GAJ has announced the completion of the DoubleTree by Hilton Sharjah Waterfront Hotel & Residences. The project is said to have been inspired by Sharjah’s heritage and culture and sits within the environment as a modern interpretation of a classic design inspired by three key elements.

The project is said to feature 156 guestrooms and 108 design-led family-friendly apartments ranging from one to three bedrooms. It also offers modern meeting rooms appointed with state-of-the-art audio-visual equipment and a fully equipped and functional business centre. The wellness facilities include a wooden-floor gym, as well as a secluded indoor pool leading into a steam room and unique Himalayan Salt Sauna.

According to a statement from GAJ, the first element will see guests greeted by a stylised vertical version of a historic banyan tree structure at the entrance. The Rolla tree was once a favourite spot for residents to sit under the dense shade of the branches to wait for the cargo boats arriving at the nearby port. The abstract tree sculptures and contemporary majilis-style seating area replicate these gathering points reminding guests of the welcoming culture of the emirate.

The second element is a modern interpretation of the arish style of housing, a traditional palm leaf structure of early UAE homes, through stylised cladding and installations cleverly incorporated into the public space of the lobby area, GAJ explained.

The third element is said to be an acknowledgement of the UAE’s ancient art of pearling, which is reflected in the materials used throughout the project and highlighted by a monochrome palette that borrows heavily from the blue shades of the ocean and the cool green shades of the Rolla tree accented by warm desert orange and lustrous pink pearl tones, the statement concluded.