There comes a point in every wealthy person’s life when owning the car is no longer enough. You have the garage, you have the leather seats, you have the engine note that makes the neighbours’ dogs howl, and still, somewhere deep in the soul, a small voice asks: “Yes, but could I live in it?” For years, the answer was a firm no, because cars, however beautiful, are poor places to sleep. Maserati and SAMANA COLLECTA, the new ultra-premium real estate brand from SAMANA Developers, have decided to fix this. They have announced Maserati Island, a flagship destination in The World Islands, Dubai, and I must say, it is a spectacularly Italian solution to a problem nobody knew they had.
A Trident With a Postcode
The idea is that the Maserati identity, with its roots in Italian Gran Turismo and its obsession with elegance, design, craftsmanship and hospitality, can be poured into a place rather than a car. This builds on the vision of Casa Maserati, and it is designed to be enjoyed year-round, which is sensible, as nobody wants an island that is only fun in February. The master plan features sweeping Italian-inspired landscaping, leading to a collection of 840 branded residences, seven ultra-exclusive water villas and two tree villas nestled in lush greenery. The tree villas, I assume, are for those who always wanted to be a Swiss Family Robinson but with better Wi-Fi.
The First Release
The first batch comprises 232 residences, all with private pools, which is rather like being told that every seat in the stadium has its own bar. They range from studios to four-bedroom configurations, and every one has been oriented to command uninterrupted sea views. Generous glazing, fluid spatial planning and extended sightlines are designed to mirror the sensation of being at the wheel of a grand tourer along the Italian landscape. In other words, you are meant to feel as though you are driving a Maserati along a coastal road, except you are sitting on a sofa and nobody has asked you to pay a toll.
Made in Italy, Right Down to the Sofa
The interiors are where things get properly Italian. Residences and communal lounges feature furnishings from the Giorgetti Maserati Edition, born from a collaboration between the two Italian icons in 2025. The whole interior project has been curated by the architect Carlo Colombo of A++ Studio, and the language is unmistakably Trident: sculptural forms, harmonious proportions, fine materials and refined details. Expect tactile leathers, sculpted wood and dynamic silhouettes, balanced with light, texture and colour to engage the senses. The brief calls it “emotional modernity,” which is a rather fancy way of saying that the chairs make you feel something, and that is what Italians have always done best.
Hospitality, Italian Style
The promised service goes beyond the usual. The developers speak of wellness, culture, taste and the joy of sharing, a multisensory approach meant to express the authenticity of Italian living. The Italians have always understood that a meal is not just a meal. It is an event. This is why the culinary centre of the island includes a signature floating Italian restaurant, which is surely the correct way to eat pasta: gently bobbing, with the sea at your elbow, and the faintest suspicion that you have been mistaken for royalty..
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A Riviera of Amenities
Maserati Island is designed as a primary year-round residence, blending a private sanctuary with the convenience of the city, and from the first handover, residents will have access to a full ecosystem of resort and everyday infrastructure. There is a vibrant beach club alongside the dining, and the wellness side is generous: private beaches, a central lagoon, resort swimming pools, holistic spas, indoor and outdoor fitness pavilions and a dedicated water-sports marina. That last one is where I would spend my time, mostly watching other people fall off things. For those who still have to pretend to work, the island has executive co-working lounges, ultra-high-speed connectivity and curated everyday retail and concierge services, tailored to entrepreneurs and global families. It is a thoughtful touch. Nothing spoils a good sea view like a video call that freezes, and nothing will be more satisfying than telling a colleague you are “in a meeting” while sitting on a deck above a lagoon.
Then there is the delightful matter of getting to the mainland. A dedicated luxury yacht shuttle links Maserati Island with mainland Dubai, turning the daily commute into what the developers call a serene coastal voyage. I have sat on the M25. I have been stuck behind a tractor on a single-track road. A yacht shuttle sounds, by comparison, like a small miracle. Maserati Island is gloriously ambitious. It takes everything the Trident has stood for, the grand touring spirit, the Italian flair and the obsession with beauty, and turns it into somewhere you can actually unpack your suitcase. Whether you need 840 branded residences is a question for another day. But I suspect that, somewhere, a man is already standing on a balcony, looking at the sea and saying to himself: “I could get used to this.”
