Managing Partner at Kleindienst Group, Parisa Seif shares her thoughts on how quiet luxury is not a trend but a return to focus on holistic wellbeing
Shereen Shabnam
I’ve spent the better part of two decades watching Dubai transform from an ambitious vision to global reality. Yet in all those years of witnessing record-breaking towers and boundary-pushing developments, nothing has fascinated me more than the quiet revolution happening in luxury real estate today. We are witnessing a fundamental shift in what the world’s wealthiest individuals truly value, and it’s not what you might expect.
The numbers tell a compelling story. Dubai saw 435 home sales above $10 million in 2024, the most of any city globally, with a further 111 in Q1 2025 alone. But here’s what the statistics don’t reveal: over 90% of these high-end buyers now name wellness features as their top priorities. Clean air, abundant natural light, access to nature and premium wellness amenities, all these have become the new markers of true luxury.
The New Bottom Line
We are seeing a paradigm shift among the ultra-high net worth second home buyers: the idea that true wealth is no longer about owning the biggest or the tallest. It’s about how well you live.
This transformation shift reflects something profound about human psychology. After years of pursuing external symbols of success, today’s global elite are seeking spaces that nurture their inner wellbeing. They’re investing not just in properties, but in sanctuaries that support longevity, mental clarity, and emotional balance.
At The Heart of Europe, our six-island development on Dubai’s World Islands, we’ve been quietly nurturing this philosophy, before wellness became the industry buzzword. When we embarked on this journey, we asked ourselves a fundamental question: what if luxury spaces could actively improve how we live rather than just reflecting what we own?
The Pursuit of Happiness
The quest to create meaningful experiential living has led us down fascinating paths. We brought in world-renowned Feng Shui Master Victor Li Dexiong to guide our architectural and landscaping planning from inception. His expertise in harmonising energy flow with our Western design sensibilities created unique spaces where Eastern wisdom meets Middle Eastern ambition and European sophistication.
But Feng Shui is just one thread in a much larger tapestry. Our tropical forests feature over 60 exotic plant species, arranged not merely for foliage but for their positive impact on residents and guests. We’ve created micro-jungles that evoke tropical tranquillity while maintaining eco-friendly pesticide and fungicide-free environments.
The psychology behind this approach is fascinating. Research consistently shows that access to nature reduces cortisol levels, improves cognitive function, and enhances overall life satisfaction.
The most discerning buyers today aren’t asking about square footage or ceiling height, they value privacy, exclusivity, air quality, natural light patterns, and how the space will make them feel.
This shift has profound implications for our industry. The UAE’s hospitality market is projected to reach $27.34 billion in 2025, growing to over $35 billion by 2030, with wellness and luxury as the primary drivers. Dubai alone is set to contribute over $53 billion to GDP from travel, tourism, and hospitality sectors in 2025, making it the world’s most profitable tourism city per visitor.
From Concept to Reality
We have responded to this evolution with developments like our recently launched Hygge Hotel, focusing to create a “Journey of Happiness” centred around the Danish concept of finding deep contentment in life’s simple pleasures. Every design decision, from light-filled communal spaces to nature-inspired therapies, was made with guest wellbeing at its core. It’s not simply following a trend; it’s setting a precedent for how luxury hospitality can prioritise holistic wellbeing.
The technical aspects of wellbeing-focused design extend far beyond aesthetics. Our properties feature superior acoustic and heat insulation, solar-powered systems that eliminate environmental stress, and car-free environments that promote tranquillity. We are the first-ever real estate developer to establish a Coral Institute, which is dedicated to growing and rehabilitating marine life in the Arabian Gulf, because true luxury must be sustainable.
The Future is Human-Centred
In a world of constant connectivity and urban development, people crave spaces that reconnect them with themselves and nature. They’re seeking environments that support not just their lifestyle aspirations, but their deepest need for restoration and renewal.
As a woman who has navigated the traditionally male-dominated world of Middle Eastern real estate for decades, I have learned that the most innovative solutions often come from listening – really listening – to what people need rather than what they think they want. Today’s luxury buyers are telling us they want to live better, not just bigger.
The future of luxury real estate lies not in outdoing yesterday’s grandest structures, but in creating tomorrow’s most nurturing environments. At Kleindienst Group, we’re not just building properties; we’re crafting havens that honour both intentional living, human psychology and environmental stewardship. Because ultimately, the greatest luxury of all is the gift of wellbeing. And spaces that actively cultivate it will define the next chapter of ultra-high-net-worth living.
Parisa Seif is Managing Partner at Kleindienst Group, developers of The Heart of Europe luxury island destination in Dubai.
