Dubai’s new offices to come with coffee- serving lifts, spas, treehouse meeting pods

Dubai: If going to work meant taking a break in coffee-serving lifts, having meetings in treehouse pods, and letting some workplace steam off in an indoor pool, the world has marked a radical departure from traditional workspace design.

HQ by Rove, launching in Business Bay, Dubai, is the latest offering from the Emaar and Meraas co-owned hospitality brand. Rove, a fuss-free hotel chain in the mid-scale segment, fresh off from its foray into the branded residences segment, is now bringing hotel-style amenities to the corporate world – a move its CEO is calling ‘a natural transition’.

The success of branded residences revealed a demand for the Rove brand that extends beyond traditional hospitality. "We saw how many people were having extended stays in our hotels, so it seemed like a natural transition," according to Paul Bridger, CEO of Rove Hotels.

Developed by Rove Hotels in partnership with IRTH Group, the office project offers fully furnished modular offices starting from 50 square metres alongside wellness facilities typically found in luxury hotels. HQ by Rove is scheduled for handover in Q1 2029.

From hotels to residences to offices

Bridger said, “A couple of years ago, we moved from hotels into branded residences, and the reason for that was market demand," he said.

“We've launched just under 2,000 branded residences in the last two years, which pretty much sold out. We could have sold probably 10,000 had we had the units.”

The workspace concept emerged from observing co-working trends within Rove properties.

"We have a lot of people who work in hotels who are not guests. We have people using our meeting spaces that enjoy the casual, more casual service than you get in an ultra-luxury product," said Bridger.

Addressing Dubai's office space shortage

The timing aligns with Dubai’s commercial real estate needs. "What we see in Dubai, particularly, is they’re attracting new businesses, startups – there's a lot of business coming to the UAE. Very business-friendly," Bridger said.

"Good quality office space is in high demand. Not enough good quality office space."

He identified a fundamental workplace challenge driving the concept. "The workspace has been challenged, and leaders have got to really motivate their team to want to be in the office, to connect in the office," he explained.

"There's nothing worse – you go to a hotel and you get amazing coffee and nice food and comfy spaces. Sometimes offices aren't the same, right?"

HQ by Rove

The project targets startups, SMEs, and larger corporations. "Typically, big companies will be able to take a floor or five floors of an office block and fit it out their own way," Bridger said.

"Here, we're offering modular, fully furnished offices from 50 square metres, which means a startup with four, five, or six employees can now have quality space with the same facilities that you'd normally see in a Grade A office space."

Units are sold freehold with design guidelines ensuring consistency whilst allowing owners flexibility.

"The furniture in the units is modular, so if you want to set up in a boardroom style or have different people working in different spaces, the furniture allows you to do that," he explained.

Barista in a lift?

The amenities reflect Rove's roots in hospitality. Every two floors connect through an atrium featuring meeting spaces and co-working areas. The standout feature: a coffee-serving lift. "You press the button, you press cappuccino or latte or whatever, and the lift will come down – it'll open up and the barista will deliver your coffees," Bridger revealed.

The 120,000-square-foot facility includes an indoor lap pool, jacuzzi, state-of-the-art gym, CRANK spinning studio, padel and basketball courts, and a spa. Landscaped gardens feature floating treehouse cabins for meetings with skyline views.

"We want to give our team the facilities to complement that hard work," Bridger said. "They need to relax; they need to be able to meet in good spaces."

An on-site amphitheatre will host TED-style talks and corporate events, whilst The Block food hall on the ground floor brings together multiple dining brands with co-working zones.

Community ecosystem

Rove's role extends beyond property management. "We want to connect people in the ecosystem – architects being connected with designers, being connected with developers," Bridger said. "Our job is to facilitate that."

The development sits on Marasi Bay Marina with views of Downtown Dubai and the Burj Khalifa, accessible via a private road connecting to Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road.

Professionals working at HQ by Rove will receive exclusive benefits across Rove Hotels and access to co-working spaces at hotel locations, creating what Bridger describes as an integrated lifestyle ecosystem.

Future plans

Interest has been strong ahead of the public launch. "We've already seen high demand and interest in the product," Bridger confirmed. The project targets both end-users establishing offices and investors seeking rental returns.

"We see two main markets – the end-user market where a company might want to buy their own office, and investors that want to take the office and put it into the market," he explained. "Having a brand like Rove brings longevity. We're a local brand, backed by big players, so in 10 years' time your product is still going to be in excellent condition."

Whilst Rove Hotels sees "sizeable" potential for similar developments, Bridger said the focus remains on the flagship project. "This is a first. We'll see what happens in the future – I'm sure there's demand for this type of product."

Separately, Bridger confirmed that Rove's hotel operations continue performing well. "We're trading significantly up year on year. Our recent opening on Al Marjan Island has been a huge success – the hotel's trading currently over 80 per cent occupancy and it's only been open a few months."

A July dip due to geopolitical concerns quickly recovered. "Everything bounced back to normal by mid-August. Forward bookings for Q4 look very strong."

New hotel announcements are expected across the GCC, with branded residence developments also planned for prime locations in the region, said Bridger.