The Meadows

The Meadows is the larger-villa end of Emirates Living, the Emaar development that also includes The Springs, The Lakes and The Greens. It is divided into nine gated sub-communities, Meadows 1 to Meadows 9, laid out along wide streets, lakes and parks, with Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Jumeirah Islands and Emirates Hills as neighbours.

Compared with The Springs next door, the houses are bigger, the plots are larger and most homes are detached. People have lived here since the 2000s, so the trees are tall, gardens are established, and many houses have been extended or remodelled inside. It has a settled, quiet feel, and many families stay for years.

Location is the other selling point: Dubai Marina, JBR and Dubai Media City are a short drive away, yet the streets inside are calm. The trade-offs are typical of an older villa community. Some houses need significant updating, there is no metro within walking distance, and the roads around the schools are congested at drop-off and pick-up times.

• 01

  Bigger villas and plots

  Homes range from three to seven bedrooms, mostly detached, with private gardens and room for a pool. Many already have one.

• 02

  Schools on the doorstep

  Emirates International School – Meadows is inside the community, and Dubai British School in The Springs and Regent International School in The Greens are a few minutes away.

• 03

  Lakes and parks

  The sub-communities are built around lakes and parks with walking paths, play areas and community pools, which keeps much of daily life outdoors in the cooler months.

• 04

  Close to the Marina

  Dubai Marina, JBR beach and Dubai Media City are around ten minutes away by car, which suits families working on the west side of the city.

Day-to-day shopping happens at Meadows Town Centre, which has a Spinneys, cafés, restaurants, a pharmacy and services, and at the smaller Meadows Village centre. The Springs Souk next door adds a Carrefour, Reel Cinemas and more restaurants. Most residents also make use of the lakeside paths and parks, and the community is popular with dog owners.

Weekends tend to be spent around the house and pool, or a short drive away at JBR beach, Dubai Marina or Mall of the Emirates. Golfers have the Montgomerie in Emirates Hills and Emirates Golf Club nearby, and Jumeirah Lakes Towers, across the road, has a long list of casual restaurants around its lakes.

No metro station serves The Meadows directly. The nearest Red Line stations, DMCC in Jumeirah Lakes Towers and Sobha Realty by Dubai Marina, are around 5–10 minutes away by car, and feeder buses pass through Emirates Living. Most residents drive. Sheikh Zayed Road is a few minutes away, and Al Khail Road gives a second route towards Al Barsha, Business Bay and the airport.

Emirates International School – Meadows, an IB school run by the Al Habtoor Group, is inside the community. Dubai British School Emirates Hills is in neighbouring Springs 3, and Regent International School is in The Greens, both a few minutes away. There are several nurseries in and around the community. Mediclinic Meadows is nearby for everyday medical care, while Saudi German Hospital and Al Zahra Hospital in Al Barsha are about 15 minutes by car.

The Meadows is all villas, from three to seven bedrooms, in a range of designs that differ in layout, frontage and plot size. Larger plots, lake views and quiet positions away from the busier internal roads attract the most interest. Many owners have added pools, extensions and remodelled interiors, so two houses of the same type can be very different in condition and value.

Nearly all sales are resale, and buyers are mostly families who plan to live in the house for years. Renovated homes are in demand from tenants who want an established community near the Marina. When buying, check that any extensions were approved by the master developer and the authorities, inspect the plumbing and air-conditioning carefully, and factor renovation costs into your offer.