The new Bulgari Resort and Residences in Dubai embodies the brand’s spirit in every sense. Bulgari’s true heart is in jewellery, its Roman origins and its attitude about magnificence and a style that shows they are never shy, says Silvio Ursini, Bulgari Group Executive Vice President in charge of Bulgari Hotels & Resorts worldwide.

“When we decided to do this very small collection of hotels, we tried to translate this attitude to hotels. Doing a hotel as a jeweller for us doesn’t mean that we need to put gold on handles, it’s about the philosophy. We craft the hotel as a jewel with the same attention to detail, design, craftsmanship, quality of materials that are common with jewellery. We start with a precious material, in the case of jewellery a stone and in the case of this hotel it’s an island, and then we design and the craftsmanship comes into play. The process is similar,” says Ursini.

The luxury hotel is developed by Miraas, a leading developer in Dubai. However, Bulgari was involved from the early stages of masterplanning. “This provided us with an opportunity to influence the masterplanning around our specifications and our vision,” he continues.

“The location of the hotel was very important for us as a flagship project for the Middle East. This place in Jumeirah, so far from all the skyscrapers of Marina, is centrally located and is very close to Dubai Mall and DIFC. It’s a perfect location, a true resort destination with the sand, beach and the views,” says a beaming Ursini.

In the resort, one can find many signature elements of the Bulgari hotels, such as the black marble, the oval bar, the signature spa and the Pantheon mesh. “We used this pattern to create a very Middle Eastern style of shading – a mysterious traditional Middle East design in the Bulgari way.”

So what’s the USP of the resort? The most immediate and visible one is the design, says Ursini. It sports contemporary Italian design that should make this place a new landmark in Dubai. It’s more subtle and though it’s not the tallest, the highest and the biggest, it’s still very striking. People will appreciate the details and the service too.

“It’s a low-rise building with a combination of rooms and suites that almost looks like being on a cruise ship. The hotel villas are unique with beautiful gardens, the beach and the cabanas. You could be in the Maldives,” says Ursini.

The materials used are rich, such as marbles, wood and metal, but they are understated in terms of colour and decoration. The coral feature used makes it soothing and relaxing.

Speaking on the Yacht Club, a first for Bulgari, he says: “The masterplan provided us with the opportunity to create a marina, particularly a marina in conjunction with residences. You can come down from your apartment and can jump on to your boat. When you have a marina, you can have a yacht club.

The market response for the resort has been very good, says Ursini. “We are extremely fortunate and lucky to have this unique location, a unique partner who has delivered an outstanding quality. People can feel the seven years of work we have put into this. We have built a monument for people to enjoy and I think people feel it,” he adds.

– by Sree Bhat