Inside Dubai's Emirates Hills, the playground for super rich, celebs and world billionaires like Lakshmi Mittal

Dubai: “You can’t replicate what you get here—privacy, greenery, ultra-luxury, and scale,” says Dubai-based businessman Mahesh Tourani, seated beneath a banyan tree inside his 50,000-square-foot Emirates Hills mansion.

“I come from Mumbai, where we long for trees and bridges. This place gives you that, with the infrastructure of Dubai.”

Tourani’s reflection is more than a personal musing—it’s a statement that captures the soul of Emirates Hills, the city’s most exclusive residential address. And when Indian steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal acquired a Dh367 million villa in the same neighbourhood earlier this week, it was a clear signal: Dubai’s old-money enclave is still the final word in luxury real estate.

Often dubbed the Beverly Hills of Dubai, Emirates Hills was the first freehold community in the UAE to offer vast plots—ranging from 12,000 to over 50,000 square feet—on which homeowners could build entirely bespoke villas. No two homes look alike. And unlike Dubai’s more visible luxury communities, you’ll rarely see a listing. It's snapped up before it even reaches "For Sale" sign.

“Even if you’re ready to cough up millions, you may not find anything available,” says Aditi Garg, seasoned real estate agent and Sales Director of Dubai-based Cogent Real Estate.

“It’s not just expensive—it’s exclusive. That’s the real luxury here.”

Emirates Hills has long attracted a discrete, high-net-worth clientele. Known residents include the Gupta family (of Indian origin, formerly influential in South Africa), and former Pakistani Prime Ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif. Indian business titan Sima Ved, chairwoman of the Apparel Group, is also a resident.

Global celebrities such as Shah Rukh Khan, David Beckham, Roger Federer, and Rihanna have been rumoured to explore or rent homes here over the years, though no direct confirmations exist. What is certain is that Emirates Hills is a magnet for legacy wealth, business dynasties, and global taste-makers who value seclusion over spectacle.

One of the most iconic homes in the community belongs to Dubai-based businessman Mahesh Tourani, who snapped up the 50,000-square-foot, five-bedroom villa—valued at over Dh200 million— at an auction.

“I entertain in three nightclubs—all inside my house,” Tourani says, smiling. “In total, I have 12 entertainment areas.”

Living alone, he has designed the property entirely around his interests. A soaring indoor banyan tree dominates the central courtyard. The granite and stone textures are inspired by the Japanese design firm Super Potato, and the colour palette channels the quiet luxury of Armani.

“It’s Super Potato meets Armani meets Banyan Tree,” he says. “If I go to Tuscany, I come back and recreate that here. If I go to Bali, I do the same. Each space in this house tells a story.”

What sets Emirates Hills apart from other high-end Dubai communities like Palm Jumeirah or Dubai Hills is the degree of control afforded to homeowners. Here, you don't just buy a home—you build your vision.

“It was one of the first communities in Dubai where huge plots were sold by Emaar—ranging from 12,000 to 58,000 square feet—to allow high-net-worth individuals to create custom-built villas and mansions,” explains Aditi Garg.

There are no townhouses, no apartment blocks. Only freestanding villas, each a unique project. According to Garg, this freedom has led to a limited number of truly distinctive properties—and a market defined by scarcity, not inventory.

“What makes Emirates Hills unique and expensive isn’t just the size of the plots,” she adds. “It’s the location next to two golf courses—Montgomerie and Emirates Golf Club, the presence of lakes and lake-facing mansions, breathtaking views of Dubai’s skyline, and the prestige of being part of a community dominated by successful Indians and global elites.”

That last point is important: Garg notes that the majority of her clients in Emirates Hills today are Indian HNIs (high-net-worth individuals).

“For me personally, I have got only Indian clients looking for specific properties in Emirates Hills—like Vastu compliance, size of property, original or upgraded, and specific price brackets,” she says.

Mahesh Tourani echoes this.

“We’re not beach people,” he says. “We want trees, lakes, greenery—not the sand. That’s why so many Indians choose this area. It’s quiet, central, and feels like you’re in a different world.”

He adds that he wouldn’t trade his plot for anything—even in a newer or flashier neighbourhood. “I bought my land for Dh17 million at Dh500 per square foot. Today it has increased exponentially. But I wouldn’t sell it—not at any price.”

Emirates Hills villas typically cost between Dh2,000 and Dh2,500 per square foot to build—but the real value lies in the land.

“This particular land is probably the number one plot in Emirates Hills,” says Tourani. “A similar plot today could fetch around Dh4,500 per square foot, if it’s even available.”

According to Garg, “Homes older than 10 years tend to sell at land value only, unless they’ve been substantially upgraded. But newer, high-spec properties like Tourani’s hold serious value.”

She notes that even “ordinary” villas on non-golf-course plots are being offered at prices between Dh80 and Dh120 million. Anything with direct golf or lake views? You’ll need connections—and luck.

While newer communities like District One and Tilal Al Ghaf market themselves as luxury havens, Emirates Hills doesn’t advertise. It doesn’t need to.

As luxury homeowner Manu Jeswani told Gulf News in an earlier interview: “Emirates Hills offers an unmatched sense of space and peace. You could be in the middle of the city but feel like you’re in a private resort. No other neighbourhood in Dubai has that duality.”

Once considered too remote, Emirates Hills is now central. As Palm Jebel Ali, Dubai South, and Expo City take shape, this once-peripheral area has become geographically perfect.

“When you live here, you don’t feel the need to be anywhere else,” Tourani says. “It’s central, serene, and secure.”

In a city defined by speed, spectacle, and superlatives, Emirates Hills remains unchanged—and that’s exactly why it matters.

You don’t find Emirates Hills on a brochure. You hear about it in closed rooms. You don’t compete to buy here. You wait for an invitation—often through someone who already lives inside.

“It’s not just prime,” says Aditi Garg. “It’s the pinnacle. You live here, people don’t ask questions. They know.”

For steel barons, business leaders, and a quietly powerful elite, Emirates Hills is more than just a place to live. It’s the only address that truly speaks for itself.