The Torch, Dubai Marina
The Torch was developed by Select Group, and it holds 682 homes in total. That is a lot of homes under one roof. A slow day indoors is as easy to plan here as a day out on the water.
Developer
Select Group
Area
Dubai Marina
Contents
- Who a tower of this size suits
- From the lift to the gym, then the steam
- Afternoon: the play area, the deck and the shop downstairs
- Evening: parking, keys and a quiet corridor
- Which home for which trip
- Landing at DXB, then the road to the tower
- By car to Media City and Downtown
- Tram stop, water taxi and a ride on the canal
- How the canal got its towers
- JBR or the canal
- Across the footbridge to Bluewaters
- Dinner, groceries and the doctor
- Breakfast on the promenade, a run on the Walk
- Sand, boats and four floors of mall
- What to weigh before you book
- If you own here
- Sources
- Frequently Asked Questions
Who a tower of this size suits
If you want a base that works for a long weekend or a long month, a building of this size gives you plenty to use without leaving the block. A reception desk serves the front door. Security and CCTV cover watch the building after dark. Parking is there for the car you may or may not bring. Dubai Marina has more than 200 residential towers, so you can compare, and it pays to ask what each one actually lists.
From the lift to the gym, then the steam
A morning here can start and finish inside the building. A gym sits in the tower. An early session needs no taxi. A swimming pool follows the gym. It makes an easy second activity once the workout is done. Then comes the part that sets the building apart from a plain gym-and-pool tower. It has a sauna and a steam room, plus a jacuzzi. After a long flight, you can spend a slow hour moving between them.
Afternoon: the play area, the deck and the shop downstairs
If you travel with children, the building has a play area of its own. The tower also has a roof or deck area. Retail units sit on site, so a small errand stays in the building. When the children want something bigger, the Marina has small parks and playgrounds alongside the promenade, which families use.
Evening: parking, keys and a quiet corridor
Maintenance services are provided at the building, so a repair has a route to a fix. Public parking is limited in many parts of the Marina, and most towers have dedicated resident parking. The Torch has parking for residents too, which matters if you plan to arrive with a hire car. Come back late and the reception desk is the first stop.
Which home for which trip
The mix runs from one-bedroom homes up to four-bedroom homes and duplexes. A one-bedroom suits a couple on a week away. The three-bedroom and four-bedroom homes suit a family that wants separate rooms, and a duplex gives a group a staircase between sleeping and living areas. For a month or more, choose the size by how much time you will spend working at home, because the gym in the tower takes care of the rest of the routine.
Landing at DXB, then the road to the tower
Dubai International (DXB) is your airport. A taxi reaches the Marina in one leg. Dubai Marina connects to Sheikh Zayed Road, a busy highway through the city, so the final stretch depends on the hour. Marina roads fill up on weekends and holidays. School hours bring queues on the same streets. If you would rather skip the traffic, two Red Line stations sit on the edge of the Marina: Sobha Realty, which used to be called Dubai Marina, and DMCC.
By car to Media City and Downtown
Media City and Internet City are five to ten minutes from the Marina by car, and Downtown Dubai is 25 to 30 minutes away. Sheikh Zayed Road is about six minutes away. Those drives decide whether you want a hire car for the week.
Tram stop, water taxi and a ride on the canal
The Dubai Tram has 11 stations serving the Marina and JBR. It connects to the metro at DMCC. The Dubai Marina tram stop meets the Sobha Realty Metro station, which makes the last leg from the airport a train ride and a short hop. For the water, the BM1 water taxi links Marina Mall with Marina Walk, and the BM3 route runs from Dubai Marina Mall to Bluewaters Island, where Ain Dubai stands. You can cover most of a week this way.
How the canal got its towers
Emaar designed and built Dubai Marina around a man-made canal, and it began taking shape in 2003. The district is also known as Marsa Dubai. Dubai Tram opened in November 2014, which is why the canal edge now has a rail link as well as a promenade.
JBR or the canal
JBR has 40 towers, 35 residential and 5 hotels, set directly on the beach, whereas the Marina's towers surround a canal. JBR Beach is the livelier beach with water sports, Marina Beach is quieter, and Kite Beach is known for kitesurfing. It suits you less if you want to sleep on the sand: the Marina is built around a canal, and the beach sits next door. Marina Gate has views over the marina, Palm Jumeirah and the Gulf, which makes it a useful comparison.
Across the footbridge to Bluewaters
A pedestrian bridge links Bluewaters Island to JBR, so Ain Dubai and the island can be reached on foot. Ain Dubai is a 250 metre observation wheel. It faces the JBR beachfront across the water. Madame Tussauds Dubai, the first in the Middle East, opened on the island in September 2021. You can fit the bridge, the wheel and a museum into a single easy day.
Dinner, groceries and the doctor
Waitrose has a branch inside Dubai Marina Mall. Spinneys and West Zone are other grocery options in the area, and Al Maya is a third, so the weekly shop is easy to plan. For dinner, Pier 7 stacks seven restaurants across seven floors at the water's edge. Medcare Medical Centre and Emirates Hospitals Clinic are in the Marina. Al Zahra Hospital and Saudi German Hospital sit in Al Barsha nearby. Save those names if you plan to stay a month.
Breakfast on the promenade, a run on the Walk
Cafes line the Marina Walk promenade. The Marina Mall and The Walk at JBR add further dining. The Marina has few parks, so the Marina Walk takes the place of green space for jogging and cycling. If you want a class instead of a run, F45 and The Marina Gym are in Dubai Marina. Gyms in the district offer personal training, group classes and 24-hour access, so you are never short of a second option.
Sand, boats and four floors of mall
The Marina Walk has more than 600 boats and yachts moored along it, and a long waterside promenade, which is a good first afternoon: you walk, you look, you stop for a coffee. Marina Mall covers over 390,000 square feet on four floors, and it is a handy place to go when the weather is hot. JBR Beach is the closest beach to the Marina, often reachable by tram or a short walk, with water sports and sunbathing.
What to weigh before you book
Peak-hour traffic, limited public parking and noise are the main costs of living in Dubai Marina, with few entry and exit points and noise near The Walk and The Beach. Noise levels in busy parts of the Marina vary between buildings, depending on floor level and orientation. Princess Tower and Silverene Towers are two other Marina buildings you can compare. You will want to ask about floor level before you book, and to plan the car around the parking you actually have.
If you own here
Royale Stays manages homes for owners from a management fee of 15%, covering furnishing, photography, pricing, check-in, guest communication and maintenance. Our guide to Airbnb management across Dubai Marina sets the district out from the ownership side. Marina Crown, Sulafa Tower and Trident Grand Residence have their own guides. A tenant applying for a Dubai holiday home permit needs a no objection certificate from the landlord, while owners can apply directly.
Sources
Sources: Bayut area guide, Engel and Voelkers area guide, Bayut, ServiceMarket blog, betterhomes, Wikipedia, Khaleej Times, The National, Knight Frank area guide, Ain Dubai, What's On, Gulf Business.
Questions