As the chairman of Dar Al Arkan Real Estate Development Company, Sheikh Yousef Al Shelash has guided the company since its establishment in 1994. Most recently, former president of the United States Donald Trump and Al Shelash signed a deal to add a Trump resort to Dar Al Arkan’s Aida project in Muscat, the capital city of Oman.
Why did Dar Al Arkan Real Estate Development partner with The Trump Organization? Sheikh Yousef Al Shelash credits The Trump Organization’s high standards for sealing the deal. The chairman said the company is “always looking to enhance Dar Al Arkan’s unique projects with premium facilities and experiences.”
The Aida project spans 3.5 million square meters, is the real estate developer’s first enterprise in Oman, and Al Shelash hopes the partnership with Trump will help “put it on the global map.”
Sheikh Yousef Al Shelash and Dar Al Arkan Real Estate Development Company expect to break ground on the Aida project, valued at $4 billion, during Q1 2023. The development, in addition to the Trump resort, includes the first-in-the-world five-star luxury glass hanging suites. It’s expected to take 10 years to complete.
The hanging suites are a bucket list item for the most adventurous of global explorers. “We are doing the research and development on the engineering to suspend the pods from the mountain,” said Al Shelash. People have planted pods in the mountains before, such as the Skylodge Adventure Suites in Machu Picchu, Peru, but according to the chairman, “What we are doing is suspending the pods from the mountain at the same level of a five-star hotel.”
Each gravity-defying pod includes a private pool. Dar Al Arkan stated, “Along the way, you’ll find your very own floating bedroom and en suite bathroom with floor-to-ceiling windows floating over the shores of Muscat.”
Additionally, the Aida project consists of 3,500 residential units ranging from low-rise apartments to medium-size villas and town houses. The villas reflect the beauty of the surrounding nature and are interconnected with picturesque pathways. According to the property development company, Aida is “a place where all the noise is quieted to let your ideas compose a beautiful symphony. [And] the villas are built to ensure absolute peace of mind and a continuous waterfall of inspiration.”
Aida Takes Luxury Living to New Heights
The Trump Organization stated that Aida “is a lifestyle destination where the high, curvaceous cliffs are home to the Trump International hotel, offering a new generation of style, service, and exclusivity infused with the Trump standard of excellence.”
The Trump-branded hotel, located 100 meters above sea level, will be in the center of the new community, which includes lavish outdoor landscapes and plazas brimming with A-list eateries and cozy cafés as well as top-of-the-line wellness centers. There will also be a gated promenade, and the Trump resort will offer scenic views of the turquoise Gulf of Oman. The Trump-branded hotel also features infinity pools, so one never has to venture far to take a dip in the lap of luxury.
A golf professional is designing the newest Trump International golf course. Eric Trump, the executive vice president of The Trump Organization, explained that the company was looking to expand into a prominent location assisted by an extraordinary team. “At Aida in Muscat, Oman, situated directly overlooking the sea, we have found that,” said the EVP.
Eric Trump added that it was the perfect setting for the partnership. “Together with Dar Al Arkan [Real Estate Development Company] we’re going to deliver an exceptional Trump golf resort with the finest residential villas, a world-class hotel, and an iconic golf course.”
Sheikh Yousef Al Shelash Is Making Dar Al Arkan a Global Success
Dar Al Arkan Real Estate Development Company is expanding its portfolio across Saudi Arabia and internationally. It has delivered over 50,000 square meters of commercial space and 15,000 residential units during the past 28 years.
Sheikh Yousef Al Shelash said he takes pride in showing the world another image of what Saudi Arabia is by expanding in Oman with the Aida project. “Planting the Saudi flag outside of Saudi Arabia by being successful in other places like Dubai, Qatar, the United Kingdom, Spain, and China is part of making Dar Al Arkan a global brand,” said Al Shelash.
Real Estate Trends in the Middle East
According to a report, the Saudi Arabian real estate market is expected to register a compound annual growth rate of over 9.7% between 2022 to 2027. Additionally, approximately 100,000 new families throughout the Kingdom enter the market annually. The report cited housing programs through stimulus packages, property tax relaxations, and meeting labor shortages as being crucial elements of success for real estate companies in Saudi Arabia.
Yousef Al Shelash said co-branding is one of the most popular trends in luxury real estate throughout the Middle East. In addition to the Trump brand partnership in Oman, Dar Al Arkan has joined forces with other famous names, including the Upside Living Villas with interiors by Versace in the Shams Ar Riyadh project in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In Dubai, it teamed up with Italian hypercar manufacturer Pagani on the Pagani Tower and Italian luxury fashion house Missoni for the Urban Oasis by Missoni residential tower on the Dubai Water Canal. It’s expected to be completed by the end of 2023.
According to Dar Al Arkan, the Missoni-designed penthouse apartments come with one, two, or three bedrooms in a variety of sizes. They each have amenities like a private elevator, chic Missoni fixtures and decor, and a closed kitchen. All feature sublime waterfront views.
Also built on the Dubai Canal, the Pagani Tower is crafted from the finest materials and pays tribute to the famed automaker Horacio Pagani. It’s in a prime location that overlooks the renowned Burj Khalifa skyscraper.
The real estate development company chairman said that Dubai is like Manhattan, except that it’s very secure and has no taxes. “Dar Al Arkan is working in Dubai to provide unique products,” said Al Shelash. Thus far, the company has only selected plots in premier locations. “Either on the water or in the center of the downtown,” explained Al Shelash. “So far, Dar Al Arkan has only presented the limited edition of the real estate market in Dubai.”
