First Look: One&Only One Za’abeel in Dubai

Opening January 1, 2024, the One&Only One Za’abeel, the third One&Only in Dubai, will be the region’s first vertical resort. Located between old and new Dubai in the Za’abeel neighbourhood, this urban accommodation is in a dual-tower development featuring the world’s longest cantilever and designed by Tokyo-based architects Nikken Sekkei.

Interior designer Jean-Michel Gathy of Denniston, who previously worked on the One&Only Portonovi in Montenegro and One&Only Reethi Rah in the Maldives, has been tapped to create rooms and suites inspired by za’abeel. In the Emirati Arabic dialect, za’abeel means “white sand,” which is the inspiration for the hotel’s colour palette and the sand motifs in the lighting, textiles, and art. Modern furniture throughout the hotel is a calming cream and light grey with accents of burnt orange or sea blue.

Rooms include a daybed next to floor-to-ceiling windows for gazing at the Dubai skyline, a refreshment centre, daily complimentary breakfast, and an expansive chocolate-brown-and-white-tiled bathroom with a soaker tub, Dyson hair dryer, and custom bath toiletries from Montroi featuring the hotel’s signature fragrance based on rose, saffron, and caramel.

The hotel will offer three suite categories. Urban, for the business traveller, has a meeting space, extended living room with pantry, and state-of-the-art office equipment. Sanctuary, for wellness seekers, features a stretching zone, meditation area, massage table, and in-room spa treatments using Clinique La Prairie products. Creative, for media creators and artists, includes the latest AV tech and soundproofing.

The cantilever connecting the towers—The Link—is 100 metres above ground and contains a boulevard featuring restaurants and bars, including four fine-dining experiences, each designed by chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants. At Qabu, chef Paco Morales has crafted a menu reflecting his hometown of Córdoba, Spain, while Sagetsu is a sophisticated omakase experience from Australian chef Tetsuya Wakuda. At DuangDy, chefs Duangporn “Bo” Songvisava and Dylan Jones, the husband-and-wife team behind Bangkok’s Bo.Lan, bring a fresh approach to Thai cuisine. La Dame de Pic is the latest restaurant from French chef Anne-Sophie Pic.

Above The Link is Tapasake, a pool club with cabanas and sunken seating areas surrounded by the UAE’s largest infinity pool. Guests can sample from the club’s menu showcasing Japanese-Peruvian flavours.

The Garden, a lagoon-style swimming area on the hotel’s fourth level, offers a place for families to splash and play. It also has three dining options: The Garden Pool Bar, Indonesian cuisine at Andaliman, and StreetXO, a global street-food restaurant from Spanish chef Dabiz Muñoz. The hotel’s food hall/marketplace, Arrazuna, overseen by Finnish Turkish chef Mehmet Gürs, has eight interactive kitchens serving cuisine from Turkey, the Middle East, and the Arabian Peninsula.

Additional benefits for guests include a fitness centre, KidsOnly club, boutiques, Spa Clinic, and private club.