Arabian Ranches

Arabian Ranches was Emaar's first large villa community, launched in 2004, and it remains one of the most established family areas in Dubai. It sits off Umm Suqeim Road, also known here as Al Qudra Road, at its junction with Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, with open desert beyond. The community is split into gated sub-communities such as Alvorada, Saheel, Mirador, Palmera, Al Reem and Savannah, most with their own pools and play areas.

Its age is part of the appeal. Trees and gardens have had around two decades to grow, the streets are quiet, and the community has a settled feel that newer developments lack. Arabian Ranches Golf Club is inside the community, the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club is next door, and JESS Arabian Ranches, one of the area's best-known schools, is within the gates.

Arabian Ranches 2 and Arabian Ranches 3 were built later as separate communities nearby, with newer designs. The original Ranches is further from the coast and the business districts than many newcomers expect, so a car is essential and the morning drive into town is part of the deal. Many homes are now around twenty years old, which matters when you inspect them.

• 01

  Mature, green streets

  Established trees, large gardens and quiet roads make it feel more like a suburb than most Dubai communities.

• 02

  Golf and polo

  Arabian Ranches Golf Club is inside the community, and the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club, with riding lessons and stabling, is next door.

• 03

  School inside the gates

  JESS Arabian Ranches is within the community, and Ranches Primary School is in Arabian Ranches 2.

• 04

  Community centre

  The Arabian Ranches community centre has a supermarket, restaurants and medical centres, so most daily needs are covered without leaving.

Life revolves around family routines: school runs, swimming in the sub-community pools, weekend lunches at the golf club and afternoons in the parks. The community centre has restaurants, a supermarket and medical centres. Many families keep pets, and the wide, quiet streets are busy with dog walkers and children on bikes in the cooler months.

Outdoor life extends beyond the gates. The Al Qudra cycle track and Al Qudra Lakes are a short drive into the desert, and the Dubai Polo & Equestrian Club hosts polo matches and riding lessons. For bigger shopping, residents drive to Dubai Hills Mall or Mall of the Emirates, about 15 to 20 minutes away.

There is no metro or tram near Arabian Ranches, and public bus links are limited, so almost everyone drives. The community sits off Umm Suqeim Road (Al Qudra Road) next to its junction with Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road, which gives quick access to the rest of the city and towards Al Maktoum International Airport and Expo City. The exits can queue in the morning, especially in school term.

JESS Arabian Ranches, a British-curriculum school, is inside the community, and Ranches Primary School is in Arabian Ranches 2. More options, including GEMS Metropole School in Motor City and the schools of Al Barsha South, are within about 15 minutes. Mediclinic Arabian Ranches handles day-to-day medical needs, and Mediclinic Parkview Hospital on Umm Suqeim Road is the nearest large hospital, about 15 minutes away.

The housing is almost entirely villas and townhouses, from compact townhouses to large golf-course villas on generous plots. Most designs follow a Spanish or Arabian style, with terracotta roofs, arches and courtyards. Because the homes date from the mid-2000s, many have been renovated or extended, and condition varies a lot from house to house.

Arabian Ranches is mostly an end-user market: families buy to live in, and many tenants renew year after year. There is no off-plan in the original community, so all purchases are resale. Look closely at the roof, air conditioning and pool, check that any extensions have the necessary approvals, and compare plot sizes and positions, since a villa backing onto the golf course or a park is valued differently from one on a busy internal road.