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Arabian Business
05-08-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
EXCLUSIVE: Dubai's Heart of Europe to see all remaining hotels under construction by end-2025, says Kleindienst
Kleindienst Group, developer of The Heart of Europe megaproject on Dubai's World Islands, aims to have all remaining hotels under construction by the end of 2025, founder and chairman Josef Kleindienst told Arabian Business in an exclusive interview. The $6 billion tourism and hospitality development spans six man-made islands and will feature 20 hotels with more than 5,000 keys, along with themed resorts, floating villas, climate-controlled streets, underwater experiences and coral regeneration zones. The Heart of Europe is the first major development to gain traction on the World Islands following years of inactivity after the 2008 financial crisis. Fifteen hotels are in various stages of construction, with a few already completed or in pre-opening. The remaining five, including the planned Buddha-Bar Hotel & Floating Villas, are scheduled to break ground before year-end. 'Fifteen are under construction [at] different stages. The remaining five will start construction this year… Our goal is for all of them to be complete by 2027,' Kleindienst told Arabian Business. Few hotels open, others nearing launch The only fully operational hotel is the voco Monaco, an adults-only boutique property that officially opened last year. It features party suites, rooftop views and direct beach access. The Nice Hotel, also part of the Côte d'Azur cluster, is completed and in its pre-opening phase, offering themed gardens, a rooftop pool, and retail along a 'raining street.' The Portofino Hotel, a five-star family-only resort, is currently under construction. It will feature 466 sea-facing suites, a kids' club, annual cultural festivals, and a lobby housing over 500 aquariums. Other partially completed or sold assets include floating Seahorse Villas on Sweden, Germany, and Honeymoon islands. Kleindienst said villas on Germany Island and the Sweden Beach Palaces are at an advanced handover stage, with interiors and landscaping nearing completion. What's next to break ground? The five hotels still to begin construction in 2025 include: Buddha-Bar Hotel & Floating Villas – a $817 million flagship wellness destination on Honeymoon Island St. Tropez Hotel – boutique French-style beachfront resort Cannes Hotel – Mediterranean-inspired with courtyards and family clubs Germany Island Resort – a second hospitality offering on Germany Island Ikaria or Marbella Hotel – construction start to be confirmed Each new property will follow a two-year construction cycle post-mobilisation, Kleindienst said, aligning completion with the group's 2027 target. 'When all of this is in place, and when all your approvals are coming in time, then you have a realistic chance to finish a hotel in two years. It's challenging, but possible,' Kleindienst said. Independent infrastructure powering construction Unlike mainland developments, the World Islands lack municipal infrastructure. Kleindienst Group has independently mobilised construction logistics, including concrete batching plants, barge unloading zones, sewage treatment, a temporary marina, and accommodation for 3,000 workers. 'The World Islands are very complex in regards of improvements, because [they're] not connected to the infrastructure and very specific in regards of environmental regulations,' he said. The entire project must comply with a zero-discharge policy — one of the strictest environmental mandates in Dubai — requiring 100 per cent recycling of water and total containment of waste output. 'Nobody in Dubai has the burden of such high-level environmental regulation like the World Islands,' Kleindienst said. Long-term, self-funded model Kleindienst said the Heart of Europe is funded through a 50:50 model — half from the group's capital and the rest from off-plan sales — with no bank financing involved. This gives the developer control over pricing and avoids pressure for fast sell-outs. 'We are not using bank loans… We invest 50 per cent of the project, and the other 50 per cent comes through off-plan selling,' Kleindienst said. 'So we don't need to satisfy a bank and we don't need queues in front of our sales centre.' 'We have a target of how much we want to sell every month, and we have a target how to increase our price. And we follow this target. We follow this strategy.' The group says investment interest remains strong, with guaranteed rental income options offered for hospitality units, fully furnished villas, and floating homes. According to project materials, some units offer a '100 per cent net ROI' for buyers, although this has not been independently verified. The Heart of Europe is the only multi-hotel development active on the World Islands — a man-made archipelago once envisioned as a billionaire's playground but mostly left undeveloped since 2008. While more than 90 per cent of the 300 islands were reclaimed over a decade ago, the lack of roads, power, water, and investor confidence kept most plots idle. Infrastructure solutions are now under discussion with the Roads and Transport Authority (RTA), Kleindienst said, though no centralised marine transit system has been confirmed. In the meantime, the group continues to expand through standalone marine and construction systems. It announced an expanded masterplan at the end of 2024 that would increase Dubai's five-star hotel room count by 10 per cent, adding 5,000 new keys — pushing the Heart of Europe's total estimated project value to $6 billion. 'This is more than real estate. It's experiential tourism. We're building something that's never been done before — and finally delivering it,' he said.
Arabian Business
23-04-2025
- Business
- Arabian Business
Dubai World Islands: $817m Buddha Bar Hotel to open in Heart of Europe
The World Islands in Dubai will expand its hospitality offering with the arrival of the AED3bn ($817m) Buddha Bar Hotel and beach. Kleindienst Group has announced a landmark partnership with George V Eatertainment to bring Buddha-Bar Hotel and Buddha-Bar Beach to The Heart of Europe on The World Islands in Dubai. Valued at approximately AED3bn ($817m), the project will be officially unveiled by Kleindienst Group at the upcoming Arabian Travel Market (ATM) 2025. Buddha Bar Hotel at The World Islands Dubai The agreement marks the debut of the first-ever Buddha Bar Hotel and Floating Villas in the MENA region, along with the launch of Buddha Bar Beach Honeymoon Island, a world-class beach club, lounge and dining concept. The two flagship destinations will be constructed over a 24-month timeline, delivering a bold new statement in destination luxury. Josef Kleindienst, Founder and Chairman of Kleindienst Group, said: 'Our collaboration with George V Eatertainment redefines what a destination can offer. Together, we are creating not just places to stay or dine, but a fully immersive world, where the journey is as extraordinary as the destination. 'We are pioneers of sustainable, experiential living, driven by innovation. It's another milestone in our mission to transform The Heart of Europe into a living, breathing showcase of what's possible when visionary design and meaningful experiences converge.' This 162-key overwater hotel will include immersive design, curated music, world-class gastronomy, a luxury spa and floating villas. A stone's throw from the hotel lies the future heartbeat of the island, Buddha Bar Beach Honeymoon Island. Designed as an all-day, all-night venue, it blends barefoot luxury with bohemian elegance, offering curated dining, creative mixology and Mediterranean-inspired design. It promises sunrise yoga, beachfront dining, sunset sessions with world-class DJs and late-night beach parties. Nabil Souhail, VP of Buddha Bar International, said: 'This launch is about raising the bar. From boat to beach to bed, every moment is designed to inspire. We're bringing the world's finest experiences to one place—and inviting Dubai to escape with us.' The arrival of the Buddha Bar Hotel and Beach concepts marks a significant evolution in Kleindienst Group's portfolio of ultra-luxury, innovation-driven projects. From underwater villas and climate-controlled streets to renewable energy systems and marine conservation programs, The Heart of Europe offers more than 4,000 keys across 20 distinct hotels and resorts. Parisa Seif, Managing Partner at Kleindienst Group, said: 'This project speaks directly to the kind of hospitality that today's global traveller seeks – meaningful, memorable and deeply sensorial. From the curated music and refined mixology to the arrival experience and overwater villas, we're offering more than accommodation—we're crafting stories that unfold across every touchpoint. 'Buddha Bar Hotel and Buddha-Bar Beach are a natural fit for The Heart of Europe's vision: daring, experiential and deeply connected to place. 'We're not just building a resort, we're creating a cultural movement. This project is about pushing the boundaries of design, storytelling and sustainability—creating something that has never been done before, anywhere in the world.'
