DAMAC Hills

DAMAC Hills, originally launched as Akoya by DAMAC, is a large master-planned community in Dubailand wrapped around the Trump International Golf Club. It mixes villa and townhouse clusters with low- and mid-rise apartment buildings, most of them looking onto the fairways or the long central park that runs through the middle of the community.

Most of the community is now built and lived in, and it has more on-site amenities than many suburbs this far out: a golf club, Jebel Ali School, sports courts, a skate park, a resident-only wave pool and beach at Malibu Bay, and plenty of green space for walking dogs and children. That makes it a practical choice for families who want space without moving to the edge of the city.

The compromises are the car and the commute. There is no metro, everyday errands mean driving, and the run to Sheikh Zayed Road can be slow at rush hour, especially on school days. Finishes and upkeep also vary between clusters and buildings, so it pays to compare several before choosing one, rather than going on the community name alone.

• 01

  Living on the golf course

  Many villas and apartments face the fairways of Trump International Golf Club, an 18-hole course with a clubhouse, restaurants and a pool.

• 02

  School inside the community

  Jebel Ali School, a long-established British-curriculum school, has its campus within DAMAC Hills, which shortens the school run for many families.

• 03

  A wave pool for residents

  Malibu Bay, opened in 2020, gives residents a man-made beach and wave pool without leaving the community.

• 04

  Room to move

  The central park, cycling paths, sports courts, skate park and dog-friendly green spaces make outdoor life easy in the cooler months.

Life in DAMAC Hills is built around the outdoors and the golf club. Evenings mean walks or bike rides along the park, football and tennis on the community courts, or a drink at the clubhouse. The park also has play areas, a skate park and lakes, and Malibu Bay is the weekend default for many families with children.

Shopping inside the community is limited to convenience stores and a few cafés and restaurants, so most residents do their weekly shop and eat out in neighbouring Arabian Ranches, Motor City or Jumeirah Village Circle. Mall of the Emirates and Dubai Hills Mall are both about 20 minutes away when you want a bigger trip, and Global Village is within easy reach in the winter season.

DAMAC Hills is a driving community. There is no metro station nearby, and bus services are limited, so most households run at least one car. Al Qudra Road and Hessa Street both connect the community to Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Road (E311), from where Sheikh Zayed Road and Al Khail Road are a short drive. Expect slow traffic at the main junctions during the morning school run and evening rush hour.

Jebel Ali School, which follows the British curriculum, is inside DAMAC Hills. Other schools within a short drive include Jumeirah English Speaking School (JESS) and Ranches Primary School in Arabian Ranches, Victory Heights Primary School in Dubai Sports City, and Fairgreen International School in The Sustainable City. There are nurseries in and around the community. For hospital care, Mediclinic Parkview Hospital in Al Barsha South is about 15 to 20 minutes away by car, with smaller clinics closer in Arabian Ranches and Motor City.

DAMAC Hills offers a wide range of homes. Villa clusters such as Brookfield, Silver Springs and the golf-facing Trump Estates sit alongside townhouse and villa groups like The Field, Pelham and Topanga, while apartment buildings such as Artesia and The Park Residences overlook the course or the park. Most of the stock is ready, so buyers and tenants can see exactly what they are getting, with a share of owners letting their homes to families on annual leases.

Quality and upkeep differ from one cluster to the next, so compare finishes, service charges and how well the building or cluster is maintained before you commit. Golf and park views command a premium, and plots backing onto busy internal roads are worth avoiding. Don't confuse this community with DAMAC Hills 2, a separate and more distant development further inland.