Abu Dhabi is getting its first JW Marriott Residences. The new branded project by TARAF will rise on the western shore of Yas Island, with a sandy beach on one side and the fairways of Yas Links on the other.
The agreement with Marriott International was signed in October 2026. It adds a well-known hotel name to an island that welcomed more than 44 million visits in 2025, according to Miral, and has Disneyland Abu Dhabi, Harry Potter lands and Sphere Abu Dhabi on the way.
JW Marriott Residences Abu Dhabi at a Glance
Project: JW Marriott Residences Abu Dhabi, Yas Island
Developer: TARAF, the real estate division of Yas Holding
Partners: Steppe and Marriott International
Announced: October 2026
Setting: beachfront, next to Yas Beach and Yas Links
Home types: apartments and duplexes
Ownership: freehold for all nationalities
A Beachfront Address Beside Yas Links
The building faces the Arabian Gulf at Yas Beach, and Yas Links runs right behind it. Residents can step onto the sand on one side or walk to the golf course on the other.
Yas Links has a strong record. Kyle Phillips, the architect behind Kingsbarns in Scotland, designed it as the first true links course in the Middle East, and it opened in 2010. Top 100 Golf Courses has placed it first in the Middle East since 2012. In 2025 it joined the same publisher’s world Top 100, as the only course from the region.
The course also hosts the Abu Dhabi Aldar Championship on the DP World Tour every year. Zayed International Airport is about 15 minutes away by road, and central Abu Dhabi is about 30 minutes away. Because Yas Island is an investment zone, buyers of every nationality can hold full freehold ownership here.
Inside the Residences
The architecture draws on Abu Dhabi’s light, landscape, craft and heritage, with natural materials and a calm palette. An alternating rhythm of balconies shapes the building and gives the homes outdoor space turned towards the water or the greens. Every space follows JW Marriott’s four design principles: Architectural Awe, Serene Spaces, Elements of Nature and Warm Touches.
Living areas have full-height glazing, warm timber panels and pale stone floors. Several open straight onto terraces that overlook both the golf course and the sea. The kitchen is part of the main living space, built around a generous stone island.
Bedrooms are set up for rest, with soft tones, plenty of daylight and wide windows onto the water. Bathrooms feature freestanding tubs, walk-in showers and stone vanities. The duplexes add double-height living rooms with an upper gallery and tall glass walls facing the Gulf.
Wellness Facilities and Shared Spaces
Wellbeing sits at the centre of the shared spaces, and residents get a full set of facilities without leaving the building.
Outdoors:
Main pool, lounge pool and kids’ pool
Padel court and open green lawn
Open-air fitness and yoga zone
Sunset deck, fire pit, and outdoor kitchen and dining area
Private beach access with storage for water sports gear
Indoors:
Gym and movement studio
Sauna, steam rooms and spa treatment rooms
Golf simulator, games room and cinema
Kids’ playroom, plus an outdoor play area
The building also supports everyday life with a co-working lounge, meeting rooms, guest suites for visiting family, a residents’ concierge and underground parking.
Marriott Benefits for Homeowners
Buying here gives owners a place in the Marriott world:
Platinum Elite status in Marriott Bonvoy: a tier most guests reach only after 50 hotel nights in a year.
ONVIA: Marriott’s programme for residence owners, with preferred hotel access.
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection: preferred access for owners.
Dining and events: special dining offers and curated events for residents.
About TARAF, the Developer
TARAF belongs to Yas Holding, an investment group based in Abu Dhabi. Its debut project was Luce, a beachfront residential building on Palm Jumeirah. With Masdar City, TARAF is creating Fay Hills, a 153-acre community designed around sustainability and wellbeing.
TARAF and Marriott have worked together before. Their first project was W Residences Abu Dhabi on Al Maryah Island, a 37-floor tower and the first W branded residences in the capital, which Marriott reports sold out. The Yas Island project, delivered with the Singapore-based investment firm Steppe, is their second partnership.
The JW Marriott Heritage
The name honours J. Willard Marriott, who started the family business with his wife Alice in Washington, D.C., in 1927. The first JW Marriott hotel opened in the same city in 1984, named by their son Bill in his father’s honour.
The brand now counts more than 130 properties worldwide. In June 2026, a JW Marriott resort in India became Marriott’s 10,000th property. Marriott has created branded homes since 2000. In the UAE, JW Marriott Residences is also present on Al Marjan Island and Dubai Islands, and Yas Island now adds Abu Dhabi.
Yas Island Lifestyle
Few places in the region offer as much within a short drive. Ferrari World, the first Ferrari theme park anywhere, is home to Formula Rossa, which holds the Guinness World Record for the fastest rollercoaster launch: 0 to 240 km/h in 4.9 seconds. Warner Bros. World, SeaWorld Abu Dhabi and Yas Waterworld sit nearby, and Yas Waterworld grew to 70 attractions in April 2026.
Yas Mall houses CLYMB, the holder of two Guinness World Records for the largest indoor skydiving chamber and the tallest indoor climbing wall. Etihad Arena on Yas Bay is the UAE’s largest indoor multi-purpose venue, with room for 18,000 guests.
Formula 1 is part of island life too. Yas Marina Circuit has hosted the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix since 2009, usually as the final race of the season. This year’s race weekend runs from 3 to 6 December 2026.
Disneyland, Harry Potter and Sphere: What Comes Next
The next chapter for Yas Island is already announced:
Disneyland Abu Dhabi: confirmed by Disney in May 2025 as its seventh theme park resort worldwide and the first in the Middle East. Miral will build and operate it.
Harry Potter lands: revealed by Miral in September 2026. Diagon Alley, Hogwarts and the Forbidden Forest will grow Warner Bros. World by more than half, with completion targeted for 2029.
Sphere Abu Dhabi: the first Sphere venue outside the United States, between Yas Mall and SeaWorld, with up to 20,000 seats. Construction is expected to finish by the end of 2029.
AED 12 billion programme: Miral plans to invest more than AED 12 billion, or around $3.3 billion, across Yas Island over five years.
Tourism and Rental Demand on Yas Island
Visitor numbers keep climbing. Here are the key figures for 2025:
44 million+ visits to Yas Island, up 16% on 2024, according to Miral.
84% average hotel occupancy on the island, with peaks of 90%.
26.6 million visitors to Abu Dhabi, a record, according to the Department of Culture and Tourism.
339,000 visitors at the Abu Dhabi Grand Prix weekend, also a record.
The Grand Prix brings the strongest week of the year. Gulf News reported in October 2026 that holiday homes on Yas Island booked at an average of AED 2,490 a night during race week, compared with AED 730 on a typical December night.
Owners in Abu Dhabi can let their homes short term with a holiday home licence from the Department of Culture and Tourism. In 2025, 338,000 visitors to the emirate chose holiday homes and glamping sites.
JW Marriott Residences Abu Dhabi: FAQ
Where is JW Marriott Residences Abu Dhabi?
On Yas Island, directly on the beach at Yas Beach, with Yas Links golf course behind the building. The airport is about 15 minutes away.
Who is developing the project?
TARAF, the real estate division of Yas Holding, together with Steppe and Marriott International.
Can international buyers own a home here?
Yes. Yas Island is an investment zone, so buyers of all nationalities can own freehold property.
Which facilities are available to residents?
Three pools, beach access, a padel court, a gym and movement studio, spa treatment rooms, sauna and steam, a golf simulator, a cinema, a co-working lounge, guest suites and a residents’ concierge.
What benefits do owners receive from Marriott?
Platinum Elite status in Marriott Bonvoy, preferred hotel access through ONVIA and preferred access to The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.
How strong is visitor demand on Yas Island?
Yas Island recorded more than 44 million visits in 2025, and its hotels averaged 84% occupancy. Formula 1 week drew 339,000 visitors in 2025.
Who Is JW Marriott Residences Abu Dhabi For?
For people who want to live here, the project combines a beachfront home, a world-ranked golf course next door, a full wellness offer in the building and the perks of Marriott ownership.
For investors, it offers a branded home on an island with tens of millions of visits a year, a record-breaking Formula 1 week and a strong list of new attractions on the way, from Disneyland Abu Dhabi to the Harry Potter lands and Sphere.
Project number: 20260001011706
ADM: 202402335860
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