Modern Arabesque Design And Inspiring Architecture at One&Only The Palm
Located on the tip of The Palm’s West Crescent, One&Only The Palm offers guests the chance to escape the bustling city and enter an exclusive island enclave. Complete with its own private marina and accessible by boat or via a scenic drive, this elegant retreat might be minutes from the heart of Dubai, but it feels like a million miles away.
Inspired by the architecture of Andalusia’s Moorish palaces such as the grand Alhambra in Granada, the last palace built for Muslim emirs in Spain, One&Only The Palm blends ancient Middle Eastern design with a contemporary palate of neutral tones. From the Grand Lobby columns edged in white scrolling tendrils to the ornate courtyard of the One&Only Spa with its courtyard fountain, Arabesque design is reinterpreted for the modern discerning traveller, giving the ultra-luxury resort a rare and distinct identity that celebrates the culture and style of the destination.
One&Only The Palm’s first distinctive architectural note is its magnificent porte-cochère, with its warm earthy tones, high vaulted ceilings embedded with distinctive geometric swirls and horseshoe archways – it is a spectacular entry point into a journey of Arabesque design retold for a new generation. As guests step over the threshold into the Manor House, through the mirrored entrance foyer, they halt at the glistening white lobby and epicentre of the resort. Gleaming light marble floors, pristine walls and keyhole arches laced in Arabesque fretwork comprise the main décor elements, while a central water fountain and splashes of ice blue bounce around light and add dimension to beautiful effect.
Designed by WA International and DSA Architects, One&Only The Palm comprises of 66 stylish guest rooms and 24 lavish suites across the Manor House and six low-rise, beach-facing Mansions, and four standalone beachfront villas set in lush gardens to create a sense of total seclusion. Incredibly private with a feeling of expansive space, each building, courtyard, and vaulted walkway is enclosed or surrounded by lush greenery – from the orange trees and rose bushes, to the native palm trees of the region - giving guests the feeling that they have the resort entirely to themselves.
Guest rooms and suites are spacious and thoughtfully curated to feel like home. They are dressed in rich fabrics such as velvet for texture, and are piled with cushions that pop in hues of turquoise and mauve. A combination of contemporary and traditional regional prints and artwork add embellishment
to the walls in elegant tones of taupe. Panels soft brown leather and swirling gold fretwork are artfully matched with carved wood, glass, and deep geometric print carpets. Light fittings play an important role in turning the guest rooms and suites into lived-in spaces – one bathroom might have a contemporary chandelier over the tub for opulence, whilst a bedroom will house several curved lamps of varying shape, size and effect.
All guest rooms and suites feature bathrooms with freestanding marble bathtubs and rain showers, plus private balconies or outdoor terraces tiled with stone, mirroring the walls of the Manor House. Considered the penthouse, the one-bedroom Manor Grand Palm Suite boasts unbelievable views across One&Only The Palm’s iconic pool and private marina plus soaring vistas of the Dubai skyline. The impressive suite balcony and sun lounge is the epitome of a home-away-from-home glamour, with plush outdoor sofas, oversized urns filled with green palms, and fresh-cut flowers on every surface. Inside, a sleek wood-panelled open plan living area is illuminated by contemporary drop chandeliers and fretwork pillar lamps, leading on to the grand master bedroom in magnetic tones of gold and brown.
Those looking for total seclusion, utter serenity and the ultimate in personal service can book into one of four Two-Bedroom Beachfront Villas with hidden entrances nestled between the leaves of the resort’s lush gardens. Spread across two immaculate levels, each palatial standalone 325m2 Villa reflects the resort’s elegant architecture, with modern interiors that blend Arabesque design with chic neutral hues. Guests enter through the grand foyer leading to the open-plan living and entertaining space with a bar, impressive dining area and serviced kitchen. Bright and airy, the space is designed for the most discerning guests, with indulgent velvet sofas, flashes of deep blue on cushions, oversized vases and the distinctive swirls of Arabesque patterns adding a touch of Middle Eastern flair. Patios, rooftop terraces and balconies come beautifully dressed with oversized sun loungers, intricately-carved wooden dining furniture, umbrellas to offer shade and temperature controlled plunge pools overlooking the water. Unbroken views of the Arabian Gulf can be found at every corner, from the private infinity pool to the spectacular freestanding bathtub in the villa’s master bathroom.
The resort’s restaurants follow a similarly refined path – with each taking its own interpretation of modern Arabesque design. At ZEST, the resort’s central restaurant, the colour-scheme flows from the lobby with its bright whites and creams. Conservatory-style, floor to ceiling windows add natural light creating a kaleidoscopic effect on the cut quartz crystals chandeliers, glass leaf columns in silver relief and oversized mirrors laced with interlacing tendrils. Tall fronded plants in large grey pots, fresh-cut flowers and deep dining chairs finished in off-white soften and add a relaxed elegance to the space.
Two-Michelin-star STAY by Yannick Alléno’s dramatic dining room has a striking palette of black, bronze and silver – with splashes of rich burgundy for a touch of theatre. Baroque black crystal chandeliers mirror the black polished floors whilst white twisted columns frame overblown monochrome swirls, creating the backdrop to a table setting of silver leather dining chairs and black lacquer tables. Softly curving bronze patterns and tan leather add warmth, highlighted by cut glass chandeliers filled with tapered candles.
The Andalusian influences seen throughout One&Only The Palm, are further celebrated at the Guerlain Spa where the charming courtyard, stone carved archways and serene water-edged walkways are all reminiscent of Andalusia’s grand palaces. The Moors believed that water represented the sensation of heaven on earth, one of the main reason it is represented so faithfully across this style of architecture. At the resort, it can also be found everywhere, from the tranquil central pool at One&Only Spa to the trickling blue-edged fountain in the lobby to the resort’s iconic swimming pool with its striking Arabesque swirls.