Most Business Bay towers compete to be tallest. Ubora Towers did something smarter: it split itself in two. There is the tower everyone recognises — the 58-storey Ubora Commercial Tower, whose glass floor plates twist gently as they climb 263 metres beside Sheikh Zayed Road — and, tucked alongside it, the low, curving residential block where people actually live. This is DXB Talk’s honest building review of Ubora Towers: what the homes here are really like, drawn from the building’s facts and from what residents say in public reviews (checked November 2026).
DXB Talk verdict
Best for: professionals who want Downtown-adjacent living at Business Bay prices, big windows, water views and a quiet, low-rise home inside a business district. Think twice if: you need to walk to a Metro station, you want a large flat or a serious gym, or Business Bay’s rush-hour traffic would finish you off. Ubora’s charm is calm and design; its weaknesses are size and transport.
Ubora Towers at a glance
| Location | Al Abraj Street, Business Bay, beside Sheikh Zayed Road, a short walk from the Dubai Water Canal side of the district |
| Completed | 2011, developed by Bando Engineering & Construction (Korea) and designed by Aedas |
| The complex | Two buildings on one podium: the 58-storey commercial tower (263 m) and the low-rise Ubora Residential Tower (Tower 2) |
| Homes | Studios and 1, 2 and 3 bedroom apartments in the residential tower — a curving block whose height steps from about 12 to 20 storeys depending on how podium levels are counted |
| Facilities | Infinity-edge swimming pool and jacuzzi on the landscaped podium roof, gym, spa with sauna and steam, children’s play area, podium gardens, retail and cafés in the podium, 24-hour concierge and security, smart-home controls in the residences |
| Parking | Around 2,000 spaces across the podium and two basement levels; listing sources say every home comes with an allocated space — confirm yours in the contract |
| Cooling | Arrangements vary by landlord; many Business Bay leases bill district cooling on top of rent (see below) |
| Transport | Directly on Sheikh Zayed Road; Business Bay Metro station is a short drive (about five minutes), Dubai Mall roughly six minutes by car |
📸 Follow @dxbtalk on Instagram for daily Dubai in photos →
What the building gives you
Design is Ubora’s real luxury. Aedas shaped the residential block as a long, low curve with a grand rectangular opening punched through its middle, so light and air pass through and — by the architects’ own account — around 70 percent of homes face the water. The podium roof between the two towers is a genuine piece of landscape: roughly 10,000 square metres of gardens, shaded terraces and an infinity-edge pool looking over the canal side of Business Bay. In a district of glass slabs, this is a building with actual outdoor life built in.
The homes themselves were ahead of their time. Residences were fitted with smart-home controls — lighting, air conditioning, curtains and even kitchen appliances adjustable remotely — at a time when that was rare in Dubai rentals, and the finish quality is the thing long-term residents mention most. Because the residential tower is low-rise, there is none of the lift lottery of a supertall: a handful of floors, short waits, and a quieter, more neighbourly feel than the office tower next door suggests.
The honest downsides
The flats are compact. Ubora’s homes trade size for design. Resident reviews describe one-bedroom flats of roughly 750 square feet, and even the larger layouts are efficient rather than generous. Measure the actual unit — families used to older Business Bay stock may find it tight.
The gym is modest. For a complex of this ambition, the fitness offer is small, and more than one resident review calls it out as the weak facility. Serious lifters will end up paying for an outside gym in Business Bay.
There is no Metro walk. The building sits on Sheikh Zayed Road but the nearest station, Business Bay, is a short drive rather than a stroll. This is car-and-taxi living, which also means swallowing Business Bay’s peak-hour traffic, some of the most stubborn in the city.
It is a mixed-use complex. Offices, retail and restaurants share your podium. That brings life and convenience, and — as area reviews note — occasional commercial noise and a busier feel than a pure residential tower.
It is a 2011 building. The design has aged well; individual flats depend on their landlords. Check the smart-home kit actually works in your unit, and judge the finish flat by flat.
What residents say online
Long-form resident reviews of the residential tower on FlatReviews (checked November 2026) paint a consistent picture: people who live in Tower 2 praise its peace and quiet, its family-friendly feel, the pool and water views, and the quality of the finishing and smart features — one early resident called it downtown living in quiet surroundings, and better value than much of what they viewed nearby. The criticisms are equally consistent: the flats are small, and the gym disappoints. A fair warning: the public review pool for this tower is small, and several detailed reviews date from the building’s first years, so treat them as character evidence rather than a current scorecard.
DXB Talk is building its own resident reviews for Dubai’s towers. Soon you will be able to rate your building here, anonymously, and read scores from people who actually live there.
Money notes
Ubora’s pitch is value against Downtown, minutes away across the canal: comparable homes here are usually advertised below Downtown equivalents, and DLD-based trackers have put the residential tower among Business Bay’s stronger-yielding buildings for investors, which keeps rental supply flowing. Before you agree a rent, compare DLD-registered rents for the tower with live listings for the same layout, and pin down the cooling position in writing — in Business Bay, whether district cooling sits inside or on top of the rent changes the real monthly cost more than most negotiations do.
Viewing checklist for this tower
- Check which way your flat faces: canal and water views are the premium here; Sheikh Zayed Road-facing units take the traffic noise.
- Take a tape measure — layouts are compact, and furniture that fits a floor plan may not fit the room.
- Test the smart-home controls (lights, curtains, AC) in the actual unit.
- Ask, in writing: is cooling included, capped, or billed by usage?
- Visit at evening peak and time the drive out of Business Bay before you commit to a car commute.
Frequently asked questions
Is Ubora Towers one building or two?
Two. The tall twisting tower is offices (Ubora Commercial Tower, 58 floors); the homes are in the separate low-rise Ubora Residential Tower, often listed as Ubora Tower 2. Both share one retail and parking podium.
What is the nearest Metro station to Ubora Towers?
Business Bay station on the Red Line — a short drive of about five minutes. There is no comfortable walking route, so most residents drive or use taxis.
Is parking included at Ubora Towers?
Listing sources say every home in the residential tower comes with an allocated space within the complex’s podium and basement parking. Confirm the bay and its level in your contract.
Are the flats in Ubora Towers a good size?
They are well finished but compact — one-bedroom homes are around 750 square feet in resident accounts. View in person and measure before you sign.
Lived in this building? Rate it — two minutes, anonymous. Every rating is read by our team before it appears here.
