Dubai: A heart-shaped island just off the coast of Dubai is currently in the works and will open to customers next year, Gulf News has learned.
Austrian company Kleindienst confirmed on Thursday that it has redesigned one of the six islands it is developing at The World to form as the centerpiece of “The Heart of Europe,” a mega project that promises to bring snow and rain to Dubai.
Dubbed as a “charming vacation retreat”, St. Petersburg island takes inspiration from the Maldives and will feature floating “seahorse” villas, white sandy beaches, lagoons, a large infinity pool and lush gardens.
Kleindienst is the same developer that earlier launched “The Floating Seahorse”, which features rooms submerged underwater and a rooftop deck. The first two phases of the project, consisting of 51 villas, went on sale early this year and were sold out in just eight months.
The developer is building 40 more villas to accommodate high investor demand, and this time the structures will be on the St Petersburg island itself. The resort was originally planned to host just The Tzar Hotel, an arrival marina and beachfront homes.
“Due to such demand for the [floating houses], St. Petersburg has been adapted to incorporate The Tzar edition of the Floating Seahorse,” Josef Kleindienst, chairman of The Heart of Europe and Kleindienst, said.
“Having re-shaped [the island], the resort will be operational on 1st October 2016, whereas with the original concept, this would not have been possible until 2017. The third phase will be The Tzar edition – there will be 90 units in total.”
The Heart of Europe project, which covers a cluster of six islands, is the first of its kind in Dubai and also promises to feature “rain and snow-lined” streets, private and public sandy beaches, world’s largest open aquarium, outdoor climate controlled streets and a five-star luxury family hotel, among many others.
The St. Petersburg island will be connected to the main “Europe” island, while the hotel will offer 109 rooms, a beach club, an infinity pool, a café and restaurant.
