Banyan Tree Residence - 406 1BD

We lived at Banyan Tree for a year and had no real complaints. It’s a great place for families, with a big pool that gets sun all day and no shade. The amenities include a gym, squash court, yoga room, fancy spa and a well-sized parking garage. It’s also close to city essentials, with restaurants and shops nearby, plus a kindergarten and schools. The first business tower is 300 m away, and it’s a 35-minute walk to the beach and Marina mall. Of all the towers we saw, this had the best and biggest pool. I haven’t found another place this close to the city with so much on offer.

The apartments are large, and the elevators are fast. There’s a big pool, though it’s shallow. Dubai Marina is only 1 km away, and JLT is close too.

The building itself is great, with a nice pool, a well-equipped gym, good parking, no ventilation or smell problems, and very friendly, helpful reception staff. But I’m moving out when my one-year lease ends because of the noise. If you rent here, avoid a low-floor apartment facing Canary Club. From October to May, the rooftop terrace music runs Thursday to Saturday, 8pm-1am, and it’s unbearable. Building management won’t act, and Canary Club doesn’t seem concerned either since nobody holds them liable. I’m surprised this hasn’t come up in other reviews.

I spent two years here and was really happy. The apartments and pool were clean, it looked good, and there were nice people around. Of the nine years I’ve lived in Dubai, these were my best two years.