DISCOVERY GARDENS>...ANY REVIEWS PLZ?!

Definitely Greens over D/G! nice sense of community that you don't find in other areas. Agree definitely, DG is just too far out That depends on where you work. My kids go to the nursery in JBR and I'm there within 10 mins and DH works at DMC, again door to door approx. 20 minutes.

Hi Lady Brit, Hope your preps for the move are going well. We have just moved from London few weeks ago and deciding on where to live (and then finding an apartment to our liking) has been tough! Don't know as much about either area as the ladies who have already commented..but just thought I should mention that these areas are not nearly on the same sort of price range are they? If you are looking for a 2 bed you would struggle to find anything in the Greens for less than 80k and that is in the ones on the older(?) side. The area does have a lovely feel though.

Definitely Greens over D/G! nice sense of community that you don't find in other areas. Agree definitely, DG is just too far out

What is the Mogul cluster like?

We looked at DG when we returned in 2009, but opted for JLT because I really did not like the feel of DG at all (all sorts of reasons, but the failure to provide the pools didn't inspire confidence in Nakheel at all and I'd heard of lots of probs with water/AC etc) But ... if we'd been able to afford it at the time, I would have gone for The Greens - no question at all. So, if you can afford a place in the Greens, don't even think about DG. No contest.

We've also just signed our 4th year at DG. We're in the Contemporary cluster, our building is owned by the developer, Meeras and managed by Wasl. It's very well maintained, we have a great maintenance service and our air con charges are included in our rent. Which has also dropped significantly since we moved in. We really like it there. Yes, the traffic at peak times can be a pain, but it does move, so mostly looks worse than it is sometimes. As for being smell, dirty and full of labourers, I can say we have NEVER experienced any problems with any of these issues. Our cluster seems to be full of families, both western and Asian and everyone is friendly. We're very lucky with our neighbours too. Our kids can play safely in the courtyard area outside and at the play area at the side of our building. As for the shops and restaurants in the Zen clusters, always found it clean and lots of families around. I have never felt threatened or harassed there. I think a lot depends on the cluster you move to and who your landlord is, but I would highly recommend the area to live based on our experience of living there.

In my experience there are more families in DG than single people and I find it unbelievable that this occurred to you at all but particularly when you were with your husband. . Cyclone, you lived in Zen which is one of the better parts of DG. However other parts do have problems with single men and here is an article with quotes from people who lived there and are not just visitors http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/2.1735/discovery-gardens-strains-under-bachelor-influx-1.692305 Thanks for the link Arch. I was surprised to see that it was dated almost 1 year ago (Oct 2010) as I honestly never experienced it. [i'>I am only able to comment on the specific part of DG that I lived in, unlike others who think they can comment on the area in its entirety.[/i'>

I've read an article once about JLT and angry comments from residents but JLT isn't that bad. Same case with DG. There may be some articles against DG but guess what, there's no perfect place in Dubai. I just find it sad how in Dubai, people tend to stereotype a particular place based on single experiences/articles read(?). I used to be the type of person who makes sure my building has a pool but after several moves, I don't car anymore cos fact is I rarely use them anyway and the beach is just a 5 minute drive. Reason why I didn't choose DG is only because of the location, and at the time when i was looking for a flat, i had no car so i had to be somewhere close to the Metro. I always hear bad press about DG but never directly from the people who actually lived/lives there. <em>edited by everythingnice on 06/08/2011</em>

In my experience there are more families in DG than single people and I find it unbelievable that this occurred to you at all but particularly when you were with your husband. . Cyclone, you lived in Zen which is one of the better parts of DG. However other parts do have problems with single men and here is an article with quotes from people who lived there and are not just visitors http://gulfnews.com/news/gulf/uae/2.1735/discovery-gardens-strains-under-bachelor-influx-1.692305

I lived in a one bed Zen apartment for 2 years. I found the location, amenities and price ideal for my needs. I loved that it never took more than 5 minutes to get a taxi regardless of the day of the week or the time of day. The array of restaurants and supermarkets was brilliant, especially during summer when I didn’t want to have to go too far. My neighbours were friendly but not intrusive and I always felt safe despite being a female alone. I also appreciated the closeness of the Metro and the reliable bus service. There are not many ‘Westerners’ in DG. It is populated more by people from the Sub-continent, Asia and other ME Countries. I found it to be a lovely multicultural atmosphere. The major downside to living in DG for me was simply the perception that others had of the area. Some people find where they live in Dubai to be part of their ME identity and for them DG would not tick the right boxes. I never lived in the Greens but had friends and colleagues who did. They all found the area lovely and more ‘Westernised’ that DG. If the location of DG was not so perfect for me I may have considered it myself. Lady Brit I suggest that the comments of those people who have or do actually live in the area as compared to those who have driven through or visited be given more weight when considering your options. I will reply specifically to Wild Mint as my opinion of living in the area is different to hers. Because of lowered rents it seems like International City populace with all it`s 'glory' moved to DG I did not find this at all. The community center (where all the shops and grocery stores are) is very dirty, no trash cans anywhere, lots of single guys around who tries to 'court' you even if you are together with your OH. Some very cheap eateries opened, i wandered inside - it`s full of laborers, taxi drivers or alike. I strongly disagree with almost everything you have said. While there was a problem in 2010 when some of the large bins were not emptied for 10 days as far as it being dirty you are wrong. Additionally rubbish bins are readily available. I am not an unattractive woman but never had a single guy try and ‘court’ me in the time I was living in DG. That said while I smile at people and am friendly by nature I did not dress, look nor act like I was interested in being courted. In my experience there are more families in DG than single people and I find it unbelievable that this occurred to you at all but particularly when you were with your husband. There are some cheap eateries. Cheap and very good. Do taxi drivers and labourers frequent these restaurants? – yes. Do office workers, retail assistants, managers and professionals also frequent these restaurants – yes. I am a big believer that everyone, regardless of station in life, should have access to affordable and good quality food. No swimming pools, only promises for the past 5 years to open them. This is true but to be perfectly honest it didn’t bother me. I have never been a fan on public swimming areas. If you are someone who likes the option then it would be something to consider. We live across the road in the Gardens and it bugs me that i can`t take evening walks which i love without my husband escorting me. I regularly walked around both DG and the Gardens and am baffled why you can't or rather, won't. , but once, long time ago, i was attacked but someone who looked like a laborer and don`t want to be living anywhere near them. Tarring all labourers with the same brush because of something that happened a long time ago and you are not even sure it was a labourer sounds like bigotry to me. I`m not some arrogant 'Jumeirah Jane' who hates low-income people, For someone who purports not to be arrogant you are doing an outstanding job of appearing that way. Safe travels Lady Brit, Dubai can be a fantastic experience.

I wouldn`t go in to details or i will get slapped here like i did earlier for calling DG 'a new ghetto' If you called it that, then I'm not at all surprised you got slapped down. We've been in DG for some years now and it's not remotely like a ghetto, nor is it like International City. It's just an affordable place to live. All it really needs is for the swimming pools to open, but then again, when we lived in a villa we had a pool just round the corner and we hardly ever went there. I`m not some arrogant 'Jumeirah Jane' who hates low-income people Hmmm. I won`t take the bait, i am more interested in hearing people`s arguments. I explained my reasons for my dislike. You said it`s cheap, and nothing else.

Dont forget the clusters as well; Zen is closest to SZR, and has many eateries and seems to be nice. Mogul or the more remote ones, i.e. buildings near Khail road seem to be quieter and may actually have single workers. i never noticed that many single workers near Zen and i know families who are happy there

I wouldn`t go in to details or i will get slapped here like i did earlier for calling DG 'a new ghetto' If you called it that, then I'm not at all surprised you got slapped down. We've been in DG for some years now and it's not remotely like a ghetto, nor is it like International City. It's just an affordable place to live. All it really needs is for the swimming pools to open, but then again, when we lived in a villa we had a pool just round the corner and we hardly ever went there. I`m not some arrogant 'Jumeirah Jane' who hates low-income people Hmmm.

Little dirty notes, tucked under my door offering 'massage girls on call' bugging me too. Take the numbers and notes, and hand them over the police. Wipe out the vermint.

In DG, your building is very important even if they all look alike. Some are great, others are not because there are 6 people in every room or there are laborers living next building. So best would be to ask tenants of a building what they think of it Thank you, i wouldn`t live there for this reasons alone. Because of lowered rents it seems like International City populace with all it`s 'glory' moved to DG. I wouldn`t go in to details or i will get slapped here like i did earlier for calling DG 'a new ghetto'. The community center (where all the shops and grocery stores are) is very dirty, no trash cans anywhere, lots of single guys around who tries to 'court' you even if you are together with your OH. Some very cheap eateries opened, i wandered inside - it`s full of laborers, taxi drivers or alike. I`m not some arrogant 'Jumeirah Jane' who hates low-income people, but once, long time ago, i was attacked but someone who looked like a laborer and don`t want to be living anywhere near them. No swimming pools, only promises for the past 5 years to open them. We live across the road in the Gardens and it bugs me that i can`t take evening walks which i love without my husband escorting me. Little dirty notes, tucked under my door offering 'massage girls on call' bugging me too. I would live in JLT, Greens(both are really nice) or anywhere else for the same or little more money. <em>edited by Wild Mint on 06/08/2011</em>

I did look at Discovery Gardens recently when helping my friend move to Dubai and it was a terrible place.

In DG, your building is very important even if they all look alike. Some are great, others are not because there are 6 people in every room or there are laborers living next building. So best would be to ask tenants of a building what they think of it In JLT, the one way roads are a problem only if you live from clusters O to X, and that too only between 530 and 7 pm (and 9 am during Ramadan)

Oops sorry quoted you wrongly <em>edited by Lynney on 06/08/2011</em>

like a lot of places it is watered with recycled toilet water but because how much there is to water the smell is so overpowering, it is disgusting and the smell would sometimes come into the flat We've been here 3 years (into our 4th now) and we've never experienced that. The only unpleasant smells we know in DG were the ones you used to get at the junction by the mosque next to Ibn Battuta, where I think they were doing some kind of works on the sewer for a while. Haven't smelled anything bad driving through there for a while now. I was in street 10 and it was really bad everyday. A friend of mine is in street 5 and has the same problem. you will pay about the same in JLT and the areas are worlds apart JLT has its problems with smelly stagnant water and insects in the lakes, doesn't it? There was a thing in the paper about it recently. And it's still a one-way road system, isn't it? edited by edna.welthorpe on 06/08/2011 Can't comment on the smelly water as I have never smelt a thing. There has been problems with insects in one of the lakes but it is being sorted. The road is still one way at the moment but there are no problems with traffic, the road is nearly complete and is being worked on all the time (even a Friday). I wasn't saying JLT was the place to live, I was just saying for the same kind of money you could get a nice place in JLT which is far better from my experience

I've recently moved to Discovery Gardens with my husband and two small children. We are really happy here. We have a huge 2 bedroom apartment which is reasonably priced and payable in 12 cheques. We also got 1 month free which really helped with our set up costs. I don't work so the traffic is not an issue for me. I find it conveniently located for groceries, taxis, metro, Ibn Battuta, etc. My major complaint is the swimming pools - when we moved in we were told they were closed for maintenance, but have since discovered they have never been open. I agree that some buildings look a little run down but ours seems to be well maintained. Discovery Gardens gets a lot of bad press but I find it a great place to live!

like a lot of places it is watered with recycled toilet water but because how much there is to water the smell is so overpowering, it is disgusting and the smell would sometimes come into the flat We've been here 3 years (into our 4th now) and we've never experienced that. The only unpleasant smells we know in DG were the ones you used to get at the junction by the mosque next to Ibn Battuta, where I think they were doing some kind of works on the sewer for a while. Haven't smelled anything bad driving through there for a while now. you will pay about the same in JLT and the areas are worlds apart JLT has its problems with smelly stagnant water and insects in the lakes, doesn't it? There was a thing in the paper about it recently. And it's still a one-way road system, isn't it? <em>edited by edna.welthorpe on 06/08/2011</em>

I lived in DG for almost 2 years and you couldn't pay me to go back there. The traffic problems and the swimming pools already mentioned are a problem but not the only ones. As you would expect with it being called Dicovery Gardens there is a lot of greenery and like a lot of places it is watered with recycled toilet water but because how much there is to water the smell is so overpowering, it is disgusting and the smell would sometimes come into the flat. They do have gardeners to maintain the gardens but for the past two years they have not had these over the winter months therfore everything is overgrown and all looks very run down. A lot of buildings have not aged well at all but this is mainly to do with poor build quality and Nakheel having no money to fix any of it. The other people are correct it is cheap but you will pay about the same in JLT and the areas are worlds apart

The big advantage of Discovery Gardens is that it's well located for New Dubai and is cheap. There are thousands of empty apartments and no real facilities - Nakheel cannot afford to put water into the swimming pools and the other things they promised to build never materialised - and so rents have dropped every year since the start of the crash. Our rent has dropped from 140k in 2 cheques in 2008 to 68k in 12 cheques with an extra month rent-free (so 13-month contract), and we live in the largest type of 2-bed (2XL). If we were willing to pay in 1 cheque we'd be paying 50-something. The apartments themselves are pretty nice, and the 2XLs do seem huge. Along with the lack of community facilities, the other big problem with DG is access. You can only reach it through the two Ibn Battuta exits on SZR (or via an unofficial route through the sand from Al Khail Road), and even though DG is probably less than 50% full, a total lack of proper planning means that the access roads are completely inadequate during peak hours. The issue is the two sets of lights between Ibn Battuta and DG, which cause long tailbacks at rush hour. It really needs an underpass so that DG-bound traffic from SZR can just go straight on through. The RTA says it's not their problem and Nakheel can't afford to do anything, so there's no likelihood of the situation improving within the next few years at least. Outside of peak hours, there's no real problem. <em>edited by edna.welthorpe on 06/08/2011</em>

i own a few units in Discovery, and have always had tenants in them! I just renewed the tenancy of one of my studios to the same tenant, a lovely girl, who loves living there! I do read about discovery a lot, and i have to say it is not as bad as it sounds. I lived for many years in the old Nakheel gardens, (across the road) and i can vouch for the churches, greenery, ibn batutta mall, petrol station, and now even the metro. The greens, is also a very very good property, was quite prime and pricy, during the hay days. It is that much closer to dubai, mall of the emirates, and access to sheikh zayed. for the price that you are looking for, you might be able to get a very nice pad. I personally prefer the quiet jebel ali village to crowded and busy barsha. What i suggest, is to personally drive to these places, and decide.

Yes, Greens over Discovery Gardens for me too. Location is better. I always hear bad reviews about Discovery Gardens although I personally think it is not as bad as it sounds. I wouldn't live there though as I'm location conscious and always think that part of town is a bit far from everywhere else I usually hang out on. But the prices there are really affordable so it may as well be worth it, depends on your priorities.

Definitely Greens over D/G! nice sense of community that you don't find in other areas.

The Greens is lovely, I lived there for 3 years and loved it.