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Right decision to live in Oceana?

85

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 27 May 2015 - 05:02

Hi,

My daughter got accepted in Georges Pompidou school in Academic city.
We are visiting apartments in Oceana and need to take decision fast.
There is a school bus for kids transport from Palm and I think it should take about 30-45 mins each way everyday!

Am I doing a right think to get an apartment in Oceana considering the school distance just to be next to the sea/beach and a large pool??

Appriciate your feedbacks

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379

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 05 June 2015 - 18:29

I didn't know West 14th is closing. We really like that steakhouse. Are they going to open something new? Do guests need to pay if they want to use the pool, I have one friend living in another building on the Palm and she said her visitors needed to pay 100 dhs to use the facilities of the building. Yes West 14th is closing as the whole building has been sold so it's very unclear what the future Oceana will be - only time will tell. I am also disappointed that West 14th is closing one of my favourite places.

1052

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 05 June 2015 - 13:20

I would also consider nearer school, we live in Motorcity my DS goes to school in Jumeirah (15 min drive by car) school starts at 07:50 , he gets picked up by bus at 06:30, so even though they say its not too far, seriously its huge. I have friends who live in Silicon and they love it.

85

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 June 2015 - 04:25

http://www.justrentals.com/listing/live-in-a-hotel-brand-new-2-bhk-apartment-in-auris/308417/ Sport City is a better option. It will considerably cut travel time. Sometimes it's a bit of social suicide to live very far from school as well, as playdates will be hard to manage. The Dubai traffic is full of daily accidents, you really want to minimise the time your child is on the roads. Thanks a lot Silvstet for the link. Not so sure living in a hotel apartment for long period is a good idea though... not sure I feel home living there ? but will defenetly look at the options in Sport city ?

85

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 05 June 2015 - 04:14

Wind, what are your reasons for wanting to be in Oceana specifically? There are so many lovely areas very close to Academic City. For your budget you can look at Falcon City, The Villa, Silicon Oasis, Al Warqah, etc. You'd get a lovely villa and be in a nice community and your daughter would be 5-10 minutes from school. The beach, malls would only be 20 minutes away. Actually I myself don't have any preferences and can live anywhere! Based on the experience living in different countries in the past, I'd rather to face minimum issues with housing, maintenance, dealing with maids, cleaners etc... So would like to get into a furnished, 3 beds clean place... Nice and easy ? hopefully! From the other hand, my husband likes to have a nice view looking outside the windows and balcony! I guess we feel less desert this way!! My daughter & him fell in love with that big pool in oceana as well! Something to admit here, those oceana buildings are almost new and furnitures not so old fashion/arab style! We're not too much into classic stuff ? makes me fee more depressed... He is going to visit a few houses in Silicon Oasis + Arabian ranches during weekend to compare with the 2 beds already visited in oceana... Sometimes making decision is painful and not straight forward in life!!

1010

Posts

EW OLDHAND

Latest post on 04 June 2015 - 18:43

Wind, what are your reasons for wanting to be in Oceana specifically? There are so many lovely areas very close to Academic City. For your budget you can look at Falcon City, The Villa, Silicon Oasis, Al Warqah, etc. You'd get a lovely villa and be in a nice community and your daughter would be 5-10 minutes from school. The beach, malls would only be 20 minutes away.

562

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 04 June 2015 - 18:30

There are very, very few furnished places around. It will really limit you if you restrict yourselves to furnished places. I've only ever seen the odd one.

85

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 04 June 2015 - 05:09

Thanks everyone for the feedbacks, honestly, I am scared now :-0 My husband contacted the school and they said the Journey starts from 6:30 to 7am to pick up the kids from palm! If we manage to live there, we want to take her to the last pick up point in the morning (we save about 20 mins), not yet decided for the afternoon. I think she spends about 45 mins in the bus in the morning since they usually take some margin before the class starts at 8! We are also looking at other options in closer areas to Academic city. Let me know pls if any suggestions for a furnished place not exceeding 250,000 dh per year!

22

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 02 June 2015 - 13:31

It seems very far indeed. Speaking from experience, school busses for GP are basically poor quality and carry lots of children, they are slow and noisy, and altogether it is not a pleasant experience. I know a child from Jumeirah 1whose bus picks him up at 6h15 am!

3

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 28 May 2015 - 18:58

Actually we are in the same position. My kids are spending 1 hour in the morning plus 1 hour in the afternoon in the school bus. But they are happy and saying that they are having fun in the school bus! The school bus is full with the kids from all year groups. So this is quite normal depending on your child's needs and wants.

357

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 28 May 2015 - 16:20

Hi, I agree with the other posters-- I think it will be quite unpleasant for your child and I think seeing friends after school (excellent for settling in quickly) will be difficult.

118

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 28 May 2015 - 12:12

Hi Wind777, as other posters have said, it is 35 to 40 mins by car, but the school bus will take at least an hour each way, and depending on other 'pick ups/drop off's' it may take even longer, also to ensure the kids get to school on time the bus will depart around 6.15 am which means getting up very early indeed and a very late arrival home. I had personal experience of this with my daughter from The Palm, we had to move schools eventually for her as the journey was just far too much for her, we couldn't move. So, from personal experience I would suggest you move closer to the school, there is also a chance then that friends may be closer for her to mix with too.

348

Posts

EW EXPLORER

Latest post on 28 May 2015 - 11:16

I'm just about to move out of Oceana after 3 years. These are the reasons why: - Movenpick Hotel ships tourists in to use the pool & beach leaving very little space for residents - New Dukes Hotel to open up attached to Oceana, same issue as above - Cigarettes constantly been thrown over balcony. Warnings been issued but no one takes any notice - No guest parking up top due to new hotel. Limited space in garage, plus visitors need to leave ID at the gate - Apartments no sound proof. I can hear my upstairs neighbor taking a pee!!! - A lot of young people at Oceana & hence a lot of weekend parties on balconies - Noise again - West 14 is closing at the end of the year However with all that being said, I did have a great time at Oceana, I just got fed up with the noise, cigarettes and party atmosphere. My parents refer to it as an "18 to 30's" club resort.

277

Posts

EW NEWBIE

Latest post on 28 May 2015 - 11:12

They are really far apart, I agree with previous posters that its going to be at least an hour. It depends how old your child is but its a lot for a little kid to deal with a 2 hour commute on a bus every day, an older child would be ok I think - although I would not let my children spend that much time on a bus every day. It also can be a problem socially, if all her friends live in AR, or Silicon Oasis its always going to be a long journey for play dates and parties. I would really rethink where you are planning to live, or if you love the apartment so much choose another school.

2738

Posts

EW EXPERT

Latest post on 28 May 2015 - 11:07

Why would you live so far aware form the school? It will easily take twice the length you predict each way, every day, I would re think where you are going to live!

562

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 28 May 2015 - 11:04

Are you sure it's that fast? I know a child who does that route every day and I thought the parents said it was about an hour on the school bus. They stopped using it in the morning as it was so long and such an early start. That is for secondary though - not so bad for an older child. Our daughter is going to school in Academic City too in September and will have a journey of 50 minutes on the bus from Jumeirah. We will see how she fares and move closer if necessary. Again it's secondary and that is a bit different to primary. The kids enjoy the bit of independence and time with their friends on the bus (so I'm told anyway). If we were arriving in Dubai now with a school place in Academic City I definitely wouldn't choose to live as far away from school as we do now, and certainly not on the Palm. But if you are adamant that is really where you want to live then you could always try it and move once your 1year lease is up if it doesn't work out. Personally I think it's too far for a young child to have to do that journey every day. However I do understand what you are saying about living near the sea. I felt the same.

562

Posts

EW GURU

Latest post on 28 May 2015 - 11:04

Are you sure it's that fast? I know a child who does that route every day and I thought the parents said it was about an hour on the school bus. They stopped using it in the morning as it was so long and such an early start. That is for secondary though - not so bad for an older child. Our daughter is going to school in Academic City too in September and will have a journey of 50 minutes on the bus from Jumeirah. We will see how she fares and move closer if necessary. Again it's secondary and that is a bit different to primary. The kids enjoy the bit of independence and time with their friends on the bus (so I'm told anyway). If we were arriving in Dubai now with a school place in Academic City I definitely wouldn't choose to live as far away from school as we do now, and certainly not on the Palm. But if you are adamant that is really where you want to live then you could always try it and move once your 1year lease is up if it doesn't work out. Personally I think it's too far for a young child to have to do that journey every day. However I do understand what you are saying about living near the sea. I felt the same.

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