Dubai Hills Estate

Dubai Hills Estate is a joint venture between Emaar and Meraas, launched in 2013 as the first phase of Mohammed Bin Rashid City. It sits at the junction of Al Khail Road and Umm Suqeim Road, roughly halfway between Downtown and Dubai Marina. The plan is built around Dubai Hills Golf Club, with villa neighbourhoods along the fairways and apartment buildings grouped along a central boulevard and near the mall.

Unlike many Dubai communities, most daily needs are inside the masterplan. Dubai Hills Mall, Dubai Hills Park, King's College Hospital and several schools are all part of it, and the villa clusters are quiet, landscaped and gated. That combination is why it quickly became one of the first places families look at when they move to Dubai or upgrade from an apartment.

Much of it is finished, but building continues on newer apartment phases and villa clusters, so some edges are still construction sites. There is no metro station, and the roads around the mall get busy at weekends and during the evening rush. Compared with older villa communities such as Arabian Ranches, plots tend to be smaller, in exchange for newer homes and more amenities within reach.

• 01

  Dubai Hills Park

  A large central park with playgrounds, sports courts, a skate park and running and cycling tracks, used by residents from across the community.

• 02

  Golf course views

  Dubai Hills Golf Club's 18-hole course runs through the middle of the community, and many villas and apartments look onto it.

• 03

  Hospital and schools nearby

  King's College Hospital is inside the community, and GEMS Wellington Academy – Al Khail is on its doorstep.

• 04

  Dubai Hills Mall

  A full regional mall with a large hypermarket, a cinema, restaurants and an indoor roller coaster, a few minutes' drive from most homes.

Day to day, residents shop at Dubai Hills Mall, which has a hypermarket, a cinema and an indoor entertainment area with The Storm Coaster, while those in the apartment clusters have cafés and convenience stores at the foot of their buildings. Dubai Hills Park is the social centre for families, with weekend crowds at the playgrounds and a running track that fills up in the cooler months. The golf club has a driving range, floodlit practice areas and a clubhouse restaurant.

There is no beach, but Jumeirah's public beaches are around 20 minutes away by car. Mall of the Emirates and Al Barsha's restaurants are close, and Downtown is about 15 minutes away for a night out.

There is no metro station in Dubai Hills Estate. The nearest Red Line stations, including Equiti, are on Sheikh Zayed Road about 10 to 15 minutes away, and a dedicated RTA bus route links the community to Equiti station. In practice most residents drive. Al Khail Road and Umm Suqeim Road give quick access to Downtown, Business Bay, Al Barsha and the Marina, but the junctions near the mall can slow to a crawl at peak times.

GEMS Wellington Academy – Al Khail is on the community's doorstep, GEMS New Millennium School is close by, and there are nurseries inside the estate, including Blossom. Kings' School Al Barsha and the other Al Barsha schools are about 10 to 15 minutes away. Healthcare is a strong point: King's College Hospital Dubai is inside the community, and Mediclinic Parkview Hospital on Umm Suqeim Road is a short drive.

Dubai Hills offers both villas and apartments. Villa and townhouse clusters such as Sidra, Maple, Club Villas and Golf Place range from compact family townhouses to large golf-course homes, while apartment buildings such as Park Heights, Collective and Golfville are grouped along the boulevard, near the park and close to the mall. Most homes were completed from the late 2010s onwards, so the stock is modern.

Families tend to buy villas and townhouses to live in, while the apartments attract both owner-occupiers and investors renting to professionals. Emaar still launches new phases, so buyers can choose between ready homes and off-plan. Check whether a home backs onto the golf course, the park or a main road, and how close it is to active construction.