The Journal

Four Seasons Private Residences on Saadiyat Beach stands as a compelling example of branded luxury living, and a clear signal of Abu Dhabi's growing ambition in the high-end residential market. That ambition was recently brought into sharp focus by a record-setting deal completed by Abu Dhabi Sotheby's International Realty. The sale of a five-bedroom penthouse for AED 200 million carries weight for both the Four Seasons and Sotheby's International Realty names, and speaks directly to the rising demand for super prime homes in the capital.

A golf estate begins with the ground beneath its houses. At Hudayriyat Golf Estates, an 18-hole championship course by Lobb + Partners extends across 95 hectares, establishing the views, open spaces and green corridors around which the neighbourhood is planned. Townhomes, villas and golf mansions will occupy this setting, with completion scheduled for August 2030.

A golf address in Abu Dhabi can mean quite different things depending on how closely the course is woven into residential life. At Yas Acres, homes were planned around a nine-hole course; on Saadiyat Island, established villas sit near the Gary Player-designed Saadiyat Beach Golf Club; Hudayriyat Golf Estates, meanwhile, is being developed around a new 95-hectare championship course.

Over the last decade, the residential model around golf courses in Abu Dhabi has changed considerably. Golf is no longer associated principally with detached homes beside a club; it now forms part of family masterplans, apartment developments and professionally managed residences.

The final phase of the Saadiyat Island masterplan will begin, rather fittingly, at the water’s edge. Abu Dhabi has announced Marsa Al Saadiyat, a new urban district spanning 6.4 million square metres and representing an investment of AED100 billion. The project forms part of the capital’s continuing effort to improve quality of life while strengthening its international standing as a place to live, visit and invest.