An upcoming resort will be fully surrounded by a 1km stretch of Dubai Street, where it rains year-round. Together with coral reefs, the Marbella Resort is scheduled to open in 2026 and feature a snow plaza.
Inspired by the Spanish resort town of Marbella, the Dh1 billion five-star hotel will be situated on the World Islands, reachable only by private yacht. When it is finished, 500,000 square meters of nine distinct kinds of coral reefs, home to more than thirty different species of fish, will encircle it. A snow plaza will also feature a space where visitors can experience snowfall year-round.
According to the developers, the resort will be among the first in the world to offer its visitors access to private coral reefs. As part of the larger coral reef master plan for The Heart of Europe, visitors will be able to enjoy snorkeling and diving among the reefs that are anticipated to draw a variety of marine species, including angelfish, anemonefish, lionfish, and green turtles.
The Kleindienst Group, the master developer of The Heart of Europe, is working on the Marbella Resort Hotel, Vignette Collection by IHG Hotels and Resorts.
“We envisioned a destination that provides a unique cultural escape with experiences that are authentically Spanish, right here in Dubai,” said Josef Kleindienst, Chairman of Kleindienst Group.
“We have been conscious of our commitment to making our projects environment friendly, with employment of solar power and adoption of policies aimed at zero discharge of microplastics.”
Last year, the developer opened Côte d’Azur, a French theme resort. The hotel, which is divided into four sections that symbolize the four French cities of Monaco, Nice, Cannes, and St. Tropez, will be next to the soon-to-be Marbella Resort. Furthermore, the Honeymoon Island, located in the Heart of Europe, offers visitors the opportunity to stay in villas atop floating seahorses.
Any of the suites, chalets, or cabanas at the Marbella Resort Hotel can be chosen by guests to face the street, the snow plaza, or the sea.
In addition, the seaside resort will have open-air restaurants with a sea breeze, water sports, and beach parties. The destination will feature six restaurants offering real European food, according to the developers.
To further evoke Andalusia, the 150-room opulent hotel will feature gardens, submerged courtyards, and citrus and olive groves.