A new dining and leisure hub opens at this UAE UNESCO heritage site

Dubai: Eagle Hills has opened Al Ain Oasis Hub, a new lifestyle and dining destination located within the historic Al Ain Oasis district, marking a significant addition to the city’s leisure and hospitality landscape.

The project forms part of the wider Al Ain Oasis masterplan and has been designed as a walkable destination that combines dining, landscaped gardens and architectural features within one of the UAE’s most culturally significant settings.

Al Ain Oasis, the city’s largest oasis and a UNESCO World Heritage site, spans 1,200 hectares and is home to hundreds of farms.

The Al Ain Oasis masterplan spans around 726,150 square metres and includes residential buildings, hospitality offerings, amenities and traditional retail souqs. The development is designed to sit alongside the natural and cultural environment of the oasis, which is recognised for its palm groves and falaj irrigation systems.

Within this framework, Al Ain Oasis Hub covers approximately 23,000 square metres and serves as a social and leisure centre, encouraging visitors to move through outdoor spaces rather than enclosed retail areas. A network of walkways totalling 1.2 kilometres connects dining areas, gardens and viewing points across the site.

Landscape design plays a central role in the project. Three garden areas anchor the experience, each built around water and planting. Reflections Garden features a reflective pool and stone pathways. Ripple Garden introduces a flowing water path inspired by natural movement. Mist and Dry Fountain Garden uses a mist system integrated into stone and planting to create cooling effects with limited water use.

More than 771 trees have been planted across the site, including Ghaf trees and fruit-bearing species such as Arabic plum, citrus, mango and chikoo, alongside Neem trees.

Two architectural structures provide elevated viewpoints within the oasis. An observatory tower rises 22 metres above ground and offers panoramic views across the surrounding palm groves. The Palm Canopy Walkway, elevated up to four metres, allows visitors to move through the trees and experience the landscape from above.

The hub includes 17 restaurants and cafés, all positioned to overlook gardens and outdoor spaces. The dining offer is designed around relaxed, social settings suitable for daytime and evening use.

After sunset, the destination introduces Nightscapes, a light and sound experience developed by Moment Factory. The installation draws inspiration from the oasis and historic falaj systems, guiding visitors through a sequence of themed zones using lighting, sound and environmental design.

The opening aligns with the emirate’s Tourism Strategy 2030, which targets 520,000 overnight leisure hotel guests in the Al Ain region by the end of the decade. The project has been developed in coordination with Al Ain Municipality and the Ruler’s Representative of the Al Ain Region Hazza bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

“Al Ain is a city defined by heritage and identity," said Mohamed Alabbar, chairman of Eagle Hills. "With Al Ain Oasis Hub, we aimed to create a place that honours this legacy while creating a new setting for people to gather, dine and spend time together,” he said.