Narva.

Head-to-head comparison

Dubai Harbour Residences vs W Residences

Same beach, same water. One building stops at the seventh floor and the other runs to the forty-second. At the front door the two ask within AED 32,567 of each other, on entry homes AED 3,258,667 apart. Compared on prices, cash, the homes, the plans, the district and the owners.

Verified by NARVA · 21 September 2026
Dubai Harbour Residences seen from the water at sunset, a low-rise building running along the shoreline.
Dubai Harbour Residences
H&H Development for Shamal Holding
From
AED 7.17MTwo bedroom, 2,037 sq ft
Handover
202840/60 plan · 5% on booking

One building, ground plus seven floors, drawn by Nikken Sekkei along the shoreline. 343 apartments and two penthouses, with a private beach on the amenity list that carries its own food and drink.

The three towers of W Residences at Dubai Harbour at dusk, seen from across the marina.
W Residences at Dubai Harbour
Arada · W Hotels under licence from Marriott
From
AED 3.91MOne bedroom, from 1,084 sq ft
Plan
40/6010% down, dated from your booking

Three towers on the same shoreline, 490 homes across 79 layouts, sorted by size from the ground up, over a podium the three buildings share.

Answer first

Which one fits you?

Three things decide this. Both stand on the same beach at Dubai Harbour, both are freehold to every nationality, and both cost exactly the same to register.

1 · How do you want to live by the sea?
2 · What are you buying into?
3 · Where do you want to start?

The short version

What actually separates them

Eight levels vs forty-twothe whole difference
One building is ground plus seven floors. The other runs homes to the fortieth, a Presidential Suite on the forty-first and its roof deck on the forty-second. Same beach, same water.
AED 32,567 apartcash on booking
AED 358,433 books a two bedroom at one. AED 391,000 books a one bedroom at the other. Five per cent of a larger number against ten per cent of a smaller one.
AED 3,258,667between the entry prices
W Residences opens at AED 3,910,000 and Dubai Harbour Residences at AED 7,168,667.
Both 40/60the same share
Forty per cent across the build and sixty on completion at both. One asks it in two payments after booking, the other in five.
345 vs 490homes in the scheme
343 apartments and two penthouses in one building, against 490 across three towers.
The same 4%registration
Four per cent to the Dubai Land Department plus AED 1,020, at both. Registration is not a difference between these two.

Side by side

Every figure that matters

Every figure below is the one published on our own project page for each building, verified on 21 September 2026.

The private beach at Dubai Harbour Residences with shaded cabanas and the building behind.
Dubai Harbour Residences — the private beach is on the amenity list and carries its own food and drink, with direct access to the marinas.

Price and cash

The front door is where they nearly match

The entry homes sit AED 3,258,667 apart in price. What it takes to reserve one sits AED 32,567 apart.

Cash on booking, on the entry home at each
Dubai Harbour Residences5% of AED 7,168,667, the two bedroom
358,433
W Residences10% of AED 3,910,000, the one bedroom
391,000
AED 0100k200k300k400k

Registration falls with the booking at both and sits outside the bars: 4% of the price to the Dubai Land Department plus AED 1,020 in Oqood, knowledge and innovation charges, identical either way. Payments at both go into a regulated escrow account. No commission through NARVA on either.

One asks half as much of a number nearly twice the size. After booking, Dubai Harbour Residences takes 35% during construction — AED 2,509,033 on its two bedroom. W Residences takes 30% across five instalments to 900 days — AED 1,173,000 on its one bedroom.

Verdict
Almost the same to reserve

At the moment of reservation the two buildings cost within thirty-three thousand dirhams of each other. Everything after that follows the price of the home, not the shape of the plan, because both are 40/60.

The homes

The full range at each

Prices and sizes as published on each project page. The two lists cross at two bedrooms and separate at three.

Dubai Harbour Residences
Two and three bedrooms are available now. Every home carries a terrace, the bathroom count matches the bedroom count, and the three and four bedroom layouts add a service bedroom.
Two bedroomAED 7,168,667 · 2,037 sq ft
Three bedroomAED 8,995,565 · 2,683 sq ft
One bedroom947 – 1,055 sq ft · sold out
Four bedroom4,768 – 5,016 sq ft · sold out
PenthousesTwo homes, sold out
ParkingOne bay with a one or two bedroom, two with a three or four
W Residences at Dubai Harbour
Seventy-nine layouts across three towers, and the three buildings do not hold the same homes. Tower 1 holds 29 layouts, Tower 2 holds 27 and Tower 3 holds 23.
One bedroomAED 3,910,000 – 5,860,000 · 1,084 – 1,577 sq ft
Two bedroomAED 6,000,000 – 9,150,000 · 1,579 – 2,064 sq ft
Three bedroomAED 11,700,000 – 15,000,000 · 2,479 – 3,139 sq ft
Four bedroomAED 15,110,000 – 20,800,000 · 3,383 – 4,364 sq ft
Five bedroom penthouseAED 26,730,000 – 40,330,000 · 5,041 – 7,611 sq ft
Five bedroom Presidential SuiteAED 65,000,000 · 11,795 sq ft
Verdict
Where the two lists meet

The Dubai Harbour Residences two bedroom falls inside the W two bedroom band on both counts, at 2,037 sq ft against 1,579 – 2,064 and AED 7,168,667 against AED 6,000,000 – 9,150,000. Its three bedroom sits inside the W three bedroom size band at 2,683 sq ft, and inside the W two bedroom price band — AED 2,704,435 below where three bedrooms start at W.

Payment plans

The same 40/60, asked for differently

Both put forty per cent across the build and sixty on completion. The identical share arrives on two different shapes.

Dubai Harbour Residences — 40/60
5% on booking, 35% during construction, and 60% on handover in 2028
40% before handover
60% on handover, 2028
BookingConstructionHandover · 2028
W Residences — 40/60
10% on booking, then 10% within 180 days and 5% at 360, 540, 720 and 900 days, and 60% on completion
40% before completion
60% on completion
BookingConstructionCompletion
5% vs 10%on booking

Dubai Harbour Residences asks five per cent to reserve and thirty-five during construction. W Residences asks ten per cent and five further instalments. Arada counts its instalments from your own booking rather than from a build stage, so its calendar shifts with when you reserve.

Verdict
One instalment, or five

The share is the same at forty per cent. Dubai Harbour Residences collects it in two steps, W Residences in six, the last at 900 days from booking.

The WET Infinity Pool on the podium at W Residences, running along the harbour side.
W Residences — the WET Infinity Pool runs more than two hundred metres along the podium the three towers share.

Location

The district they share

Dubai Harbour is the seafront district between Bluewaters Island and The Palm Jumeirah. Both buildings face all of it.

Dubai Harbour from the air, with the marinas and the beach where Dubai Harbour Residences sits.
Dubai Harbour Residences — on the sand
Where
In the middle of the district, on the beach, with the marinas on one side and the promenade on the other
The bridge
A new bridge cuts the run from Sheikh Zayed Road from twelve minutes to three
The airports
Just over thirty kilometres from Dubai International and the same from Dubai World Central
Nearby
Palm West Beach, Bluewaters, JBR and Marina Mall, with the Palm across the water
The amphitheatre between the towers at W Residences, with the W mark above the harbour.
W Residences — on the promenade
The marina
705 berths across two basins — Harbour Marina for charter vessels and Bay Marina for superyachts and private owners
The largest berth
Space for a yacht up to 160 metres
A first
The first marina in the world to hold three simultaneous accreditations from The Yacht Harbour Association
Also here
A cruise terminal, hotels, restaurants, a retail promenade, and the Dubai International Boat Show
Verdict
One district, two positions in it

One building sits on the beach with the marinas beside it. The other stands on the promenade. Both look at Dubai Marina, the Palm, Bluewaters, Ain Dubai and the open Gulf.

Amenities

What sits at the top, and what sits at the bottom

Rooftop infinity pool at Dubai Harbour Residences looking across the harbour to the Dubai skyline.
At Dubai Harbour Residences the roof is a pool

Rooftop infinity pools sit at the top of the eight levels, with views over the harbour and the Gulf, and at ground level the building opens into colonnades and lobbies facing the water. Between them sits the wellness floor: a fitness centre with its own reception, an exercise area and a yoga studio, a sauna and a steam room, treatment rooms, a hairdressing salon and a nail salon. The pools are split, one for adults and a separate one for children, each with seating, lounge and showers and an outdoor dining area beside them, and the kids’ club runs a recreation area, a learning area and a baby changing room. Downstairs sit a drivers’ lounge, staff facilities and parking.

The rooftop pool at W Residences at Dubai Harbour looking over the Palm.
At W Residences the top of each tower is a home

The last four residential floors of every tower belong to a five bedroom penthouse with its own pool, and above it, on the forty-first floor, sits a single Presidential Suite with a private roof deck on the forty-second — three towers, three of those suites. Below them the podium is shared by all three: Wellfit’s flagship wellness centre on 43,000 sq ft, a residents’ gym and spa, yoga and pilates studios, a kids’ club with trained staff, a screening room, a games room with a sports simulator, and the Sound Suite, a working recording studio. The Residence Lounge is a co-working floor by day and a social room at night. Service runs on the W Whatever/Whenever desk around the clock, and owners join ONVIA, which carries elevated Marriott Bonvoy status and owner rates across the portfolio.

Verdict
A pool on the roof, or a home on it

One building gives its roof to the residents and its beach to the amenity list. The other gives its roof to a Presidential Suite and spends its scale on a podium the three towers share.

Who is behind them

Two owners, two arrangements

Shamal Holding and H&H, at Dubai Harbour Residences
Shamal owns the district and the building. H&H, founded 2007, develops it.
Shamal HoldingA Dubai investment firm across real estate, hospitality and leisure, including Nad Al Sheba Gardens — and the owner of Dubai Harbour itself
H&HBuilt the Four Seasons Hotel Dubai in DIFC and the Four Seasons Resort Dubai at Jumeirah Beach, and developed Alia Developments DIFC and Eden House
The same pairBaccarat Hotel and Residences in Downtown Dubai, two crystal-inspired towers by Studio Libeskind with interiors by 1508 London
ArchitectNikken Sekkei, whose most recent Dubai work is One Za’abeel
Arada, at W Residences
Launched 2017, with eight communities taken to market.
In the UAEAljada, Masaar, Anantara Sharjah Resort and Residences and Nasma Residences in Sharjah
In DubaiJouri Hills at Jumeirah Golf Estates and Armani Beach Residences at Palm Jumeirah
This projectValued at AED 5 billion, with Tower 2 published as LEED Silver and Tower 3 as LEED Gold
Under wayIn February 2026 Arada awarded the main construction contract, worth AED 1.55 billion, to Engineering Contracting Co.
Verdict
The district’s owner, or a licensed brand

At Dubai Harbour Residences the company that owns the district owns the building. At W Residences the homes are sold by Arada and the W marks are used under licence from Marriott International, which neither owns nor develops the project.

The scorecard

Eleven dimensions, scored

Read this as two answers. Four go to Dubai Harbour Residences, three to W Residences and four are shared. Every row is a published figure.

Where each building leads

4Dubai Harbour Residences 3W Residences 4Shared
The lower booking deposit, at 5%
Dubai Harbour Residences
Less cash to reserve, at AED 358,433
Dubai Harbour Residences
The smallest home on the plans, at 947 sq ft
Dubai Harbour Residences
The smaller scheme, at 345 homes
Dubai Harbour Residences
The lower entry price, at AED 3,910,000
W Residences
The largest home, at 11,795 sq ft
W Residences
The wider range of home types
W Residences
Forty per cent before handover
Shared
4% plus AED 1,020 to register
Shared
Freehold to all nationalities
Shared
Zero commission through NARVA
Shared

Which one is right for you

Who each one suits

Buy at Dubai Harbour Residences if…

  • You want the sea at ground level. Eight levels, and the beach is a lift ride.
  • You want the beach to belong to the building — private sand with its own food and drink, and direct access to the marinas.
  • You want a small scheme, at 343 apartments and two penthouses in one building.
  • You want the lightest reservation, at five per cent and AED 358,433 for a two bedroom.
  • You want a date. Handover is 2028.
  • You want the address and the building to answer to one company. Shamal owns the district and owns the building.

Buy at W Residences if…

  • You want to enter Dubai Harbour from AED 3,910,000, at one bedroom.
  • You want choice. Seventy-nine layouts across three towers, which do not hold the same homes.
  • You want height — homes to the fortieth floor, penthouses across the last four residential levels, and a Presidential Suite above them.
  • You want scale in one home, up to 11,795 sq ft with a pool on the terrace.
  • You want hotel service and a hotel programme: the W Whatever/Whenever desk around the clock, and ONVIA with Marriott Bonvoy status behind it.
  • You want the certification stated, at LEED Silver on Tower 2 and LEED Gold on Tower 3.

Look at something else if…

You want a villa, or another part of the city. The third building we cover on this marina is Sobha Seahaven, and every Dubai project we cover sits on our Dubai off-plan hub.

Questions buyers actually ask

Answered

Which is cheaper, Dubai Harbour Residences or W Residences?
W Residences opens lower, at AED 3,910,000 for a one bedroom, against AED 7,168,667 for a two bedroom at Dubai Harbour Residences. At two bedrooms the two meet: the Dubai Harbour Residences home at AED 7,168,667 sits inside the W two bedroom band of AED 6,000,000 to 9,150,000.
Which asks for less on booking?
Dubai Harbour Residences, by AED 32,567. It takes 5% of AED 7,168,667, which is AED 358,433. W Residences takes 10% of AED 3,910,000, which is AED 391,000.
Do they have the same payment plan?
Both are 40/60 — forty per cent across the build and sixty on completion. Dubai Harbour Residences takes 5% on booking and 35% during construction. W Residences takes 10% on booking and five further instalments dated from the booking day out to 900 days.
How tall is each one?
Dubai Harbour Residences is ground plus seven floors, one low building on the shoreline. W Residences is three towers, with homes to the fortieth floor, a Presidential Suite on the forty-first and its roof deck on the forty-second.
How many homes are in each?
343 apartments and two penthouses at Dubai Harbour Residences. 490 at W Residences, across three towers and 79 layouts.
Which has a private beach?
Dubai Harbour Residences carries a private beach on its amenity list, with its own food and drink and direct access to the marinas.
Which has the larger homes?
W Residences holds both ends, from 1,023 sq ft to 11,795 sq ft on the floor plans. Dubai Harbour Residences runs 947 to 5,016 sq ft.
What can I buy at each right now?
Two and three bedrooms at Dubai Harbour Residences. One to five bedrooms and the Presidential Suites at W Residences.
Are both freehold?
Yes. Dubai Harbour is a freehold district and both sell freehold to buyers of any nationality.
What does each cost to register?
The same. Four per cent of the price to the Dubai Land Department plus AED 1,020 in Oqood, knowledge and innovation fees, at both.
Who is behind each?
Dubai Harbour Residences is owned by Shamal Holding, which owns Dubai Harbour itself, and developed by H&H Development, with Nikken Sekkei as architect. W Residences is by Arada, carrying the W name under licence from Marriott International.
Is one branded?
W Residences carries the W Hotels brand under licence from Marriott, with the Whatever/Whenever desk and the ONVIA owner programme. Dubai Harbour Residences carries Shamal’s own name, and Shamal owns the district it stands in.
When does Dubai Harbour Residences hand over?
2028.
How far is Sheikh Zayed Road?
Three minutes over the new bridge, against twelve before it.
What is on the W podium?
The WET Infinity Pool, more than 200 metres long, Wellfit’s flagship wellness centre on 43,000 sq ft, a residents’ gym and spa, yoga and pilates studios, a kids’ club, the Residence Lounge, a screening room, a games room with a sports simulator, and the Sound Suite recording studio.
Where are the W duplexes?
In the central section of each tower. The top of each tower is given to single-floor penthouses, so a buyer who wants two floors and a staircase is buying in the middle of the building.
Do both qualify for the Golden Visa?
Every home in both sits above the AED 2,000,000 threshold that can qualify a buyer for the UAE’s ten-year Golden Visa, subject to the rules applying at the time of purchase.
Can I sell either before handover?
Yes, at both, once the developer’s threshold is paid and a no-objection certificate is held.
Do I pay NARVA a commission?
No. The developer pays us, on both.
Full breakdownDubai Harbour Residences — prices, the layouts and the plan Full breakdownW Residences at Dubai Harbour — prices, the towers and the plan ComparisonSobha Seahaven vs W Residences, Dubai Harbour Area guideDubai Harbour — the marinas, the beach and the buildings GuideWhat you pay in fees in Dubai and Abu Dhabi compared

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