Working from your sofa is fine until you’ve answered emails from the exact same spot for the fifth day in a row. If your laptop is starting to feel more like your housemate, Dubai has plenty of places to relocate for the day. Think good coffee, lots of greenery, actually nice spaces and views that give you a reason to look away from your screen. Here are the spots we’d happily work from.
Nasab
If your idea of a productive workday involves sneaking in a little wellness between emails, Nasab might be your place. Set inside KOA Canvas in Al Barari, the members’ club pairs well-designed spaces with lush greenery and a much nicer way to spend the day than sitting at home.
A day pass gets you access to the coworking space, plus the gym, pool, sauna, steam room and padel courts. Coffee and water are included, and there’s The Tuck Shop for when you need a snack before answering another email. And yes, your dog can come too.
Where: KOA Canvas, Wadi Al Safa 3
Day pass: From Dhs: 170.00
Isola Space
Some coworking spaces make you want to work, however, Isola Space makes you want to stay. Located at The Lana Promenade in Business Bay, it’s part workspace, part art gallery, part café and part boutique, so basically, not your usual desk situation.
Exhibitions change throughout the year, so there’s usually something new to look at between meetings, while the creative interiors make it particularly appealing when you need to get out of a standard office mindset. The colourful interiors help too. Come for the laptop-friendly tables, stay because you got distracted by the art.
Where: The Lana Promenade by Dorchester Collection, Business Bay
Office Square
For those who like a little skyline with their workday, Office Square has panoramic views of Dubai Marina from its space at Al Fattan Business Hub. It has the polish of a proper office without all the office-y energy, with coworking desks, meeting rooms, premium amenities and an in-house café for the inevitable coffee breaks. It’s a nice change from staring at the same four walls all day (the Marina view definitely helps).
Where: Levels 9 and 10, Al Fattan Business Hub
Day pass: From Dhs: 145.00
When: Daily from 8:30am
Cloud Spaces
Dubai Mall is probably the last place you’d expect to get work done, but Cloud Spaces makes a decent case for it. The coworking space looks out towards the Burj Khalifa and Dubai Fountain, with cloud-shaped lights, semi-private pods, meeting rooms and an auditorium. There’s even an Oxygen Bar, because sometimes you really do need to step away from your laptop.
Day passes start from Dhs120 and include two coffees, while private office suites are available if you need a little more privacy.
Where: Dubai Mall, Downtown Dubai
Day pass: From Dhs120
When: Monday–Friday, 8am–6pm; Sunday, 10am–6pm
The Bureau
Designed by women, for women, The Bureau feels more like a private club than your usual coworking space. Its Gold & Diamond Park location has flexible workspaces, meeting rooms, private phone booths, a wellness studio and a Jones the Grocer café, so you can pretty much stay put for the day.
The little details make a difference too, with pumping rooms for breastfeeding mothers and complimentary period products. Members can also join events and workshops with other women in business. Not a member? Daily passes are available if you just need somewhere nice to work for the day.
Where: Building 6, Gold & Diamond Park
Day pass: Dhs: 120.00
Social Company
For anyone who prefers a café to a desk, Social Company is an easy choice. Located in the lobby of Zabeel House The Greens, the all-day dining spot was designed with casual coworking in mind, so you can settle in with your laptop, meet a client or have a freelance workday somewhere other than your sofa.
There’s an all-day menu covering breakfast, lunch and dinner, which means no packing up the second you get hungry. Come evening, it turns into a relaxed bar, and it’s dog-friendly too
UNBOX Community API World Tower
If you’re after something a little more office-like, Unbox offers flexible workspace with views of Sheikh Zayed Road. There are meeting rooms, private offices and coworking tables, so you can pick your setup depending on what the day calls for.
There’s an in-house coffee shop, high-speed WiFi and the usual practical essentials. Hot-desk members also get access to meeting spaces, printing and P.O. box and mail management, which makes it a useful option for freelancers and small businesses who need more than just a desk and WiFi.
Where: API Tower, Trade Centre
Day pass: Dhs: 100.00
