The Al Habtoor Group, a UAE-based development firm, plans to build a new triple-hotel complex in the heart of the Emirate as part of a $1.3 billion project.

The “Habtoor Palace”. formed of two skyscrapers rising from a five-storey podium base, will see over 1,600 rooms added to Dubai‘s hotel scene.

The rest of the complex is designed as a ‘lifestyle experience,’ Al Habtoor says, with a luxury spa and multiple restaurants and banqueting facilities.

The World Dubai will see its first island open to the public this week with the launch of the luxury World Island Beach Club.

“We will be opening in the first week of January,” said Reza Sinnen, operations manager at the beach club, based on the island of Lebanon.

The resort was originally scheduled to open in the fourth quarter of 2011 but pushed back its launch following construction delays.

It seems that the Palm Jumeirah is making a comeback, with the latest announcement confirming that a Waldorf Astoria will open in 2013.

The huge, manmade Palm-shaped development in the sea has been viewed alternately as a symbol of Dubai’s unbridled ambition or of its abject failure, when construction all but ground to a halt as the country ran out of money in 2010.

The Palm Jumeirah’s hotel scene, once dominated by the Atlantis, now includes Kempinski and the Jumeirah Zabeel Sarah, both of which opened this year.

British luxury retailer Alfred Dunhill will open its third overseas restaurant in Dubai’s Jumeirah Emirates Towers in early 2012.

The launch of Alfie’s Restaurant and Lounge is scheduled for January 2012, to coincide with the opening of the new Dunhill fashion store in the same location.

The Dubai restaurant will be Dunhill’s first in the Middle East and its third worldwide, following in the footsteps of existing venues in Shanghai and Hong Kong.

Urban Tails Dubai has become the world’s first seven-star resort for pets when it opened doors this summer.

Being branded as the ultimate luxury pet destination, this hotel has been custom built for four legged friends.

They offer suites for 70 dogs and 40 cats and promises to take perfect care of them while their owners are away.

Designed as a unique gift for the lovers of fine jewellery in the UAE during the festive season of Eid, Montblanc presents this exclusive Ruby Set.

The Limited Edition collection of the ultra-special pen, watch and cufflinks are available exclusively at Montblanc’s flagship boutique in Dubai Mall.

The watch is set with a total of more than 360 sparkling diamonds and rubies weighing over 2,767 carats.