Marriott Executive Apartments, part of Marriott Bonvoy’s portfolio of over 30 extraordinary brands, announces the opening of Marriott Executive Apartments Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai. Developed by Orra Hotel Apartments LLC, the new property is designed to meet the evolving needs of long-stay business and leisure guests seeking flexibility, connectivity and residential comfort in one of Dubai’s most strategic business districts.

Located within Orra The Embankment, a premium mixed-use development in Jumeirah Lakes Towers (JLT), the property enjoys a prime position between Dubai Marina and Uptown Dubai, with convenient access to Sheikh Zayed Road, Dubai Metro and major commercial districts including Jumeirah Beach Residence, Palm Jumeirah and DMCC.

“Marriott Executive Apartments Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai has been designed for today’s global professionals who value space, privacy and flexibility alongside trusted service,” said Mina Hanna, General Manager of Marriott Executive Apartments Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai. “Located in the heart of JLT, the property offers a strategic base for extended stays with seamless access to Dubai’s key commercial hubs.”

Marriott Executive Apartments Jumeirah Lakes Towers, Dubai offers 150 thoughtfully designed, fully furnished 1, 2 and 3-bedroom apartments, created to support productivity alongside everyday comfort. Each apartment features a premium bedding, fully equipped kitchen, washer and dryer, high speed internet, contemporary workspaces and modern entertainment, making longer stays feel effortless and well considered. Private balconies and city views further enhance the sense of space, reinforcing a genuine home away from home experience.

Guests have access to a considered mix of amenities designed to support both work and wellbeing, including an all day international dining restaurant, a fully equipped fitness centre, paddle court, outdoor swimming pool, sauna and steam facilities, a children’s play area, dedicated concierge services and meeting and conference spaces suited to executive meetings and small corporate gatherings.

The property also integrates keyless entry, high speed internet access and advanced guest room and energy management systems, supporting seamless, secure and efficient stays.

Exclusive interview with Chef Dani García at Maxx Royal Bodrum

Leña by Dani García at Maxx Royal Bodrum

Conceived by acclaimed chef Dani García, Leña by Dani García, redefines the traditional grill through a gastronomic concept where fire and live embers take centre stage, transforming primal cooking techniques into a refined, cosmopolitan dining experience. The restaurant’s contemporary interiors echo its culinary philosophy, featuring warm, earthy tones and rich wood finishes that reinforce the connection to fire, while creating an inviting, stylish atmosphere. The menu strikes a confident balance between tradition and modernity, showcasing signature dishes that have become synonymous with the brand, from the iconic grilled avocado and its emblematic burger to expertly selected cuts such as aged ribeye from mature cattle. Together, they embody Leña’s unmistakable identity: a celebration of precision, flavour and a modern approach to steakhouse culture on an international stage.

Attributable to Chef Dani García:

Leña is built around fire as both technique and emotion. How would you describe the restaurant’s identity in one sentence beyond the idea of a steakhouse?

Leña is a celebration of living through fire. It’s a place where technique, emotion and sharing come together to create unforgettable moments around the table. We are much more than a steakhouse; we are a restaurant where fire becomes a language.

• You achieved three Michelin stars and then made the rare decision to close your restaurant at its peak. What mindset drives a decision like that?

I have always believed that gastronomy is about evolution and taking risks. Closing a three-Michelin-star restaurant was not about leaving something behind but about opening new doors. I’m driven by curiosity and by the desire to keep creating experiences that connect with more people around the world.

From Smoked Room’s rapid Michelin recognition to Leña’s global expansion, what connects all your culinary chapters?

The common thread is emotion. Whether it’s a tasting menu at Smoked Room or a dinner at Leña, my goal is always the same: to move people through flavour, hospitality and storytelling. Every project has a different expression, but the soul is identical.

What makes Turkey’s Bodrum coastline a meaningful setting for Leña’s philosophy?

Bodrum has a unique energy. There is a deep connection with the sea, with nature and with the joy of gathering around a table, and that fits perfectly with Leña’s philosophy. Fire feels very natural here. The Mediterranean lifestyle, the beauty of the coastline and the relaxed sophistication of Bodrum make it an extraordinary destination for our concept.

You’ve built a career on combining traditional Spanish ingredients with global techniques. How do you know when a dish has found the perfect balance between heritage and innovation?

When innovation doesn’t hide the ingredient or the memory behind it but elevates it. A dish works when it surprises you while still feeling familiar. Respect for the product and emotion are always the final judges.

Rapid Fire Questions

What is your personal favourite cut or ingredient to cook over fire?

I love cooking red prawns over fire. It’s a delicate ingredient that completely transforms with smoke and heat while preserving its essence.

What is the most memorable dining moment you’ve experienced as a guest, not a chef?

There have been many, but the moments I remember most are those where I felt genuine hospitality and emotion. Great food is important, but the feeling a restaurant leaves with you is what stays forever.

If you could host a dream fire-cooking dinner anywhere in the world, where would it be?

On a secluded beach in the Mediterranean, with the sea in front of us and a long table shared with friends, producers and chefs from around the world.

Is there a flavour profile that you find yourself returning to repeatedly, regardless of the concept or location?

Acidity and smokiness. I love the tension between freshness and fire. It’s a combination that appears in many of my dishes in one way or another.

Leña operates within luxury hospitality environments. How important is collaboration between hotel experience and restaurant identity?

It’s essential. The guest doesn’t separate the restaurant from the hotel experience; they remember the emotion of the whole journey. In places like Bodrum, where hospitality is taken to another level, that collaboration becomes even more important and allows us to create something truly memorable.

By Twinkle Aswani, Editorial Division, Integrator Media

There is a reason why travellers continue to connect emotionally with island destinations long after a holiday ends. Perhaps it is the feeling of freedom and tranquil escape, where solitude gently intertwines with one’s own thoughts. Or perhaps it is the destination itself; the stillness, the sanctuary, and the profound sensation of being surrounded by crystal-blue waters, moving to a naturally slower rhythm in ways modern city life can no longer accommodate.

Into The Deep

Beyond their visual beauty and coastal landscapes, island destinations leave a lasting impression because they offer something deeper than scenery. They create sensory experiences that subtly influence pace, behaviour, and perception. In destinations such as the Maldives, there exists a unique relationship between personal wellbeing, ocean environments, and hospitality. Together, they shape journeys that become deeply personal, transforming destinations into immersive experiences that remain present long after the moment has passed.

Beneath the surface of the Maldivian way of life lies a reality seldom brought into focus. The turquoise waters that surround the islands are not simply picturesque backdrops for luxury resorts; they are living ecosystems that support the very foundations of island hospitality. Coral reefs serve as natural infrastructure, shaping the underwater landscape, protecting shorelines, supporting marine biodiversity, and influencing the conditions that define the guest experience.

Across the Maldives, reef ecosystems quietly determine much of what visitors associate with island living. The calmness of sheltered lagoons, the clarity of the water, the abundance of marine life, and even the soothing sounds of shallow waves moving across reef formations are all connected to the health of these underwater environments. Much of what travellers perceive as tranquillity is, in reality, the product of living ecosystems working continuously beneath the surface.

Seeing The Unseen

For hospitality groups such as Sun Siyam, whose portfolio spans some of the Indian Ocean’s most ecologically immersive destinations, the relationship between hospitality and marine ecosystems extends far beyond conventional sustainability narratives. Here, the philosophy reaches beyond architecture and service. It is about understanding that every island experience exists within a broader ecological framework. Coral reefs, lagoons, and shoreline environments are not simply features surrounding a resort; they are integral to the destination itself, influencing its identity, heritage, and long-term resilience.

Each element within the landscape quietly shapes the rhythm of the guest experience, influencing traveller psychology, experiential value, and the wider sense of place. This relationship is increasingly reflected through conservation initiatives that invite guests to become active participants in protecting the environments they have come to enjoy.

At Sun Siyam Olhuveli, the recently introduced Adopt-A-Coral Frame programme allows guests to contribute directly to reef restoration efforts by attaching healthy coral fragments onto specially designed frames before placing them within the resort’s coral garden. Participants receive updates on the growth of their adopted coral, creating a lasting connection to the destination that extends well beyond their stay.

Sun Siyam’s commitment to reef development also extends into more innovative marine projects. At Siyam World, a former Maldivian tuna freighter has been intentionally transformed into Noonu Atoll’s newest shipwreck dive site and future artificial reef. Once used to transport tuna across the Maldivian archipelago, the vessel now begins a second life beneath the ocean surface as a living marine habitat.

Already attracting reef sharks, rays, turtles, schools of jackfish, and countless reef fish species, the wreck demonstrates how carefully managed interventions can create new opportunities for marine biodiversity while enhancing destination experiences. Through Siyam World’s newly launched Wreck to Reef initiative under the Sun Siyam Cares platform, coral fragments are being cultivated directly onto the vessel, gradually transforming the structure into a thriving underwater ecosystem.

The project illustrates a powerful shift in how hospitality can engage with conservation. Rather than simply protecting existing environments, resorts can also contribute to creating new habitats that support marine life, expand reef ecosystems, and strengthen environmental resilience for future generations.

Through programmes such as these, environmental stewardship becomes more than a corporate responsibility. It becomes a shared relationship between traveller and destination, where every coral planted, every reef monitored, and every conservation effort contributes to the long-term health of the ecosystems that support both marine life and island hospitality.

Symphony In Simplicity

Coral reefs play a far greater role than simply supporting the economic infrastructure of island destinations. They form the ecological foundation that sustains marine biodiversity, coastal protection, and the environmental character of the islands themselves. Recognising this, Sun Siyam incorporates marine conservation into a hospitality approach that moves beyond passive observation of nature and towards active engagement.

This reflects a broader evolution within luxury travel. Today’s travellers increasingly seek experiences that offer purpose alongside relaxation. They are drawn not only to beautiful destinations but also to opportunities for meaningful connection. Marine education sessions, guided reef explorations, coral restoration initiatives, and conservation-led experiences provide visitors with a deeper understanding of the ecosystems that sustain island life while fostering a greater appreciation for the natural world.

Luxury island hospitality has traditionally been defined by panoramic ocean views, expansive villas, private pools, architectural grandeur, and world-class dining. While these elements remain important, guest expectations are evolving. Increasingly, travellers are seeking experiences that feel authentic, emotionally enriching, and connected to the destination itself.

It is within this shift that island hospitality takes on a more integrated identity. Across Sun Siyam’s destinations, guests are offered opportunities to reconnect with nature and with themselves, rediscovering a slower pace of life shaped by the rhythms of the ocean. Encounters with reef sharks, manta rays, vibrant coral formations, and thriving marine ecosystems create moments of wonder that cannot be replicated through design alone. For brands such as Sun Siyam, this creates a more layered definition of luxury. One where value is measured not solely by exclusivity or physical space, but by the depth of immersion offered within the surrounding natural environment.

Across Sun Siyam’s island portfolio in the Maldives and Sri Lanka, reef ecosystems function as an underlying environmental framework that directly influences how each resort is experienced and structured. The natural depth of lagoons, coral formations, currents, and tidal patterns subtly shape spatial planning, from the positioning of overwater villas to the placement of dining venues, wellness spaces, and marine activity zones.

Yet these ecosystems are not merely accommodated; they are actively nurtured. Through coral propagation projects, reef restoration programmes, marine education initiatives, and environmental conservation efforts under the Sun Siyam Cares platform, the group continues to invest in the health and resilience of the environments that define its destinations.

The result is a form of island hospitality where ecological preservation, guest experience, and resort operations function as a continuous system. Guests move through environments shaped equally by nature and thoughtful design, experiencing destinations where the reef is not simply part of the view but part of the story itself. In doing so, they become more than spectators of the natural world. They become participants in its future.