Al Rifah, Sharjah

• Properties in Al Rifah
• Resorts and hotels
• Getting around
• Schools & clinics
• Fine-dining restaurants
• Things to consider

Al Rifah is a well-planned villa district located in Sharjah. The residential area is situated on the outskirts of the city, a spot far from pollution and traffic. The properties in Al Rifah consist of several communal facilities, such as the convenience of easy transportation. It boasts many restaurants, schools, medical facilities and retail centres at convenient distances.

The community is bordered by Al Sharq Street (S103) and Al Muntazah Street (S101), offering easy access to Al Ittihad Street (E11). It is also in proximity to Dubai. According to Bayut’s Property Market Report Q1 2022 for Sharjah, Al Rifah is one of the top five communities to rent villas in the city.

• It is a waterfront community
• A family-oriented district in Sharjah
• Located right next to the Arabian Gulf
• Offering easy access to several amenities
• The villas come in 3 to 5-bedroom configurations
• Mainly consists of villas available on rent and sale
• Direct access to Al Muntazah Street and Al Sharq Street

Al Rifah is a large villa-centric development that mainly consists of beautiful villas. Being close to the Arabian Gulf, Al Rifah offers a waterfront lifestyle and all the perks of city life. Residents of this peaceful and tranquil community enjoy life in a close-knitted, family-friendly neighbourhood.

Properties in Al Rifah consists of large, spacious villas, that are surrounded by lush greenery and local facilities. Some of these spacious villas are built in traditional Arabian style, while some flaunt a modern architecture. Available as both, on rent and for sale, these spacious properties in Al Rifah come in all shapes and sizes, varying between 3,000 sq. ft to 8,000 sq. ft. of surface area.

The double-storey VIP villas in Al Rifah come in 3-bedroom divisions and go up to large 5-bedroom spacious properties. These units offer amenities like private manicured lawns, large and airy balconies and spacious garages that can accommodate multiple cars. One will also find a maid’s room, two or three additional bathrooms, big halls, spacious equipped kitchens and en-suite bedrooms. Some of the properties also include a private swimming pool.

If you are a small family looking to rent a villa in this community then a 3-bed rental villa in Al Rifah is an ideal choice, offering an average rental price of AED 75k each year. The comparatively larger, 4-bed villa for rent in Al Rifah offers a rental price range of AED 65k to AED 130M, on an annual basis. The rent for a 5-bed villa in Al Rifah starts from AED 67.9k and goes up to AED 180k. This variation in price is due to several factors, including the size, built and life of that property. If you have the buyer’s luck, you can get a grand villa at much cheaper rates, as the prices keep fluctuating for these villas. Just keep a lookout on Bayut for the villas for rent in Al Rifah.

Those who are looking to invest in the community will find a wide range of villas for sale in Rifah. For a 3-bedroom villa on sale in Al Rifah, one can expect the selling price to starts from AED 820k. To buy a 4-bed villa in Al Rifah range between AED 1.2M and 1.5M, while for a comparatively larger 5-bed villa in Al Rifah, the average selling price will be around AED 3.7M.

Since Al Rifah is a waterfront community, you will find quite a few resorts in this district, these include:

• Verona Resort
• Green House Resort
• OYO 394 Dana Al Buhaira Beach Hotel
• Sheraton Sharjah Beach Resort and Spa

Sheraton Sharjah is a 5-star Hotel in Al Rifah, with an extensive beach resort. Guests can choose from a wide selection of luxury suites and rooms, some of them offering stunning ocean views. There are both smoking and non-smoking rooms available. You can also enjoy food in the many dining outlets, including fine-dining.

The Green House Resort is located on Corniche Road, just off Al Muntazah Street. The casual lodge features low-key, studio-style suites along with a large outdoor garden, al-fresco dining and two swimming pools.

Verona Resort is located on Al Sharq street, just an 8-minute walk from the white sandy beach. Guests can choose from the many upgraded suites and enjoy several amenities here, such as a temperature-controlled swimming pool, a gymnasium, sauna and a spa. Outside, there are lush green lawns with paved walkways, a pool-up bar and an international restaurant. Children can enjoy free activities here.

You will find a few OYO Rooms as well. One such is OYO 394 in Dana Al Buhaira Beach Hotel located on Al Muntazah Street. It is situated alongside the gulf, showcasing a vibrant and lively theme with warmly decorated rooms, seating lobby and large terraces from each room. Residents enjoy free breakfast and 24-hour room services here.

The spacious villas of the district come with generous covered parking spaces, where residents can easily park their vehicles. The larger the villa, the more parking space it has. Moreover, the outside streets also offer free parking spaces, where visitors can park their cars.

Public transportation in Al Rifah is easily accessible as the community directly joins with Al Sharq Street. The nearest bus stops are located at 2 to 5-minute distance via car. Alfisht (Al Sharq Terminal) bus stop, Al Sharq Street Police Academy bus stop and Alsharq street Alemam Abu Haneefa Mosque bus stop are among bus stations aligned on Al Sharq Street. Residents can also easily get around by using traditional or online cabs.

For grocery shopping, you can visit the nearby Carrefour in Al Mirgab community. It is the nearest one at a 4-minute distance. There are several other supermarkets near Al Rifah, these include Spinneys, Al Nakheel Supermarket, First Choice supermarket, Deenar Supermarket and Viva Supermarket. All of these are located with the radius of a 5-minute drive.

The community houses a number of local mosques for the convenience of Muslims. The two most popular mosques in Al Rifah community are Al Emam Abu Haneefa Mosque and Ata’a Ibn Abi Rabah Mosque. Other popular mosques in the vicinity include Bader Mosque, Zaid Ibn Arqam Mosque Alemam Ibn Majah Mosque, Alnakhi Mosque and more.

For Churches, residents would require a 13-minute drive to Al Yarmook community. There are several churches in this area including Dubai Orthodox Church, St. Mary’s Jacobite Syrian Orthodox Patriarchal Cathedral, Union Church and St. Michael’s Roman Catholic Church.

Families with young children will find many primary school and nursery options in the area. Popular nurseries in Al Rifah are Tender Moments Nursery, Alrifaa British Nursery School and Lollipop Nursery and Day Care. Step Nursery Al Mirgab and Euro Kids International Nursery are also located in the nearby areas at a close distance.

The higher educational Institutes require a little more travel to the neighbouring areas but are still conveniently accessible. Some of the most popular ones are Al Ma’arifa International Private School, American School of Creative Sciences and Al Amaal English High School.

There is also Delhi Private School (DPS) Sharjah, that follows the National Curriculum of India, affiliated by CBSE (Central Board of Secondary Education). Beacon House Al Khaleej International School is a part of a global project: Beacon House. The School provides American Standard of Education, catering to all students from Kindergarten to Grade 12.

Closest higher education options would be ABN and Lincoln University. ABN is a private university that is available within the community, while Lincoln University is 17-minutes away. Ajman University takes 14-minutes to reach.

Al Rifah’s main medical facility is Emirates International Medical Center (EIMC), located on Al Sharq Street and Emirates International Hospital on Al Muntazah street. Another nearby clinic in Al Rumailah is Elaj Medical Center. It is a large multi-speciality hospital located on Sheikh Rashid Bin Humeed Street. The hospital offers many services including dentistry, neurology and a psychiatric ward. Right next to Elaj Medical Center, you will find Al Dhuha Medical Center, a small orthodontic and obstetrics/gynaecology clinic. Other hospitals near Al Rifah are Oxygen Medical Center and Al Qudra Medical.

The main pharmacy in the area is Pharmacy One, located at the base of EIMC, while other pharmacies nearby include Aster Pharmacy and Al Manara Pharmacy available in a short drive of 3 to 4-minutes.

There are four main streets that run through the Al Rifah district: Al Sharq Street (S103), Al Muntazah Street (S101), Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qassimi Street (S130) and Haroon Rasheed street offers access to the neighbouring districts. The well-established communities that border Al Rifah are Al Muntazah, Al Rumailah, Al Mirgab, Al Heerah Suburb and Al Nuaimia. All these areas are lively residential districts that offer many schools, supermarkets, malls where residents can easily travel to fulfil their needs.

Those who like to engage in a little retail therapy every now and then will be thrilled to find one of the most happening malls of Sharjah – Al Shaab Village, at a nearby distance. Showcasing a unique traditional outlook of Arabian heritage, the mall has a lot to offer. Besides the 250+ shopping brands, it boasts a large food court, a supermarket and has several entertainment options including a cinema, a play area and an ice rink. It is located within a convenient reach, just 7-minutes away via Mohammed Bin Sultan Al Qassimi Street (S130).

Another popular mall is Matajer Al Mirgab mall, located at the border of the community, it is only a couple of minutes drive from the area. This mall also has a Carrefour and plenty of dining options. Other malls nearby include Grand Mall and Safeer Mall Ajman.

Offering a wide collection of top-notch cafes and restaurants in the community, Al Rifah is a favourite place of food lovers. The restaurants and malls nearby boast tons of popular eateries, including popular burger joints, cafes and lounges. One will find Hardees and Mcdonalds available in the area, while Al Mahatta Lounge is at Sheraton.

One will find a variety of casual and fine-dining options. Seafood lovers can visit Marasea Restaurant and Themar Al Bahar. These restaurants offer a unique experience of waterfront luxury dining with scrumptious foods. Al Qubtan in Sheraton Sharjah and Al Dente at Coral Beach Resort are Italian restaurants while Marco Polo is a small Pakistani restaurant.

Cote Jardin in Coral Beach Resort is a fine-dining restaurant, where one can enjoy traditional Arabian and Middle Eastern cuisines. Other fine-dining options include Casa Samak, Gusti and Arjawan.

Living in a waterfront community comes with the perks of having fun at the sandy beaches, viewing the coolest postcard sunsets/sunrises and enjoying tons of water sport activities any time you want.  If nothing, you will always spot a popular resort or two to add some luxury into your beachy experience. In this case, Al Rifah offers two resorts, where you can have uninterrupted holiday fun. Sheraton Sharjah is a refined beachfront resort that brims with activities and events, while a Coral Resort Sharjah is an airy beachy retreat.

Another public beach lies 5-minutes ahead from these near the border of Al Rumailah community. You will also find Al Fisht Beach, one of the best beaches in Sharjah, nestled at the edge of a peaceful residential area. Either stroll down the sandy stretch or enjoy quality time with a loved one, these beaches are an ideal place to where you can unwind all your stress in the warmth of the sun and the soft blanket of sand beneath your feet.

The two most famous leisure activities around here would be the Sharjah Art Museum and Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation. Those who love history and like studying Islamic artefacts can visit the hub of Islamic Culture: Sharjah Museum of Islamic Civilisation. Situated on Corniche Street, the museum boasts over 5,000 artefacts from Islamic History, including glasswork, metalwork, manuscript, calligraphy and ceramic art.

Moving on to contemporary art, the Sharjah Arts Museum is a heaven for art lovers, as it is the centre of arts in Sharjah. It showcases a wide selection of modern and contemporary art pieces, from different artists all over the world. The museum also holds numerous educational events and exhibitions, all around the year. While for some quirky fun, you can visit Jungle Bungle, which is a theme park located 8-minutes away on Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Street.

Tons of outdoor activities to do in Al Rifah. Besides sipping tea and spending evenings in your own private gardens, there are also a few community parks in the area, where one can bask in nature. While adults can revel in the greenery or indulge in healthy activities like cycling, jogging or a brisk walk on the paved walkways, children can play around in the kids play area.

If you like to practice indoor fitness, the gyms are located near Al Rifah within a 5-minute drive. The nearest one is Kul Al Nejoom Fitness Center, while others are Xtreme Fitness, Al Mass Gym and Fit & Fine Body Fitness. These are heavily equipped with cardiovascular machines.

The community also boasts quite a few salons in the area. Local favourites are Damas Beauty Center and Al Amakin Ladies Salon. Other popular beauty centres nearby include Tala Beauty Center, Miss Reem Beauty Center and Spa, Beauty Zone Salon and a hair salon for gents: Trimmers Gents Salon and Spa.

Some popular community events are held at Sheraton Hotel, Sharjah, where there is an open event space spotted on the sandy stretch of beach, brimmed with palm trees and the luxury of resorts nearby. Residents of the community also organise private and social events, while the rest of the community can also partake in the annual holiday events.

Al Rifah is Sharjah’s waterfront destination where everything is at your fingertips. However, this waterfront lifestyle only offers a peaceful villa setting. It is perfect for you if you want to buy villas but those who are looking for apartments will need to look at other areas in the emirate, as there are no apartments in Al Rifah.

• Sharjah International Airport is a 17-minute drive away, via Al Dhaid Masafi Road (E88)
• Ajman is a 13-minute drive away (via Sheikh Zayed Street)
• Dubai International Airport is 23-minutes away