Meliá Hotels International, Spain’s leading hotel group and the third largest in Europe, will bring Gran Meliá to the UAE for the first time with J1 Hotel, a Gran Meliá Hotel, opening in Dubai’s Jumeirah 1 in Q4 2027. First announced in 2025, the property will open as J1 Hotel, a Gran Meliá Hotel, named after its location, with 366 rooms and suites,an expanding collection of restaurants and bars, and a dedicated wellness offering. It will become Meliá Hotels International’s third hotel in Dubai, joining Meliá Desert Palm and ME by Meliá Dubai.
The opening represents a further step in Meliá Hotels International’s continued focus on growing its premium and luxury portfolio. Built around intuitive personal service, exceptional experiences and a modern expression of Spanish luxury, Gran Meliá brings its own interpretation of the brand to each destination. At J1 Hotel, this will come through a luxury experience shaped around design, dining and wellbeing.
The hotel will offer direct access to the beach and ocean views across its 366 rooms and suites, with 40 accommodations featuring private pools. Beyond the rooms, J1 Hotel will feature four swimming pools, landscaped outdoor and retail spaces, a ballroom and dedicated meeting and event facilities, alongside a fitness centre and rooftop terrace. Together with its dining and wellness offering, the hotel is being shaped as a destination that brings together stays, dining and experiences.
A dining destination takes shape
Food and beverage will be central to J1 Hotel, with a growing collection of restaurants and bars designed to establish the property as a key dining destination in Dubai. Among the latest additions is Jul’s, making its Dubai debut at J1 Hotel. Originally from Ibiza, the Greek-led concept recently opened its flagship restaurant in London and will bring its distinctive approach to Dubai. Jul’s menu draws from a range of Greek culinary traditions, with a contemporary interpretation of classic flavours, a focus on fresh and locally sourced ingredients and a “no limit cuisine” philosophy that allows the menu to move beyond traditional interpretations of Greek cuisine, bringing together different flavours and techniques.
Also joining the collection is Tala, a Pan-Middle Easternrestaurant overlooking the marina, conceived as a “Sunlit Marina Majlis” that blends Riviera-inspired softness with the intimacy of an Arabic majlis. The restaurant will feature a main dining room, show kitchen, private dining, terrace and VIP lounge, with shisha available on the terrace, creating a contemporary coastal setting for shared dining and social gatherings.
They join four previously announced restaurants and bars. Zuma Beach House, located adjacent to the hotel, will become Zuma’s first beachfront location in the Middle East and its second lifestyle destination, following Mykonos. Set along a 140-metre private beach, the venue will combine the brand’s Japanese izakaya-style cuisine with a pool, lounge and bar.
On the rooftop, Park Chinois will bring its distinctive after-dark dining experience to Dubai. Park Chinois built its reputation in Mayfair on the idea that dinner is the beginning of the evening, refined Chinese cuisine set within an immersive evocation of 1930s Shanghai, carried by music that moves the room from first course to last dance. At J1 Hotel, the concept finds its most dramatic setting yet: a rooftop above J1 Beach where resident and international guest DJs shape the night, with the city skyline as backdrop.
Novikov Restaurant & Beach Club will bring its Mediterranean concept to Dubai at J1 Hotel, following its successful launch in Los Angeles in 2024. The venue will include a semi-private beach area with its own bar and luxury private cabanas, alongside an all-day lifestyle experience from relaxed lunches by the sea to sunset drinks and vibrant late evenings. Its Mediterranean-led menu will celebrate exceptional seasonal ingredients, handmade pasta, wood-fired cooking, premium meats and fresh seafood. Building on Novikov’s established international presence across Europe, the Middle East and the United States, the J1 opening will further strengthen the brand’s presence in the region.
The wider dining collection will also include an all-day concept that evolves from morning to evening, beginning with breakfast and lighter daytime dishes before transitioning into a more refined setting for sunset and dinner. Further details on this will be announced closer to opening.
Wellness beyond the spa
Wellness at J1 Hotel will extend beyond the traditional hotel spa, bringing together relaxation, recovery, fitness and integrative wellness within a highly personalised experience. The offering will be developed and managed by Waring Wellbeing Hospitality under its management brand, Journée Wellbeing, drawing on extensive international experience across luxury hospitality, spa, medical wellness and premium fitness.
Conceived as a rooftop wellness sanctuary, Journée Wellbeing will combine the relaxed spirit of Mediterranean wellbeing with interiors inspired by Dubai’s beach landscape and surrounding waters. Its progressive, integrative approach will bring together traditional treatments, advanced therapies and visiting practitioners alongside social and movement experiences, including Aufguss sauna ceremonies from 432 Social Wellbeing and group Reformer Pilates by Jeju Pilates.
J1 Hotel will be led by Pedro Neto as General Manager, bringing more than two decades of international luxury hospitality experience to the role. He spent 17 years with Four Seasons, holding leadership positions across Lisbon, Nevis, Maui and Prague, before moving into General Manager roles in Portugal’s Algarve, including Octant Vila Monte and Verdelago Resort.
Pedro said: “What excites me most about J1 Hotel is the opportunity to create a destination that becomes part of how people experience Dubai, whether they are staying with us, coming for dinner or spending time by the water. After more than two decades working across different luxury hospitality markets, bringing Gran Meliá to the UAE for the first time is an incredibly exciting next chapter. Our focus now is on building the J1 Hotel team and service culture that will bring the brand’s Spanish luxury to life with warmth, personality and attention to detail.”
With its opening in Q4 2027, J1 Hotel will bring together Gran Meliá’s approach to luxury hospitality with a strong focus on dining, design, wellbeing and the wider guest experience.