Jumeirah Beach Residence

Jumeirah Beach Residence, also known as JBR, is an agglomeration of buildings and skyscrapers covering an area of about 2 square kilometres, built in the heart of the Dubai Marina district on the shores of the Persian Gulf.

It consists of no less than 40 towers, of which 35 are for private use while five are hotels, and can accommodate about 15,000 people between flat owners and those staying in hotel rooms. Throughout the complex there are no less than 6917 flats of various sizes, the smallest measuring about 85 square metres while the largest and most luxurious measure over 500, and from east to west Jumeirah Beach Residence is divided into six blocks called Shams, Amwaj, Rimal, Bahar, Sadaf and Murjan.

The project was conceived and realised by Dubai Properties, a subsidiary of Dubai Holding and thus under the direct control of the ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.

It cost over 6 billion dirhams (about 1.5 billion euro) and its construction began in August 2002; work lasted for a good eight years, until 2010, when the entire complex was inaugurated.

The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Residence

Adjacent to the complex on the beach side is The Walk at Jumeirah Beach Residence, a 1.7-kilometre-long pedestrian promenade inaugurated in August 2008 and laid out on two levels called Ground at street level and Plaza on the mezzanine level.

The Walk is one of the few pedestrian streets in the city in the European sense, with a wide pavement lined with palm trees and numerous bars and restaurants with outdoor tables. For a moment, closing one’s eyes feels like being in an American city such as Miami or Los Angeles, given the number of luxury cars that pass by along the street and the many people strolling leisurely in swimming costumes or bikinis.

The Walk is one of the most interesting tourist attractions in Dubai and is also a very fashionable destination, where one can observe graffiti artists practising street painting, artists showcasing their creations made from recycled material, as well as shows, comedy shows, sand sculptures and stalls selling accessories and handicrafts.

In all, there are about 330 businesses including shops, bars and restaurants, clothing shops, boutiques and gyms.

Hotels and flats in Jumeirah Beach Residence

Within this huge complex there are five luxury hotels belonging to large international chains such as Sofitel, Wyndham and Ramada Plaza, as well as numerous private or lesser flats that can often be booked directly from home via the Internet. The hotels are equipped with all luxuries and spacious rooms with breathtaking views and the best amenities.

Staying at the Jumeirah Beach Residence, although the aesthetics of the skyscrapers are objectively questionable (with all the architectural marvels to be seen in Dubai, these tall yellow buildings don’t make much of an impression), means being in the heart of Dubai’s most fashionable district, very close to the city’s most beautiful and busiest beach and with all the services and means of transport available: the Dubai Tram makes two stops at JBR, and easily connects to the red metro line from which one can reach the rest of the city.

Recommended hotels in Jumeirah Beach Residence