Property
Al Gurm villa, Al Muzoon, Abu Dhabi.
Price
For rent at Dh1 million per year.
Key features
A villa in Al Gurm, one of Abu Dhabi's flagship developments, on the edge of the western mangrove reserve just off Khaleej al Arabi Street, a 10-minute drive from the Corniche. This exclusive private enclave positioned consists of 61 three-, four- and five-bedroom luxury waterfront villas. A further 12 villas are located on their own offshore island accessed by a bridge to the mainland. Previously only available to buy, some of the villas have now been released for rental.
As with all the properties, this five-bedroom, three-storey villa has a South Asian architectural influence, resembling the type of property you'd find in an exclusive resort in the Maldives. With floor space of more than 18,000 square feet, the property has its own private waterfront and yacht moorings, infinity pool and a sundeck that reaches down to the water's edge.
The main entrance on the ground floor leads into a spacious entrance hall/majlis, with a study/office on the left and the main lounge to the right. Throughout the living areas, the floors are natural Turkish limestone in warm cream tones; the cabinets, cupboards, room dividers and wardrobes (complete with leather handles) are crafted from dark Malaysian meranti wood, the contrast between the two accentuating the South Asian resort feel.
Floor-to-ceiling windows run the length of each room, offering views across the mangroves. Some of the windows are shaded by beautiful latticed metal screens, a motif that runs throughout the whole development.
Beyond the lounge, the wood-panelled corridor (containing more concealed storage areas) takes you through to the first of the villa's three kitchens; a stunning open-plan diner with polished stone worktops and dark wood cabinets and drawers concealing the integrated appliances. The dining area is separated from a spacious family room by a cleverly designed room divider with a benched seating area and extra storage.
A second kitchen, to cater for larger events, is located in the external staff quarters, and there's also a small kitchenette on the first floor next to the bedrooms, presumably to satisfy any nocturnal snacking needs.
A carved stone staircase leads up to four of the five bedrooms (the fifth and smallest is on the ground floor), all of which have Canadian solid walnut flooring and en suite bathrooms with a bath and walk-in shower. Considering the vast dimensions of the downstairs living space, the bedrooms are surprisingly compact. The master suite, however, is undeniably grand - a long galleried room with a separate concealed dressing room and shaded glass doors leads to a wide balcony with views across the water. The master's en suite is also suitably impressive, a light, spacious spa-style bathroom with twin basins, a concealed WC and walk-in shower. In the centre is a stunning stand-alone bath carved from a single piece of limestone.
Each room is fitted with fingertip controls for temperature and lights. The kitchen appliances are by the German manufacturer Gaggenau and the bathroom fittings are Villeroy & Boch.
A private infinity pool and sun deck overlook the water on the second floor, and on the third storey of the villa is a shaded decked area that runs the length of the property. At the rear of the property is a separate building that houses living quarters for four domestic staff, and a three-car garage.
Pluses
The waterfront location overlooking the turquoise shallows and lush vegetation of the mangroves is nothing less than stunning. Everything about property, from the private mooring to the in-home smart technology is designed to maximise the experience of contemporary luxury living. As you'd expect, the materials and finishing are all of the highest quality.
Minuses
The development and disturbance of the capital's mangroves are controversial. However, Al Gurm's developers, Aldar, are keen to point out that for every mangrove tree removed during Al Gurm's construction, they have planted two trees to replace it and they have extended the area of the mangrove forest beyond its original boundaries by 31,000 square metres. The rear of the property overlooks the busy Kaleej al Arabi Street, although trees do partially obscure it from view.
Verdict
Five-star living in an unrivalled city location.
Available exclusively through Better Homes, Abu Dhabi. Contact Lina Bayazid Siada on 600 52 2212 or visit www.bhomes.com
