A new set of treasure islands gets ready to offer the best of Europe in an experiential holiday and entertainment retreat

 

 

 

Key Highlights

1. The US$5 billion mega sustainable tourism project will host more than 4,000 guest rooms and suites offering a wide array of services in different settings.

 

2. More than 1,200 construction workers, technicians, engineers and environmental experts are working full time within a healthy and safe environment.

 

3. Developer Kleindienst Group prepares to open the island for tourists in the fourth quarter of 2020 with hundreds of units getting ready to receive local and international visitors.

 

4. Latest milestones in line with updated masterplan – Phase I of project including Sweden, Honeymoon Island and Portofino to be delivered in 2020.

 

Kleindienst Group, developer of The Heart of Europe – the US$5 billion (Dh18.3 billion) master-planned leisure tourism island destination – is coming to life with construction progressing fast to deliver the ultimate experiential luxury and touristic destination in the Middle-East later this year.

 

While the Covid-19 outbreak has halted business activities onshore, the Heart of Europe islands are currently abuzz with activities where engineers, consultants and workers are speeding up construction works – thanks to the offshore location and stringent prevention standards that have kept the island safe, dynamic and healthy.

 

Ultimately, the Heart of Europe will become a must-visit destination for all UAE residents and tourists offering memorable and authentic European cultural and culinary experiences in dreamy Maldives islands settings without having to fly out of the UAE.

 

A dreamy island destination in the making

The project was originally conceived in 2008 and relentlessly progressed to the final leg of execution amid two economic crises and slowdowns that underscore the developer’s long-term vision, unfailing determination and capabilities to overcome challenging circumstances and deliver promises.

 

“The Covid-19 crisis has affected various sectors, especially the construction and real estate sectors, however, the Heart of Europe speeded up construction activities whilst maintaining a corona free environment in order to deliver the project by this year. The destination will welcome guests seeking staycations or holidays in a safe and dreamy island retreat that does not require any lengthy travel time, visa, complex logistics or jet lag. Ease of access will also offer the guests the ultimate benefit to maximise their time and stretch the weekend” he said.

 

Phase 1 of The Heart of Europe that consists of three islands – Sweden, Germany and Honeymoon Island, around 78 floating Seahorse Villas – the three-level floating homes with underwater views – as well as Portofino Hotel will be delivered by the fourth quarter of this year and will add greater cultural and entertainment attractions to the emirate's offering.

 

Strategically anchored next to Germany, the heart-shaped, Maldivian-inspired Honeymoon Island and Portofino Hotel, a total of 78 Floating Seahorse villas are being built ready for handover in the fourth quarter of 2020 when the Phase I of the overall project is completed.  

 

Phase I also includes ten prestigious beachfront palaces on Sweden Island; 32 Bauhaus design inspired villas on Germany Island, 17 overlooking the blue lagoon and 15 with direct beach access, and the 489 kids and family friendly oversized suites at Portofino Hotel at Main Europe Island.    

 

Kleindienst is also gearing up to deliver Monaco and Nice boutique hotels at Côte D’Azur resort, the ‘South of France getaways’ located at the Main Europe island by the fourth quarter of 2020. These majestic low rise hotels will feature picturesque courtyards, lagoon shaped swimming pools, and spacious elegant hotel suites with spa like bathrooms, en-suite viewing decks and unobstructed views of the water. 

 

A sustainable experiential luxury destination

Ultimately, the Heart of Europe is set to become one of the most scenic and experiential luxury destinations in the Middle-East and the world. The project, which combines high levels of sustainability with innovation, will add 15 atmospheric and highly differentiated hotels to the Dubai offering, 4,000 holiday homes and strong investor options including the iconic Floating Seahorse Villas and the beachfront boutique hotels at Cote d’Azur and Portofino resorts.

 

The Heart of Europe is the vision of Josef Kleindienst, Chairman of Kleindienst Group, who wanted to create an island destination where leisure tourists will stay and enjoy the best of European hospitality, culture, cuisine, and entertainment in extraordinary sustainable settings. The project will also offer breath-taking views of the emerald lush landscape, shimmering turquoise seascape, etched Dubai skyline, as well as underwater treasures, such as the multicolored coral reefs teeming with marine life. His passion for experiential destinations drove him to travel and study underwater projects and ecosystems globally.

 

“Projects like the Heart of Europe are so unique they require solid project management and team work, imagination, creativity, innovation and strong engineering prowess to achieve the vision, especially in a challenging offshore environment with sustainability at the heart of this mega project,” Josef Kleindienst, Chairman of Kleindienst Group, says.

 

With sustainability at its core, the Heart of Europe will see the development of more than 500,000 square metres of coral reefs and feature Spanish olive trees that are between 100 and 1,500 years old that were sourced from Andalusia, a region in Spain’s southern coast, and the world’s first climate controlled rainy street and snow plaza.  

 

The island will host magnificent hanging gardens on the façade of the Portofino inspired hotel with an astonishing 31,000 plants. It will also offer sustainable entertainment with zero emissions with no harm to nature such as hologram circus and synchronized swimming shows.

 

The Heart of Europe will also deploy sustainable landscaping that will be pesticide free, fungicide free and will be showered with recycled water. The island is also committed to be totally car free, use clean energy and will eventually offer sustainable water transportation to the guests.

 

The Heart of Europe was designed with a zero-discharge policy and zero micro-plastics policy to ensure the protection of the Arabian Gulf and species of marine life that reside around the seven islands.

 

Organic food will be served across the destination’s restaurants and cafes and the 24/7 room service offerings, adding health and wellness to the incredible beauty of the islands.

 

Lastly, to complete the empathetic hospitality and meaningful ‘island time’ experiences, the destination hotels will be touchless. The fully integrated hospitality app will enable the guests to manage entertainment and dining reservations across the destination directly from their mobiles or to monitor and customize their preferred lightning or temperature settings in their suites on the spot without having to place a call or any waiting time.