Bawadi is a district of Dubai.
Bawadi is a master-planned hospitality and leisure destination in Dubai, conceived as a large-scale tourist resort. Announced in 2006, the scheme was proposed as a long hospitality and retail strip with hotels, theatres, shopping and entertainment venues. The masterplan aimed to expand Dubai’s hotel capacity and tourism offering.
Bawadi was designed as a dedicated hospitality and leisure complex extending across a long desert corridor. The original masterplan envisioned 31 hotels, nearly 30,000 rooms and more than 40 million square feet of retail space across six specialised districts: the Golf District, Mall District, Urban District, Souk District, Theme Park District and Arts District. Dubai’s ruler publicly launched the project in May 2006 with a reported AED 100 billion budget.
Bawadi is located in Dubai at coordinates 24.99803, 55.330385. The development concept envisaged a hospitality strip running along a roughly ten-kilometre alignment across desert land.
The nearest Dubai Metro reference is Red Line station R73, approximately 16,982 metres away and not within walking distance. Key destinations are located at the following approximate distances:
The original Bawadi masterplan outlined a comprehensive hospitality-led resort. Its key elements included:
The scheme was presented as a joint-venture initiative, with developers expected to contribute 40% of funding and outside investors 60%. The developers were expected to fund the initial 12 hotels, providing 12,450 rooms, while investors would fund the remaining properties. The planned mix included at least six three-star properties, 18 four-star hotels and luxury five-star hotels.
Planned themed hotel concepts included Asia Asia Asia Hotel and Resort, Old Asia Hotel and Resort, Universal Fashion Hotel & Resort, Historia Hotel, Holly Bolly Resort & Hotel, La Musica Hotel & Tower, Nautica Hotel and Olympia Hotel & Tower.
After the global financial crisis, the scheme did not proceed to construction. In July 2016, Emaar and Dubai Holding expressed interest in reviving the project ahead of Expo 2020.
Bawadi’s concept targets large-scale tourism and hospitality operators, retail and leisure investors, and city planners focused on destination-level developments. If realised as proposed, the scheme would suit mass-tourism operators, themed leisure businesses and large hotel groups seeking clusters of branded and themed properties. For residential users, it was planned primarily as a hospitality and entertainment district rather than a conventional residential neighbourhood.
Is Bawadi a completed development?
The project was launched in 2006, but did not proceed to construction after the financial crisis. In 2016, Emaar and Dubai Holding expressed interest in reviving the scheme.
What was planned for Bawadi?
The plan included 31 hotels with nearly 30,000 rooms, more than 40 million square feet of retail space, entertainment venues and convention facilities, organised into six thematic districts.
Who were the original developers and what was the funding model?
The scheme was presented as a joint venture, with a proposed funding split of 40% from developers and 60% from investors. Developers were expected to fund the initial 12 hotels, providing 12,450 rooms.
How far is Bawadi from central Dubai and main hubs?
Burj Khalifa / Downtown Dubai is about 22.9 km away, Dubai International Airport (DXB) is 28.6 km away, Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) is 20.4 km away and Global Village is 8.3 km away. The nearest Dubai Metro reference is Red Line station R73, around 16,982 metres away.
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