WITH the opening date (October 10) just three months away, work is progressing round the clock on Dubai’s latest One&Only – the second in the emirate – set on the picturesque Palm Jumeirah, according to a spokeswoman for WA International, the interior design consultant on the project.
One&Only The Palm is being developed and managed by Mirage Mille. Depa, one of the world’s largest interior contractors, is currently engaged in the fit-out works to create interiors that evoke a sense of understated elegance and distinctive luxury.
Blending Moorish and Andalusian architectural design with a contemporary Arabian chic interior style, One&Only The Palm is set amidst lush gardens, cascading fountains and pools along a sparkling shore.
Guest accommodation at this resort will comprise 40 King and 16 Double Double guestrooms, 16 Junior suites, six Executive suites and one Prince suite.
Beautifully styled and impeccably furnished, all accommodation will offer private pools or outdoor terrace space with access to the beach and pools just steps away. Stunning and spacious with every modern amenity, guestrooms and suites will embrace a stylish design with an elegant palette of rich fabrics in hues of turquoise and purple. Luxurious bathrooms will feature oversized, freestanding bathtubs and rain showers with the finest inlaid marble from Italy and Spain.
Elaborating on the concept for the interiors, the spokeswoman says: “With a contemporary take on Andalusian architecture, WA International simplified traditional interior detailing, to create pure architectural forms, with clean lines and contemporary finishes throughout the interior spaces. Utilising a diverse array of materials, such as marble inlay to the floors, decorative textured plaster walls, mashribiya screens, back-lit acid-etched glass and embossed metal, WA International has created an effortlessly relaxed feel to this boutique resort hotel.”
WA International has created an interior influenced by the history and culture of Andalusia but with a modern twist, using contemporary finishes within traditional detailing.
Manor House
Inspired by traditional Arabesque courtyards, the lobby is spacious, with a central fountain and a tall arched colonnade highlighted with subtle detailing in an Ottoman-inspired floral motif. Combining Crema Marfil and White Thassos marbles with Azul Macuba, reminiscent of the vibrant colour of the sea beyond, an oversized intricate Moorish-inspired floral pattern is water-jet cut in the lobby floor.
“This pattern effortlessly flows throughout the public spaces, and can be seen in the decorative frieze details or adorning the acid-etched glass backdrop to the reception desk,” she points out.
The lobby lounge offers a relaxed vantage point with striking views over the exquisitely landscape gardens and sea beyond.
“Oversized opulent furnishings in natural hues, with accents of blue, hinting at the azure waters of the Arabian Gulf, are combined with hand-crafted carpets to create a more residential and cosy atmosphere within the lobby lounge,” she adds.
Restaurants
WA has applied a contemporary take on the traditional conservatory for the One&Only’s all day-dining restaurant. Incorporating an Orangery within the conservatory section of the restaurant, a fresh colour palette of white, silver and green has been used throughout the space, enhanced by an oversized Persian-inspired leaf pattern in ‘Ming’ green marble, which is inlaid into white Statuario marble to form the main floor finish. Columns are encased in silvery fret-cut stainless steel, whilst silver leaf ‘coiffeurs’ are offset by hundreds of glass shards in a leaf pattern, creating a sparkling canopy across the main ceiling, she adds.
Expansive floor-to-ceiling windows will create a decidedly elegant and inviting ambiance in the conservatory. Handmade crystal clear chandeliers spiral throughout the ceiling, and combine beautifully with the classic contemporary-style furniture used throughout. Timbers are rich and add warmth and elegance to the freshness of the colour palette.
Middle Eastern and Asian cooking stations and the sculptural juice bar are embellished by unique finishes, such as embossed polished stainless steel, quartz stone and textured fused crystalline glass, for a truly inspired experience.
Meanwhile, Stay, the hotel’s signature restaurant, features a glisteningly dramatic and exotic interior created with Baroque and Rococo-inspired elements, she continues. With highly-polished rich ebony macassar timbers and a monochromatic palette of black and silver with hints of rich burgundy, the furnishings are lavishly opulent with a contemporary twist. Curved silver panels, inspired by the vaulted ceilings of traditional Renaissance interiors, seemingly float from the ceiling, whilst ornate black bohemian glass chandeliers are suspended below.
The design of the columns are a playful take on the traditional twisted classical columns, whilst smooth cream tones and polished stainless steel form a striking combination with St Laurent and Black Galaxy marbles.
With sweeping panoramic views of the Gulf and Dubai skyline beyond, the striking Marina Restaurant with al fresco dining will open onto a fashionable over-water chill-out lounge with daybeds, beachside tables and a bar.
The One&Only Spa will offer rejuvenating treatments in eight private suites surrounding a central courtyard and private spa pool. Wellness facilities include a state-of-the-art fitness centre with Kinesis studio, tennis court, Bastien Gonzales Mani:Pedi-Cure Studio and a beauty salon.