Nikki Beach Hotels & Resorts, a division of Nikki Beach Worldwide, plans to open its first Middle Eastern property in Dubai, working alongside local development company Meraas Holding.

DSA Architects and interior design firm Gatserelia Design will create the 52,000sq m (560,000sq ft) five-star resort on Pearl Jumeirah – set to open in Q3 of 2015. It will include 117 rooms and suites, 14 beach villas, a separate 1,350sq m (14,531sq ft) beach villa and 61 branded residences.

There will be a Nikki Spa by ESPA, a Tone Fitness Centre, a Nikki-branded Beach Club, a tennis court and a range of watersports – which will take place off the 400m (1,312ft) beachfront.

On the second floor of the main beach club and restaurant building – which will host three dining venues – there will be an ‘ultra-VIP lounge’, featuring a caviar and champagne bar.

“We have been waiting for the right time, location and partners to expand our brand in Dubai and after 10 years of waiting, I am happy to announce that we have finally done just that,” said Jack Penrod, founder and owner of Nikki Beach.

“In line with Dubai’s Tourism Vision 2020, Dubai needs to have close to 160,000 hotel rooms to host the targeted numbers of visitors anticipated by the year 2020,” said Cherif Hosny, chief hospitality officer for Meraas Holding. “With this as a key driver, Meraas is expanding its portfolio in the hospitality industry, developing projects that will not only add to the number of rooms in Dubai but also bring in a new dimension of luxury and experience to the hospitality industry in the country.”

Meraas Holding is currently working on a number of leisure projects, namely a theme park in Dubai’s Jebel Ali area, set to open in 2016.