Cheval Collection Expands Dubai Footprint with New Luxury Hotel Apartment and Branded Residence Project

Cheval Collection, a prominent UK-based luxury hospitality firm, has announced a significant new development in Dubai as part of its strategic expansion into the UAE and the broader region, driven by increasing property demand. The upcoming project, situated in Dubai South, will feature 98 serviced hotel apartments, offering a range of units from studios to three-bedroom configurations, alongside 95 one, two, and three-bedroom branded residences. The property is slated for opening in 2030.

This new venture, named Cheval South Bay, marks the company's fourth development in Dubai and its sixth in the Middle East. Additionally, Cheval Collection has two properties currently under construction in Saudi Arabia, signaling its commitment to growth in the region, particularly as the kingdom opens up to foreign buyers. Sales for Cheval South Bay are anticipated to commence next year, though specific pricing and the total project value are yet to be revealed.

Nick Pilbeam, Cheval Collection’s chief commercial officer, expressed strong confidence in the Dubai and UAE markets, as well as the wider GCC, stating, “Announcing this project today shows what our confidence is like in Dubai, our confidence in the UAE, and our confidence in the wider GCC.” He highlighted the successful performance of Cheval's existing Dubai properties, Cheval Maison The Palm and Cheval Maison Expo City Dubai, which opened in 2023 and 2025 respectively. These properties, offering serviced apartments, have reportedly outperformed the market in occupancy, particularly due to their appeal for long-stay guests.

The company also recently launched a branded residence development in Dubai Island in April. This latest announcement from Cheval comes amid a period of continued project launches by property developers in the UAE, even as market slowdown concerns persist, partly influenced by geopolitical events. Other major developers are also active in the market; Dubai’s Nakheel recently unveiled a substantial residential development near Palm Jebel Ali, and Aldar and Arada announced new housing projects in Abu Dhabi with a combined value of approximately Dh15 billion ($4 billion).

Cheval Collection is also actively exploring opportunities in Abu Dhabi, where the property market has shown robust performance this year, with a significant surge in real estate transactions. In the first nine months of 2026, Abu Dhabi recorded 38,483 transactions worth Dh171.26 billion, representing a substantial increase in both value and volume compared to the previous year. Mr. Pilbeam indicated that while concrete plans are not yet finalized, Abu Dhabi is an area of significant interest for the company.

Looking beyond the UAE, the privately owned company is pursuing expansion in other parts of the Middle East and North Africa region. A new property launch is expected in the coming weeks, which will bring its total portfolio to approximately 1,000 units. “We're clearly on a growth journey. However, we're still very selective about the projects that we go in for. We want to be in prime locations, in tier-one locations, tier-one destinations. We are negotiating multiple projects,” Pilbeam added, underscoring the company's strategic approach to growth.