If you have not spent much time in Business Bay yet, it is worth checking out. It may be known as a district of skyscrapers, but there is a lot more on offer here than just concrete towers including hotels, restaurants and shops in Bay Avenue. The pros and cons of Business Bay are fairly straightforward. In terms of pros, its proximity to Downtown means that when living in Business Bay, you are very close to the centre of the action. You also get a lot more for your money in terms of living space, as well as good proximity to The Dubai Mall, the Burj Khalifa and the key commercial hubs Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC) and the Dubai World Trade Centre.
living in business bay – A COOL URBAN NEIGHBOURHOOD
If glittering skyscrapers are what you love about Dubai, then living in Business Bay is for you. Once the landmark Executive Towers development was the main focus of the district, but the community has as grown fast, with more and more towers springing up. Business Bay has made a name for itself as a major commercial and residential district – think of it as DIFC’s edgier urban cousin. You are spoiled for choice in terms of places to live, with plenty of beautiful, spacious apartments on offer.
A CENTRAL LOCATION WITH MORE SPACE FOR YOUR MONEY
As mentioned above, a key benefit of looking for apartments for rent in Business Bay, as opposed to neighbouring Downtown, is that you get a lot more space for your money. At the time of writing, you can find 1-bed apartments for rent in Executive Towers with an area of 900 sq. ft. for AED 67k, and, roomy 2-bed 1,433 sq. ft. properties from AED 100k. In contrast, take a look at Burj Views, Downtown, where 1-bed 750 sq. ft. properties start from AED 74k. You can still get a 2-bed for 100k, but the cheapest according to current listings has nearly 400 sq. ft. less space, which can be a big difference if you have small children who need a bit of space to move about.
In Business Bay, you are also a very short cab ride, or even a healthy walk for those who like to stretch their legs, from Downtown, and all its marvellous offerings, including The Dubai Mall, Dubai Opera, Souk Al Bahar and hundreds of trendy restaurants.
EDGY – BUT still GOOD FOR FAMILIES
The larger apartments available mean despite its reputation for business and commerce, you will see a lot of families with small children living in the district. The area is served by two nurseries – Hummingbird Nursery and Canadian Kids Nursery. Executive Towers is particularly handy for families with little ones, as there is a strip of green park with kids’ play areas and bike hire among the entertainment on offer. Bay Avenue Mall, which is at the base of Executive Towers, offers large air conditioned spaces to stretch your legs in the hot months, in between sampling the shops and restaurants on offer.
DIVERSe population
Business Bay is a very upbeat area. There are often events at Bay Avenue, from concerts to farmer’s markets, during the cooler months, and it is not defined by any one nationality, so you will find people from nearly every continent living side by side, meaning no matter where you are from in the world, you will feel at home.
STUNNING HOTELS and entertainment
There are stunning hotels in Business Bay. There is the elegant Oberoi Dubai Business Bay, The Taj, which adjoins Executive Towers – extremely handy for those looking to indulge in the Taj’s excellent cuisine and refreshments without the need for a taxi home. Then there’s the glitzy JW Marriott Marquis. If that’s not enough, Al Habtoor City, home to a Westin, a St Regis and a W Hotel opened its doors in 2016, also featuring Dubai’s first permanent show – La Perle by Dragone, which is an exhilarating spectacle of contemporary circus-style stunts and skills.
good amenities
As well as the attractive park at Bay Avenue, there is an abundance of shops and restaurants in the area, with Spinneys, Choithrams and West Zone supermarkets all in the vicinity. You will also find quirkier establishments, including the Urban Yoga studio, beauty salons, photography shops, an ice-cream parlour and more.
PET-FRIENDLY
It is important to check the policy of landlords and building management to find out if they are happy for your furry friend to live with you, but, judging by the number of pooches we see being walked in Bay Avenue Park, we think it is fair to say that plenty have pet-friendly policies.
waterfront views
Thanks to the ambitious extension of Dubai Creek, all the way past Business Bay, under Sheikh Zayed Road and to the Arabian Gulf, many of the buildings in Business Bay have attractive waterfront views.
living in business bay – a concrete jungle?
This is a blog about pros and cons of Business Bay, And as with any part of Dubai, there are a few downsides to living in Business Bay, even though we think they are far outweighed by the benefits.
Skyscraper City
In terms of cons, if you want to live in Business Bay, you better be happy living in a high-rise – not that this is particularly unusual in Dubai. While there are a few villas for sale in Executive Towers, as well as some for rent, the district of Business Bay is predominantly apartments, with some based on extremely high floors – higher than 50 in the case of Executive Towers. If you are not bothered by heights or not having extensive private outdoor space, you may not necessarily view this as a disadvantage, but if you are a person that values wide open spaces, Business Bay may be a little claustrophobic for you, as you are often surrounded on all sides by high-rise buildings.
rush hour traffic
As a commercial as well as residential district, you probably will not be surprised to know that rush hour traffic in Business Bay can be pretty intense, as plenty commute into the area every day to work in the hotels or the district’s numerous commercial buildings. So if you are living in Business Bay and working outside the area, it may be wise to factor in extra time to get to your workplace in the morning. For major events, particularly neighbouring Downtown’s gigantic New Year’s celebration, it is wise to plan carefully, as Sheikh Zayed Road is often choc-a-bloc with traffic several hours in advance and afterwards. Road closures through Downtown when big events are happening can also make getting around tricky.
construction
Again, this is hardly a problem that is unique to living in Business Bay, but if you observe the number of empty plots in the area, you will realise that before long, a noisy construction site is likely to be your neighbour. If you are sensitive to noise, it is important to think very carefully before renting apartments in Business Bay that are next to an empty plot, as sooner or later the pile drivers and cranes are likely to make their presence felt.
no schools
Heavy traffic at rush hour and the lack of schools are two of the reasons you will often see families with older children who are living in Business Bay making the decision to depart the district, in search of more private outdoor space and proximity to a school. While Business Bay represents value for money in terms of the size of the apartments on offer, particularly for such a central location, some might find the traffic noise from nearby Sheikh Zayed Road and the need to drive to another district to drop the kids off, then on to somewhere else for work, more time than they are willing to spend in the car every day.
However, teenagers are likely to love Bay Avenue, with its funky graffiti-style design and skate park, as a great place to hang out with friends right on their doorstep, so if you have independent youngsters who are able to get themselves to and from school, you may find this less of an issue.
We hope you enjoyed our roundup of the pros and cons of living in Business Bay. Do you live in the district? What do you think of it? Let us know in the comments below. Check out the MyBayut blog to read more about the pros and cons of other areas including Arabian Ranches and Jumeirah.
