First Class Property Management Dubai Review: Fees, Scale and Reviews
What First Class Property Management states about its fee, portfolio, ratings and licensing in Dubai, as of October 2026.
Disclosure: Royale Stays is a competing company. Figures are as stated by First Class on the date shown; where we read a public profile ourselves, the date is given.
The Verdict
First Class Property Management is an active Dubai short-term rental operator. Its own site states it was founded in 2020 by Rohollah Rohparwar and Luis Santos, and it runs a Dubai office at Al Zarouni Business Centre on Sheikh Zayed Road in Al Barsha First. First Class states more than 630 active listings, and more than 635 properties on its own booking site (booking.hellofirstclass.com), as of October 2026. It operates across Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, JBR, Downtown Dubai and Business Bay, distributing listings across Airbnb, Booking.com and other platforms alongside its own direct-booking site.
First Class states an Airbnb rating of 4.9 from more than 16,000 guest reviews across two host profiles, Superhost status for four consecutive years, and more than 1,200 Google reviews rated 4.9 (as of October 2026, as stated by First Class). The Reputation section below shows what the two public Airbnb host profiles displayed when we read them on 20 October 2026.
None of this makes First Class an obviously poor choice. It has a stated 20% fee, a stated portfolio of more than 630 active listings, distribution beyond Airbnb and an office at a stated address. Owners comparing it with any other manager should ask each one for the fee, what it includes and the licence number in writing.
At a Glance
The table below summarises First Class Property Management's own published figures with the date each figure applies to. Figures marked as stated are First Class's own statements.
| Metric | First Class Property Management |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2020, by Rohollah Rohparwar and Luis Santos |
| Dubai Office | Al Zarouni Business Centre, Sheikh Zayed Road, Al Barsha First, Dubai |
| Management Fee | First Class states 20%, given in writing to every owner before signing (as of October 2026) |
| Portfolio Size | First Class states more than 630 active listings, and more than 635 properties on its own booking site (booking.hellofirstclass.com), as of October 2026 |
| Dubai Coverage | Palm Jumeirah, Dubai Marina, JBR, Downtown Dubai, Business Bay (broader "across Dubai" coverage claimed, not itemized) |
| Airbnb | First Class states 4.9 from more than 16,000 guest reviews across two host profiles, Superhost for four consecutive years (as of October 2026). Read directly on 20 October 2026: 4.84 from 9,276 reviews (airbnb.ae/users/show/23907075) and 4.86 from 8,206 reviews (airbnb.ae/users/show/469324326), Superhost badge on both |
| Google / Booking.com | Google: First Class states more than 1,200 reviews rated 4.9 (as of October 2026). Booking.com: 9.5-9.6/10 from 2,200-2,550+ reviews, as shown on its own site |
| DTCM licensing | First Class states that licences are issued by Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism and are a matter of public record (as of October 2026) |
Figures marked as stated are First Class's own statements to Royale Stays on 20 October 2026. Airbnb profile figures were read directly on 20 October 2026.
What First Class Offers in Dubai
First Class's Dubai offer is a full-service package covering listing distribution, guest operations and compliance, built around the founders' own description of a data-driven, engineering-minded approach to running a portfolio at scale.
- Multi-platform listing: distribution across Airbnb, Booking.com and other platforms, plus its own direct-booking site.
- Dynamic pricing: AI-assisted rate adjustments described as updated daily on First Class's property-management page.
- 24/7 multilingual guest communication: handled by four dedicated teams, Client, Revenue, Admin and Guest, per its own site.
- Turnover operations: hotel-grade cleaning, inspections and preparation between guest stays.
- DTCM compliance handling: registrations, permits, guest registration and tourism fees managed on the owner's behalf.
- Monthly financial reporting: owner statements issued on the 10th of each month, with payouts on the 15th.
- Interior design and furnishing: listed as a distinct service line in its site navigation, without further detail published.
On performance, First Class states a 94% average year-round occupancy rate and claims 27% higher returns than long-term rental, both figures repeated consistently across its own site and an independent third-party Dubai business directory. First Class does not publish the methodology behind either claim, so they should be read as the company's own reported performance, not an independently audited figure.
Pricing
First Class states a 20% management fee, given in writing to every owner before signing (as of October 2026). Its property-management page says the fee covers everything involved in running the property day to day, with anything billed separately set out before signing.
Management cost is a percentage of the revenue a property earns, so owners should compare what each fee includes, not only the headline rate. Ask every manager on a shortlist for the fee, what is billed separately and the notice period in writing.
Reputation
First Class states an Airbnb rating of 4.9 from more than 16,000 guest reviews across two host profiles, with Superhost status for four consecutive years (as of October 2026, as stated by First Class). The two public profiles displayed the following when we read them on 20 October 2026: airbnb.ae/users/show/23907075 showed 4.84 from 9,276 reviews and airbnb.ae/users/show/469324326 showed 4.86 from 8,206 reviews, with a Superhost badge on both.
Beyond Airbnb, First Class states more than 1,200 Google reviews rated 4.9 (as of October 2026), and its own site shows a 9.5 to 9.6 out of 10 rating on Booking.com from 2,200 to 2,550+ reviews.
On licensing, First Class states that DTCM licences are issued by Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism and are a matter of public record (as of October 2026). Owners weighing First Class against other managers can compare each platform profile and each licence number side by side.
Who First Class Suits
First Class tends to suit owners who want a large, established Dubai-only operator with real scale (more than 630 active listings, as stated by First Class) and distribution across several booking platforms instead of Airbnb alone, and who are comfortable with a 20% management fee.
An owner who wants to compare fee, reviews and licensing side by side before any conversation may prefer to ask each manager on their shortlist for all three in writing.
Tradeoffs to Weigh
- Fee level: First Class states 20%, given in writing before signing; Royale Stays charges from 15%. Compare what each includes.
- Stated figures: the Google and Booking.com figures are as First Class states them; the Airbnb host profiles are public and can be read directly.
- Scale: First Class states more than 630 active listings; owners may want to ask how many are in the building or community of their own property.
- Licensing: First Class states its licences are a matter of public record; ask for the licence number and confirm it with Dubai's Department of Economy and Tourism.
Where a Boutique Alternative Fits
For an owner weighing First Class's Dubai-wide scale against a smaller, single-city operator, Royale Stays is a Dubai-only boutique manager charging from 15%, a published rate. It covers the same core service areas, furnishing, photography, pricing, check-in and guest communications, at a 5.0-star rating from 49 reviews, a smaller sample than the review counts First Class states. Owners weighing the two can compare with Royale Stays Airbnb management before deciding.
Questions