Superstar in your neighbourhood?

Another month, another star moving into a neighbourhood near you; or so goes the story of Dubai, the most sought after celebrity city of the Middle East.

Such is the lure of this playground for the rich and famous that an average week here will almost certainly witness a millionaire footballer languishing in a five-star hotel while he ties up a deal for a swanky new property on The Palm Jumeirah.

Bollywood’s Shilpa Shetty Kundra and her billionaire husband are simply the latest celebrity couple to have grabbed headlines world over for being the newest residents of the Burj Khalifa, but they certainly aren’t the first who’ve left their footprints on our sunny shores.

The celebrity duo, however, are among those rare few who’ve forked over millions to get their holiday home secured in the world’s tallest tower. But, there are others who’ve collected properties as gifts for associating their names to a real estate project, while others – a popular Arab starlet comes to mind – would be found shaking a hip at a top society do and taking a set of keys for a high-rise sea view apartment in Dubai Marina in lieu.

With so many famous names now dotting our city map, 'Emirates 24|7' pulls out its Versace sunglasses as it goes on a celebrity hunt across Dubai with stars in its eyes.

Shah Rukh Khan

Signature Villa, The Palm Jumeirah

SRK Boulevard, Ras Al Khaimah

Gift

(FILE)

Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan is one of the few celebrities who not only was one of the first few who managed to get a home on The Palm Island when it first opened, but also reportedly got it as a gift for being the unofficial brand ambassador for the islands according to news media Sawf.org.

King Khan’s plush new home overlooking the Arabian Gulf is called Jannat (Heaven), as opposed to his stately home in Mumbai that is called Mannat (Wish). The minimalist interiors were supposedly designed by wife Gauri and good friend and film director-producer, Karan Johar.

In 2008, the popular Bollywood actor took his association with the UAE a step further and announced his first real estate venture, a D8h billion property development in Ras Al Khaimah named after him. At the time he was gushing with excitement.

“Shah Rukh Khan Boulevard is my tribute to the love and affection shown by the people of the UAE to Indian cinema,” he said during the launch of the project in October 2008. “My vision for the project is to make life a celebration. I have lent my name to the project and I intend to share and transfer my passion for design and living spaces into this world class community that residents will be proud of,” he said.
 
“It’s not just like endorsing some other product. It’s more than that,” Khan said at the time.

Fast forward to 2010, and the actor confirmed that the project is now on hold.

“To be honest, it kind of fell through at that point in time,” Khan told this website, adding that he would still like to be a part of the project.

“Because I would like it to be; and times will change and become better, so whatever service I can provide I will offer,” he said.

“It’s never always about just the money part that you make – I think it’s just one of those things we never foresaw. Nobody foresaw. I would like to continue on the project, but it is definitely on hold right now,” he said.
 
Shah Rukh Khan Boulevard was being developed by TSA Group.

David and Victoria Beckham

Signature Villa, The Palm Jumeriah

Spent: £8 million

(FILE)

It made world headlines when soccer star David Beckham purchased a home in Dubai, along with wife Victoria. But last month’s news topped it all when “News Of The World” reported that the England player had handed over his Dubai home to his in-laws, Tony and Jackie Adams, and told them to treat the property as their own, although he and the former Spice Girl still technically own the house.

The newspaper quoted as source close to the Beckhams as saying: “David realised he was not going to be able to spend any time in Dubai. He’s got his commitments in Los Angeles and it’s a long trip, especially when he still has to spend a lot of time in London.”

Armani Hotel

Burj Khalifa

Cost not known

(FILE)

After several delays, in April, the highly anticipated dream of fashion guru Giorgio Armani opened its doors to the press and patrons, marking his foray into the hospitality industry. The Armani Hotel, which has been developed in conjunction with Emaar Properties, is the pride of Burj Khalifa with a standard room in the hotel, which does not have a single picture on its walls, costing around Dh4,000; while the top suite has a
price tag of Dh40,000.

The 160-room Armani hotel occupies six floors in Burj Khalifa, in addition to eight floors dedicated to 144 Armani luxurious residences.

The hotel’s latest occupant was none other than Tom Cruise, who hung from its exterior in a death defying stunt for his new film “Mission Impossible 4”.

Donatella Versace

Palazzo Versace

Cost: Not available

(FILE)

If Armani can do it then Versace should not be far behind. Palazzo Versace Dubai will be the luxurious hotel that is set to open in 2011 (originally scheduled for 2009), which will be designed and furnished by all things Versace. Aside from the hotel itself, 169 private furnished apartments will also go on the market with exclusive clientele.

Each apartment will have the floors lined with hand-cut mosaics, and the communal areas will feature giant aquariums of fish specially imported from the Red Sea. Temperature controlled flooring is a thing of the past; those who live there will enjoy an under-beach cooling system to ensure their feet don’t burn on the way to the sea.

Kate Hudson

Palazzo Versace

Spent: £2.23m

(FILE)

After starring in 'Nine', it seems the bling has slipped into Kate Hudson’s private life. She is apparently one of the first investors in Palazzo Versace, having apparently bought a 2,210 sq ft flat for a cool £2.23m.

Further details have not been released, but each residence already comes equipped with Versace furnishings, cutlery and bed linen. The larger apartments have their own cinema (!), a library, a spa bath and a sauna.

The company is planning its next two resorts, in Goa and Abu Dhabi, and intends eventually to have developments in India, China, Russia, London, Paris, Rome and New York.

Ernie Els

The Els Club, Dubai Sports City

Cost: Dh55m

(FILE)

Golf legend Ernie Els brought his famoud The Els Club brand to Dubai Sports City, serving as the global base for his international design business operation. Els has made a further personal commitment to the project as he will have a home and base for his international business at Dubai Sports City.

In his own words, he says: “The course is challenging for the best players in the world but at the same time enjoyable for all golfers. Stretching 7,538 yards from the tips, it features four sets of teeing areas to suit individual golfers.

“The first release of golf memberships sold out in a matter of weeks with the second release on sale now.” Now that says it all we reckon.

Yash Chopra

Yash Raj Films Entertainment District, Dubai Infinity Holding

Cost: Dh660m

(FILE)

Yash Raj Films and Dubai Infinity Holdings announced a joint venture for this Dh660m Entertainment District, which will comprise a theme park based on Yash Raj hit films, along with a movie palace and several hotels.

Loosely inspired by Disneyland, the one-time director now business magnate Yash Chopra runs one of the biggest film distribution houses in the world.

Robert De Niro

Nobu, The Palm Jumeirah

Cost: Not Available

(FILE)

The legendary actor Robert De Niro and world-class master chef and sushi mogul Nobuyuki Matsuhisa co-own Nobu, an exclusive restaurant that has become one of the most sought after dining destinations on Atlantis The Palm Jumeirah.

Brad Pitt

Eco-friendly hotel, Zabeel Properties

Cost: $1.8bn

(FILE)

The scoop of Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie’s island home on The World may have taken a beating when George Clooney told Emirates 24|7 that the power couple had not purchased ‘Ethiopia’. But it seems Hollywood actor Pitt simply couldn’t keep away from Dubai.

The celeb is all set to design a landmark environmentally friendly hotel and leisure project in Dubai with developer Zabeel Properties.

And while no information on the allegedly stalled project is forthcoming from Dubai, the team at LA-based architecture firm Graft, who have been appointed design consultants for the project, which will includes an 800-room five-star hotel, still proudly flash Pitt’s association on their website.

Let’s just hope Pitt can stand true to his earlier statement when he said: “Selecting this development as my first major construction project has been a simple decision. It will underpin not only my values for environmentally-friendly architecture, but also embrace my career in entertainment.”

Abhishek and Aishwarya Bachchan

Sanctuary Falls, Shaikh Holdings

Spent: $4m-$10m

(FILE)

This Bollywood power couple stunned the city when they announced Dubai was to be their second home. AbhiAsh (as they are fondly called by the media) acquired a villa at Sanctuary Falls, a resort-style villa community within Jumeirah Golf Estates being developed by Shaikh Holdings.

Details on the couple’s new home are still under wraps but it is expected to be ready by the first quarter of 2011. Sanctuary Falls is a collection of 96 resort style villas in a secure double-gated community and overlooks the Earth golf course designed by Greg Norman. The community features five and six bedroom villas, ranging from 5,600 to 10,600 square feet.

While Dubai won’t be their permanent home, a giggly Aishwarya did hint at spending more time in the city, saying: “I’m quite sure we’ll be spending more weekends here.”

Greg Norman, Sergio Garcia and Pete Dye

Jumeirah Golf Estates, Leisurecorp

Cost: $10billion

(AFP)

Inspired by the natural elements of Fire, Earth, Water and Wind, the Jumeirah Golf Estates residential and recreational community has tied up with some of the most famous names in the game: Greg Norman, the ‘Shark’; former European Ryder Cup hero Sergio Garcia; and the father of modern golf course design, the legendary Pete Dye.

In 2008, it was revealed to us that close to $10 billion would be invested in the Jumeirah Golf Estates, which will be developed over four phases.

Norman’s Fire Course opened earlier this year by Dubai World Championship winner, Lee Westwood, while his Earth course hosted the event in November last year.

Tiger Woods

Tiger Woods Dubai, Tatweer

Cost: Not Available

(FILE)

The Tiger Woods Dubai, a member of Tatweer, will be located on 55 million sq ft in Dubailand. This exclusive lifestyle community will feature the Al Ruwaya Golf Course as its focal point, the first to be designed by Tiger Woods, the world’s best known golfer and chairman of Tiger Woods Design.

Lebanese designer Elie Saab also added his name to the project, slated to design a Dh600m boutique hotel in the community. The hotel project will include 89 suites and 14 bungalows, along with a world-class spa and a 10,000 sq ft swimming pool.

However, the Tiger Woods Dubai golf course was slated to open in September 2009, with hotel opening its doors in 2010. Currently, no update on the project is available.

- All figures are estimates unless stated otherwise

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