The UK’s Cheval Collection is the latest hospitality brand to break into the world of branded residences. It will bring the Cheval name to a new development in Dubai, with a project opening in 2029.
Cheval Collection will partner with Dubai-based AVENEW Development and Wadeen Developers on the development at Dubai Islands. Containing a mix of 99 apartments, in sizes from one to three bedrooms, the development will include common facilities including a variety of fitness and leisure offerings. For those looking for hotel-style levels of support services, but combined with long term apartment living, Cheval Residences Dubai Islands could deliver just what they want.
Middle Eastern Demand for Residences Is Strong
The UAE is one of the hotspots for branded residences, with individual investors keen to buy into properties that they can live in, or simply acquire on a fully managed basis, safe in the knowledge that the property will be professionally managed and rented out, if desired. Savvy buyers appreciate that an apartment with a hospitality brand taking care of it, will generally attract a value premium that is likely to endure into the future.
For Cheval, the move into branded residences is a logical step. Originally a UK serviced apartment brand, Cheval built its reputation in London as a quality destination, ideal for those seeking a home from home that would support their business stay in the UK, in a way that no traditional hotel could.
In more recent years, Cheval has added a substantial presence in the UAE, from its London base. Meantime, Cheval is also looking to add more properties in key UK city markets. As a smaller hospitality group, Cheval Collection opted to join the Global Hotel Alliance in 2025. As a result, it also connected with GHA Discovery, that group’s loyalty programme.
“We launched Cheval DISCOVERY with the goal of learning more about our guests as we expand globally, in addition to driving direct bookings and extending our access to new markets and customers,” said Nick Pilbeam, Cheval Collection’s chief commercial officer. “During the launch campaign we saw a large volume of business driven by members from other GHA brands, immediately confirming the value of the customer reach a loyalty programme brings.”
A Roster of Upcoming Openings
In Dubai, the group already operates Cheval Maison Dubai The Palm, which opened in 2023 and has won a number of awards. In 2025, it was joined by Cheval Maison Expo City Dubai. The pipeline continues, with two Saudi projects under development in Riyadh. The first of these, Cheval Ladun Living will open in 2027, to be followed by Cheval Maison Sulaymaniyah the following year.
In the UK, Cheval is continuing to grow its market presence. The company is planning to add Cheval Maison Glasgow, a 70 unit new build serviced apartment block in the centre of the Scottish city. The development will feature a rooftop garden for residents to enjoy, and is expected to be ready to receive guests in early 2027.
