive suites measuring 67 square metres and the 109-square-metre two-bedroom royal ocean suite, which offers sea views, as well as a traditional Arabesque design aesthetic.

There are three dining venues — Al Bayt lobby lounge, Buhayra Lounge, which offers poolside snacks and drinks, and Ewaan, which serves Arabic and international dishes throughout the day. Additional facilities include a spa, fitness centre, cascading pool and children’s club.

To coincide with the opening, the property is offering a summer escapes deal, which includes a 30 per cent discount on a deluxe room or suite. The package must be booked before September 30 for stays until October 7.

www.addresshotels.com

Movenpick Resort Al Marjan Island

Movenpick Resort Al Marjan Island will open its doors on July 1 in Ras Al Khaimah. All Photos: Movenpick
The five-star resort will be the first Movenpick in the northern emirate.
The island hotel will be home to Ras Al Khaimah's largest floating waterpark.
Guests will have access to a 300-metre private beach and three swimming pools.
All rooms at the Movenpick Resort Al Marjan Island have ocean views.
There are six restaurants on site, including family-friendly eatery The Market.
Ula will serve up organic fare in a boho-chic setting.
The Beach House is another new restaurant set to open at the resort.

Another new hotel that opened on July 1 was Movenpick Resort Al Marjan Island in Ras Al Khaimah.

The five-star property is the first from Movenpick in the emirate and is situated on the man-made Al Marjan Island, famed for its leisure hotels and pristine beaches.

The newest resort on the peninsula is also home to the biggest floating water park in Ras Al Khaimah, complete with playgrounds, monkey bars, slides and overwater trampolines.

Located on a 300-metre stretch of golden shoreline, Movenpick Resort Al Marjan Island has 418 rooms all with ocean views, as well as sleek chalet-style suites right on the beach.

www.movenpick.com

The First Collection Business Bay

First Collection Business Bay has 437 rooms and suites. Photo: The First Collection

Home-grown hospitality brand The First Collection opened its second property in Dubai, the four-star First Collection Business Bay, on Friday.

This follows the launch of The First Collection at Jumeirah Village Circle, which was included in TripAdvisor’s list of the Top 25 Hottest New Hotels in the World in 2021, the only one in the region to have received this accolade.

Located within walking distance of the Dubai Water Canal, the new hotel has 437 rooms and suites, many offering views of Burj Khalifa, which can also be seen from the property’s 25-metre swimming pool and sundeck. Additional leisure facilities include a gym and spa.

Dining venues include The Blacksmith Bar & Eatery, a home-grown, Deep South-inspired smokehouse that has its own butchery; Risen, a cafe and artisanal bakery that has numerous branches across Dubai and specialises in rich coffee blends and unusual tea selections; and the family-friendly all-day dining spot Vyne, which will serve Levantine cuisine.

www.thefirstcollection.ae

Bars and restaurants

Ice Bar

With temperatures creeping closer to 50°C outside, the new Ice Bar at The London Project on Bluewaters Island in Dubai is keeping things cool. The first licensed venue of its kind in the Gulf opened its doors on Friday, set inside a simulated ice castle, coinciding with the launch of The London Project's Summer Chills season.

Visitors to the Ice Bar can keep cool with chilled tunes, drinks in frozen glasses, hot plates and icy decor. There are faux-fur coats on hand for chilly guests.

The London Project's new raw menu pairs well with its limited-edition icy spot, with cold dishes on offer including Hokkaido scallops, oysters and Scottish king salmon.

Entry costs Dh99, including a complimentary beverage.

www.thelondonproject.com

VAGA

A new upscale restaurant, also at Bluewaters Island, opened on Thursday, with a menu that fuses Middle Eastern and Armenian cuisines.

The name VAGA draws from the term vagabond, describing someone who wanders and explores, and “VAGA epitomises this eclectic approach by melding the traditional and the contemporary of two distinctive cultures, taking each guest on an exhilarating journey of discovery,” the restaurant announced.

It boasts views of Ain Dubai and the Dubai Marina skyline, and the menu, created by chef Sufyan Alkebata, includes dishes such as manti, which is beef ravioli with mint, yoghurt and tomato sauce; lahmajoon, a classic Armenian dish of lamb mince, tomato, onion, parsley and chilli on a crispy base; and khorovats, a smorgasbord of grilled meat typical in Armenia.

www.vagadubai.com

RSVP

The brainchild of Lyonese chef Aadel Ouaoua, RSVP will bring modern French fare to Boxpark in Dubai this month. Ouaoua is known for his passion for Japanese techniques, which he marries with Mediterranean ingredients and French flair.

At a recent four-hands dinner in Dubai, the chef served a carpaccio of sea bass with Stracciatella basilic oil and raspberry. This will be on the RSVP menu, although other dishes and details are yet to be revealed.

www.instagram.com/rsvprestaurant

Cleavers

Replacing The Orangery at Phileas Fogg's in the Montgomerie Golf Academy in Dubai is new steakhouse Cleavers. Its menu offers a modern twist on British cuisine with a heavy focus on meat. Expect steaks, burgers, seafood dishes and a children's menu.

The interiors are more or less the same as The Orangery, and the terrace, children’s zone, The Arena and main dining area at family-style restaurant Phileas Foggs are all still there, too.

The official opening was on June 28.

www.cleaversdxb.com

Entertainment

Abu Dhabi Summer Sports

Last week, Abu Dhabi opened the biggest indoor summer sports programme in the Middle East. Called Abu Dhabi Summer Sports, it’s taking place at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre and it’s open every day until the end of August.

Participants can get involved in tennis, basketball and football or try out a purpose-built, one kilometre walking track that's free of charge for everyone to access.

The venue spans 27,000 square metres and has 25 indoor tracks and courts, all with air-conditioning.

It also has three seven-a-side football pitches, two five-a-side football courts, eight padel tennis courts, three basketball courts, three badminton courts and three volleyball courts. There's also a cricket court and a CrossFit track, with reservations required.

Visitors can also get to grips with a giant inflatable park dubbed Inflatafest. Filled with slides, climbing walls, obstacle courses and more, the bouncy structures are open to adults and children.

With plenty of free activities on offer, participants keen to try their hand at any of the indoor sports can reserve on the event’s website, or via Abu Dhabi Summer Sports' social media accounts.

www.adsummersports.ae

Snow Abu Dhabi

The much-awaited snow park at Abu Dhabi’s new Reem Mall will open its doors before the end of summer, according to its Instagram account.

“#SnowAbuDhabi will be the perfect getaway for the #UAE summer,” it said in a caption on Instagram three weeks ago, although a specific opening date has yet to be announced.

When it does open, it’s going to be the largest indoor snow park in the world.

At the moment, only a few shops are open at Reem Mall, with plenty more to come, including myriad dining outlets, fitness facilities and a cinema.

www.reemmall.ae

Cinemacity

Another anticipated entertainment destination in Abu Dhabi is Cinemacity at waterfront destination Al Qana. On Sunday, Al Qana posted about the “unrivalled cinema experience”, saying it’s coming soon for summer. Specific details on an opening date are yet to be announced.

Located on the north wing of Al Qana, it will be home to a range of immersive cinema experiences, including 3DMAX, VIP Cinema and a children’s theatre.

It can accommodate up to 9,000 guests across 15 screens and promises to bring a mix of local, Hollywood and Bollywood films.

www.alqana.ae

25 new things to do indoors in the UAE this summer — in pictures

Muslim Council of Elders condemns terrorism on religious sites

The Muslim Council of Elders has strongly condemned the criminal attacks on religious sites in Britain.

It firmly rejected “acts of terrorism, which constitute a flagrant violation of the sanctity of houses of worship”.

“Attacking places of worship is a form of terrorism and extremism that threatens peace and stability within societies,” it said.

The council also warned against the rise of hate speech, racism, extremism and Islamophobia. It urged the international community to join efforts to promote tolerance and peaceful coexistence.

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.

Zayed Sustainability Prize

Clean water and solar homes: Zayed prize finalists present sustainability solutions

Youth take centre stage for this year's Zayed Sustainability Prize

What is the Zayed Sustainability Prize?

The White Lotus: Season three

Creator: Mike White

Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell

Rating: 4.5/5

While you're here

Peter Hellyer: UAE's conservationists are playing an important role on the global stage

Gillian Duncan: Parts of UAE desert were carpeted with greenery before camels overran them

James Langton: Abu Dhabi environment report highlights record conservation efforts

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The specs

Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl

Power: 153hp at 6,000rpm

Torque: 200Nm at 4,000rpm

Transmission: 6-speed auto

Price: Dh99,000

On sale: now

Indoor Cricket World Cup Dubai 2017

Venue Insportz, Dubai; Admission Free

Fixtures - Open Men 2pm: India v New Zealand, Malaysia v UAE, Singapore v South Africa, Sri Lanka v England; 8pm: Australia v Singapore, India v Sri Lanka, England v Malaysia, New Zealand v South Africa

Fixtures - Open Women Noon: New Zealand v England, UAE v Australia; 6pm: England v South Africa, New Zealand v Australia

Ferrari 12Cilindri specs

Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12

Power: 819hp

Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm

Price: From Dh1,700,000

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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?

Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269

*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year

BOSH!'s pantry essentials

Nutritional yeast

This is Firth's pick and an ingredient he says, "gives you an instant cheesy flavour". He advises making your own cream cheese with it or simply using it to whip up a mac and cheese or wholesome lasagne. It's available in organic and specialist grocery stores across the UAE.

Seeds

"We've got a big jar of mixed seeds in our kitchen," Theasby explains. "That's what you use to make a bolognese or pie or salad: just grab a handful of seeds and sprinkle them over the top. It's a really good way to make sure you're getting your omegas."

Umami flavours

"I could say soya sauce, but I'll say all umami-makers and have them in the same batch," says Firth. He suggests having items such as Marmite, balsamic vinegar and other general, dark, umami-tasting products in your cupboard "to make your bolognese a little bit more 'umptious'".

Onions and garlic

"If you've got them, you can cook basically anything from that base," says Theasby. "These ingredients are so prevalent in every world cuisine and if you've got them in your cupboard, then you know you've got the foundation of a really nice meal."

Your grain of choice

Whether rice, quinoa, pasta or buckwheat, Firth advises always having a stock of your favourite grains in the cupboard. "That you, you have an instant meal and all you have to do is just chuck a bit of veg in."

Virtual banks explained

What is a virtual bank?

The Hong Kong Monetary Authority defines it as a bank that delivers services through the internet or other electronic channels instead of physical branches. That means not only facilitating payments but accepting deposits and making loans, just like traditional ones. Other terms used interchangeably include digital or digital-only banks or neobanks. By contrast, so-called digital wallets or e-wallets such as Apple Pay, PayPal or Google Pay usually serve as intermediaries between a consumer’s traditional account or credit card and a merchant, usually via a smartphone or computer.

What’s the draw in Asia?

Hundreds of millions of people under-served by traditional institutions, for one thing. In China, India and elsewhere, digital wallets such as Alipay, WeChat Pay and Paytm have already become ubiquitous, offering millions of people an easy way to store and spend their money via mobile phone. Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines are also among the world’s biggest under-banked countries; together they have almost half a billion people.

Is Hong Kong short of banks?

No, but the city is among the most cash-reliant major economies, leaving room for newcomers to disrupt the entrenched industry. Ant Financial, an Alibaba Group Holding affiliate that runs Alipay and MYBank, and Tencent Holdings, the company behind WeBank and WeChat Pay, are among the owners of the eight ventures licensed to create virtual banks in Hong Kong, with operations expected to start as early as the end of the year.