New hotels, residential developments and beach clubs continue to transform this beachfront spot
At the end of 2022, we said goodbye to family-friendly La Mer, a lifestyle-led beachfront destination, to make way for an exciting transformation.
La Mer South was reimagined into J1 Beach, a high-end, luxury coastal destination of a dozen beach clubs and restaurants, while Port De La Mer has become an idyllic seafront residential development, where apartments, shops and cafes are arranged around a picturesque marina.
But there’s still more to come, with new hotels, residential and leisure attractions set to transform life at La Mer.
Here’s everything you need to know.
New at J1 Beach
There’s been a recent shake-up at J1 Beach. After opening gradually from October 2024, J1 Beach welcomed 13 homegrown and internationally-acclaimed restaurants and beach clubs. As of May 2026, Sirene, Gigi, Baoli, Ninive, African Queen, Gitano, Almayass, Sakhalin and Kaimana are all still open, while Chouchou, INA, Lunico and La Baia have closed. We do know that a new beach club is on its way, with Fundamental Hospitality, already behind the smash hit Sirene, set to bring a new concept to J1 Beach per Arabian Business.
La Mer Central makes way for Solana
Image: Meraas
Where you formerly found the Roxy Cinema and La Mer waterpark, La Mer Central is set to make way for Solaya a new residential development by Meraas under Dubai Holding and Brookfield properties. Spanning nine buildings across 40 acres, the development offers residences that range in size from two- to five-bedroom, plus a collection of luxe penthouses and 18 signature garden houses with private infinity pools.
Designed by world-renowned Foster + Partners, with interiors by 1508 London, residents will benefit from a stunning collection of amenities, including a spa featuring therapeutic saunas and treatment rooms, a private cinema, private dining and meeting rooms and an exclusive residents’ lounge.
Port de La Mer welcomes a luxe new stay
Beyond the Riviera-style apartment blocks and quaint cafe that make up Port de la Mer, a new hospitality icon is rising at the tip of the harbour. From Spanish hospitality heavyweights Melia Hotels comes Gran Melia La Mer, touted to open in 2027. Gran Melia Hotel will be the third opening from world-renowned Melia Hotels in Dubai, joining the stunning desert resort Melia Desert Palm and sleek city stay, ME Dubai. The luxurious hotel will be the group’s first beach resort, and will boast 380 ultra-modern guest rooms and suites, plus a wellness centre with a gym and spa, direct access to the marina, swimming pools and a private beach. Perhaps most exciting is its culinary array, with the resort set to bring a first-of-its-kind Zuma Beachhouse to Dubai, alongside a Dubai iteration of the iconic Park Chinois.
Jumeirah Asora Bay brings luxury hospitality to La Mer South
On the opposite side of La Mer, on the stretch from the Rove La Mer up away from the mainland, you’ll find La Mer Mansions, a one-of-a-kind private island community. At the top is where the currently under-construction Jumeirah Asora Bay will rise, a dazzling new hotel and private residence from one of Dubai’s most renowned purveyors of luxury hospitality. Scheduled to open in 2029, it will feature 130 rooms and suites and 20 villas. The residences will include 29 residences, including four-to-six-bedroom apartments, one seven-bedroom penthouse and six ocean villas with uninterrupted views of the Arabian Gulf and Dubai’s skyline.
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