Once simple seasonal spots for sunseekers, beach clubs have evolved into immersive, experiential daycation destinations at the forefront of premium hospitality. Designed to operate all year round and take guests from day to night, the latest concepts serve as a masterclass in how to combine elegance with robust functionality, as Ahmed A. Sultan, general manager and partner at Finasi, explains.

The region’s luxury hospitality landscape has undergone a quiet but significant shift in recent years. Contemporary travelers and residents aren’t looking for one-dimensional venues. Instead, they’re seeking out immersive, all-day destinations that blend food, design, relaxation and culture into one cohesive experience.

Nowhere is this transformation more evident than in today’s increasingly popular beach clubs and curated daycation concepts. Having gained real momentum during the Covid-19 pandemic, this segment has gone from strength to strength, and is now reshaping how luxury leisure is defined.

From design to delivery

What began as casual, seasonal outposts for hotel guests have evolved into some of the region’s most ambitious standalone lifestyle concepts. Significantly, efforts have been made at the latest venues to consciously blur the line between restaurant, lounge and resort experience. And this new level of intent spans both design and delivery.

At Finasi, we’ve had the privilege of executing a number of these spaces, most recently Sirene by GAIA. Located in the heart of the newly developed J1 Beach in Dubai, it’s now home to some of the UAE’s most talked-about beach club destinations. Designed by First Within, a UK-based interior design studio, for Fundamental Hospitality, this project is a precise representation of where the future of beach clubs is headed. High design, operational complexity and the kind of detailing typically reserved for fine dining or boutique hotels are all to the fore. And crucially, they have now been applied across every zone of the venue.

Creating destinations that flow

Sirene by GAIA spans over 42,000 square feet and includes indoor dining, poolside lounges, daybeds, private cabanas, a retail boutique and direct beachfront access. It’s not a venue that operates in parts, but rather flows as one continuous experience. Guests might arrive for a morning coffee or lunch, linger through sunset and end the evening in an entirely different part of the space. Delivering that kind of journey requires design clarity, refined materiality and seamless execution across every trade.

From a fit-out perspective, it also demands integration. These projects are no longer limited to mechanical, electrical, plumbing (MEP) and finishes. Instead, they involve custom-made pergolas, landscaping, outdoor pool, kitchen build-outs and highly specific joinery. Crucially, they all need to be coordinated under tight timelines and demanding environmental conditions.

Unlike seasonal venues abroad, regional beach clubs need to be designed to operate year-round, including during our intense summers. That means integrating cooling solutions, airflow strategies and material choices that can withstand heat, humidity and salt exposure. Creating comfort, while maintaining the design’s elegance and functionality, is undoubtedly where the real challenge lies.

An all-new beach club experience

Given the complexity of these projects, execution becomes an integral part of how the guest experience is brought to life. Material transitions, airflow, ceiling integration, flooring levels and lighting angles are not just technical details – they’re emotional touchpoints. Indeed, they shape how a guest moves, relaxes and remembers the space.

At Sirene, joinery played a defining role in forming that experience, with strong references to Greece and the Mediterranean. Aged wood finishes and artisanal detailing gave the space an immediate sense of familiarity, evoking distant coastal charm. From custom-built beachside bars to concealed storage and signature seating zones, every joinery element had to align with the design narrative. At the same time, they also needed to meet hospitality-grade durability standards.

As many collaborators will know from experience, the power of partnership cannot be overstated. It’s no coincidence that many of the region’s most successful venues are the result of long-standing partnerships. Our collaboration with Fundamental Hospitality has spanned years, and projects like Sirene only deepen that relationship.

It’s also about shared understanding. At J1 Beach, timelines were non-negotiable. There were many moving parts, multiple venues launching in parallel and no margin for error. Every decision, from material sourcing to on-site sequencing, had to be made with full clarity and coordination to keep pace and quality aligned.

The robust luxury requirement

One of the misconceptions about lifestyle destinations like beach clubs is that they’re all about aesthetics. The reality is that the best are highly functional spaces. Every choice, from flooring selections to ceiling heights, affects acoustics, ventilation, service flow and even safety.

Luxury, in this context, means more than appearance. It means robustness. Surfaces will need to hold up in the summer season against salt, sand, humidity and daily high-volume use, for example. However, they will still need to feel refined. Luxury also means seamless access for staff without compromising on guest immersion. And it means value engineering, not as a cost-cutting tool, but as a way to protect the experience. This can be critical when lead times or budgets shift.

More than passive indulgence

The rise of premium beach clubs in the region isn’t a trend – it’s a response. A response to guests who want more than passive luxury. A response to operators who want standalone destinations with multiple revenue channels. A response to developers who understand the value of creating properties people will remember and want to return to.

And finally, we believe that fit-out must evolve with this sector. It’s not enough to deliver on time – we have to deliver with agility and care.