Inside Dubai’s New One&Only Resort, Launched with Performances by Jennifer Lopez and Mark Ronson

Amid last week’s fervor of her This Is Me… Now album release, Amazon Prime Video debut and press tour — as well as being named a chair of the 2024 Met Gala — Jennifer Lopez made a pit stop in Dubai for a surprise performance at the opening of the One&Only One Za’abeel Hotel.

Alongside Mark Ronson, who was DJing the lavish 400-person fete celebrating the luxury hotel group’s first vertical urban resort, Lopez, in a sequin jumpsuit and hooded fur-coat, popped-up in the DJ booth, taking the audience through a medley of her songs including “Jenny From the Block,” “Get Right” and the new “Can’t Get Enough.” This was a first-time collaboration for Lopez and Ronson (the Oscar- nominated producer of the Barbie soundtrack). Idris Elba followed with a DJ set into the early morning hours.

This moment was part of the spare-no-expense grand debut of One&Only One Za’abeel, which hosted a packed house of celebrities and notables throughout the weekend with Naomi Campbell, Vanessa Hudgens, Vincent Cassel, Isabelle Huppert, Esai Morales, designer Mara Hoffman, boxer Ramla Ali and singer Nicola Roberts.

Adding to the One&Only hotel collection in Dubai which already included Royal Mirage and The Palm — as well Atlantis The Palm and Atlantis The Royal (owned by parent company Kerzner) — One&Only One Za’abeel represents numerous superlatives and firsts. It’s the brand’s debut city-centric resort and also features Siro, a hotel-in-hotel focused on fitness and recovery. Rooms start at $515 a night at oneandonlyresorts.com or through Booking.com.

Planted in the middle of Dubai’s monolithic skyline, One&Only One Za’abeel’s most distinguishing characteristic is The Link, a futuristic boulevard suspended 328 feet above ground connecting dual skyscrapers with the world’s longest cantilever. Atop this architectural feature, designed by Japanese architecture firm Nikken Sekkei, is the longest infinity pool in United Arab Emirates. In keeping with Dubai’s over-the-top narrative, a light projection commissioned for the opening weekend broke numerous Guinness World Records with the longest projection mapping in the world, the largest architectural temporary projection mapping in the world and largest mesh screen projection in the world.

One&Only One Za’abeel’s turn comes a year after sister-hotel Atlantis The Royal drew back its curtain with a performance by Beyoncé.

Unlike most One&Onlys, which are destination properties like One&Only Palmilla and Mandarina in Mexico, this resort offers pursuits geared toward to the business and leisure city-traveler such as epicurean journeys, arts and culture experiences and wellness programs.

More than eight years in the making, the restaurant collection within The Link features 11 dining experiences with an all-star roster of Michelin- and 50 Best-recognized culinary talent such as Le Dame de Pic by Anne-Sophie Pic, who is the most-decorated female chef in the world with 10 Michelin stars across her restaurants; Qabu by Paco Morales, whose Noor in Cordoba, Spain, was just awarded three stars; and DuangDy by Thai-cooking power couple Bo Songvisava and Dylan Jones of Bangkok’s Bo.Lan. Rounding out the selection, Arrazuna by Mehmet Gürs, is akin to a grand bazaar with dining, retail and Dubai’s first wine shop located within a hotel; Sagetsu by Tetsuya Wakuda for Japanese; and Spanish-inspired StreetXO by Dabiz Muñoz.  

Designed by Jean-Michel Gathy in a neutral color palette, the hotel officially opened Jan. 1 with 229 rooms, 94 private residences and nine penthouses, with a focus on luxury and privacy. Forgoing a traditional check in, guests are brought straight to their rooms, and service is top notch. Some suites feature 180-degree views to capitalize on the skyline, Sanctuary Suites include a massage table, and in-room spa treatments, while Creative Suites feature acoustic paneling and the latest AV technology. The top accommodation, Villa One penthouse reimagines the feel of One&Only’s beach villas. Dubai-based lifestyle brand Montroi (which produces a signature scent for every One&Only around the world) has crafted the resort’s signature fragrance, Al Sama, characterized by saffron, musk and vanilla. The property is also home to the UAE’s first Longevity Hub by Clinique La Prairie, a three-floor sanctuary whiuch introduces personalized wellness journeys based on the Swiss brand’s three interconnected pillars: longevity, wellbeing and aesthetics.

This opening and more slated for 2024 signify a major expansion for the exclusivity-driven One&Only. In the U.S., Moonlight Basin in Big Sky Montana is slated to debut soon.