Old Town and Qamardeen: Downtown Dubai's Quiet Corner

Old Town is the low rise, Arabian styled quarter inside Downtown Dubai, immediately around Souk Al Bahar and the Dubai Fountain. Qamardeen is one of its districts, alongside Yansoon, Reehan, Zanzebeel and Miska. Together they are the part of Downtown that does not look like Downtown.

What makes it different

Buildings of four to eight storeys in sand coloured Arabian style, arranged around courtyards and narrow shaded lanes rather than boulevards. No glass towers. The result is a quarter that is quieter and more human in scale than anywhere else in Downtown, while being a walk from the Dubai Mall and the fountain.

The districts

• Qamardeen, nearest the boulevard side, and the one people search for most.
• Yansoon and Reehan, closest to Souk Al Bahar and the fountain, and generally the most expensive.
• Zanzebeel and Miska, slightly set back and correspondingly cheaper.

They are not interchangeable. The difference between a Reehan apartment facing the fountain and a Miska apartment facing a courtyard is substantial, in price and in what you get.

Who it suits

People who want Downtown access without living in a tower, and who value being able to walk everywhere. It works well for couples and for holiday letting, where the character is a genuine draw. Families are less well served: the apartments are apartments, and there is no garden.

What to check

• Which district and which aspect. Fountain facing, boulevard facing and courtyard facing are three different assets. Establish which you are looking at.
• Noise. The fountain draws crowds every evening. Some people love it and some cannot sleep. Visit at 8pm before deciding.
• Service charges, which in Downtown are among the highest in Dubai.
• Short let permissions, if holiday letting is your plan. Confirm in writing rather than assuming.
• The age of the buildings. This is early Downtown stock and maintenance history matters.

See the Old Town area page, or Downtown Dubai for the tower stock.