Finding a residential area which suits your lifestyle – and budget – may not be so easy to find at the outset but you’ll be surprised at the deals you can find with a bit of networking. Use your social skills and contact family and friends to dig out deals. For example, if you have children, you may want to consider finding the area’s proximity to schools. This article will help you get some information about the various residential areas in Dubai. Bear in mind that all areas have their pros and cons and nothing beats a drive in your car to get the feeling of a new neighborhood. This article will outline some features on residential areas around Dubai.
AL BARSHA:
You will find Al Barsha a quiet and peaceful area. Not only are the villas large but have good value to boot. You can access Sheikh Zayed road with relative ease and the Mall of the Emirates is nearby too. Al Barsha has two zones with the main area offering large villas with big gardens. Al Barsha 1 is home to growing number of apartments, which is a plus for Dubai Media and Internet City. The E44 and E311 highways make this area accessible to most of Dubai.
This area is popular with families and you’ll find your neighbors otherwise quiet. Around 75% of the houses are locally owned and inhabited. Properties here are fairly new three to five bedroom villas with prices starting at Dhs.100,000 to Dh.s160,000 for a three bedroom and ranging to Dhs.330,000 for a four bedroom. In Al Barsha 1, pricing looks attractive starting at Dhs.70,000 to Dhs.85,000; however, at such prices you can find it a bit tough to get an apartment there.
The Emirates Mall is one of the largest shopping malls in the world with numerous cafés, a ski slope, bars and the Kempinski Hotel. Nearby you will find the Marina, Madinat Jumeirah and Umm Suqeim. The Greens and Emaar Business Park boast a number of eateries.
The only private clinic in the area is the Medical Specialist Centre in the new Khoury Building near Sheikh Zayed Road (340 9495). The nearest government clinic is in Umm Suqeim and the nearest emergency hospital is Rashid Hospital.
The schools you can find in this area are Dubai American Academy, Al Mawakeb, Wellington International School (off Sheik Zayed Road), Jess (Arabian Ranches) and Dubai College (Al Sufouh). Nurseries include Seashells and Oasis in the Lakes.
Parking within Al Barsha is easy and it’s safe for pedestrians, kids and joggers. You can expect traffic on Interchange 5 and near the Greens; including slow traffic on Sheikh Zayed Road during rush hour but you’ll find lots of short cuts once you get used to the area. You’ll find it easy to get on the E44 or E311.
All around Al Barsha is safe and quiet with a few loud mosques.
Travelling Time:To Airport – approx 40 minutes
To Media City – approx 10 minutes
To Trade Centre – approx 20 minutes
AL QUSAIS:
If you’re looking for low rent, Al Qusais is the place to be! Along with cheap accommodation you’ll find easy parking and no traffic problems within Al Qusais. Since it’s close to Sharjah, you can expect heavy traffic especially if you will be commuting in and out of Dubai. Here you will find several supermarkets, small shopping centers and government buildings.
Apartments here vary from studios to four-bedroom in new buildings with facilities similar to those in Karama of Oud Metha but much lower prices. You’re looking at prices from Dhs.50,000 for a studio up to Dhs.100,000 for a three bedroom. You will find very few, if any, villas in this area.
Large supermarkets and hyper markets include Lulu’s Hypermarket, Union Co-Op and Emirates Cooperative Society. You’ll find the Al Bustan Center here; along with plenty of ATM’s and pharmacies.
Fantasy Kingdom, in the Al Bustan Centre, is a large amusement center – this is a great place for kids – featuring open sandy areas and parks. You’ll find a vast array of cheap restaurants serving Arabic, Indian and Pakistani food, along with fast food restaurants such as Pizza Hut and Hardees. Most expats head out to nearby Deira for a good night out.
Along with several private clinics in Qusais, the Zulekha Hospital (267 8666) is also located here.
Traffic within Al Qusais isn’t a problem; however, getting in and out of the area can be a challenge especially during rush hour on Sharjah-Dubai routes. Traffic intersections with few pedestrian crossings now have a separate footbridge to cross the main road.
Overall, this is a safe area to live in with the exception of noise from overhead airplanes and problems with traffic during rush hour.
Travelling Time: To Airport – approx 10-15 minutes
To Media City – approx 40 minutes
To Trade Centre – approx 20 minutes
GARHOUD:
Finding accommodation at Garhoud isn’t easy and for good reasons. Garhoud has a wide range of villas and a suburban feel; it’s literally 2 minutes away from the airport! It’s also close to Sharjah and is home to excellent entertainment options such as the popular Irish Village, Century Village and Aviation Club. However, traffic can become a problem during rush hour and you may hear aircraft noise depending on the wind direction.
Accommodation ranges from Dhs.100,000 to Dhs.250,000 depending on the age of the villa. You can find cheaper villas on top of the hill; although they may be old but they come with well established gardens and plenty of character.. Lower down the hill, you will find newer four bedroom villas and the average rent here is around 250K. You’ll find a mixture of different nationalities here with airline staff monopolizing the accommodation!
You may find apartments in the Al Garhoud Complex by the Casablanca Road next to the Al Bustan Rotana Hotel where the average price is Dhs.80,000 for a two-bedroom apartment. You will find some apartments near the Irish Village and tennis stadium but they are used for Emirates staff members.
You will find the Deira City Centre less than 10 minutes away. The shopping street in Garhoud has two supermarkets and several small restaurants offering delivery and take-out. Along Casablanca road you’ll find car cleaners, tire shops and gas stations. The area near the Welcare Hospital has a massage centre and beauty salons.
The park in Garhoud features a skate ramp, sandy football field and playground equipment – great for kids. The Magic Planet in Deira City Centre is an amusement centre with an 11-screen cinema. You will find excellent restaurants and bars in the Al Bustan Rotana, the Le Meridien Dubai, the Millenium Airport Hotel, Century Village and the Irish Village.
There are good private health care facilities here such as Welcare Hospital. Al Wasi and Rashid (government hospitals) are a short distance from the creek.
Schools such as Deira International School, American School of Dubai and Cambridge International School are located along the road on the southern edge of Garhoud. You can also access schools in areas like Umm Hurair, Al Twar and Festival City. You will find Yellow Brick Road Nursery and Montessori Nursery in the neighborhood.
Traffic is bearable within the residential area except for rush hour traffic on Garhoud Bridge. It’s easy to find parking and the area is safe for kids. Taxis are easy to find and the fare to the Trade Centre is about Dhs.20
All around, Garhoud is a great area. It’s peaceful and suburban with lots of quiet streets and grassy areas for people to walk, jog, and cycle or take their kids out to the park. The only annoyance you find here is the rush hour traffic in the Garhoud Bridge and the noisy aircraft overhead.
Travelling Time: To Airport – approx 2 minutes
To Trade Centre – approx 10 minutes
To Media City – approx 30 minutes
