Highlights from the first-ever Bayut Your Home, Your Choice Awards!
It’s stating the obvious to say that spectacular is not unusual in Dubai, in truth it’s more the norm. The emirate has established a thoroughly deserved reputation for being synonymous with glitz and glamour. So, put simply, for an event to stand out from the crowd it has to deliver something very special. Fortunately, the inaugural edition of the Bayut Your Home, Your Choice Awards (YHYC) 2021 delivered exactly that. Truly living up to its inspirational billing of being ‘by the people, for the people’.
Bringing together luminaries from around the city to celebrate the many deserving award winners in categories that highlighted the very best of Dubai, this was a night to remember. The exclusive consumer choice awards ceremony acknowledged and rewarded Dubai’s finest in glamorous style at the iconic Dubai Opera. With over 500 guests in attendance, including celebrities, influencers and business leaders, the first-ever Bayut Your, Home Your Choice Awards set the stage for many years to come.
From the awards and winners to the esteemed jury and spectacular performances – here’s everything you need to know about a truly magical night that celebrated Dubai’s favourite people, places and organisations
ABOUT BAYUT YOUR HOME, YOUR CHOICE AWARDS 2021
The Bayut YHYC Awards are an homage to the very best of this city we all love to call home. The inspiration for this first-of-its-kind event was to honour the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Ruler of Dubai and the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE, to make Dubai the happiest place in the world.
The night was a celebration of the unprecedented growth the city has achieved, powered by an unmatched combination of innovation and merit, raising the quality bar across every facet of life and business. The Bayut Your Home, Your Choice awards welcomed entrepreneurs, leaders and creative talent from various industries to honour their hard work and commitment to making Dubai a home like no other.
As Haider Ali Khan, the CEO of Bayut & dubizzle and the Head of EMPG MENA said in his opening note:
The English word “home” actually refers to a village or estate where many “souls” are gathered. It implies there’s a physical dwelling involved, but the main idea is that it’s a gathering of people. Simply put, a home is that place where you feel a sense of belonging. A place to live with our families and pets and enjoy with friends. A place to build memories as well as a way to build future wealth. A place where we can truly just be ourselves.
I believe I’m speaking for everyone gathered here today that no matter where our roots may be, Dubai has given us that sense of belonging. This city has allowed us to create our own identities and discover what home really means to us. Through the Bayut Your Home, Your Choice Awards we want to give back to this city and truly give our residents the power to celebrate their favourites.
By the people, for the people, the first edition of the YHYC Awards comprised awards across seven varying categories:
- Communities
- Entertainment
- Education
- Retail
- Hospitality
- Dining
- Creative Talent
Each of these categories was home to a number of related awards that recognised and celebrated the cream of Dubai’s crop. The best of the best.
THE JURY AND SELECTION PROCESS FOR BAYUT YHYC AWARDS
The meticulous nominee selection process started with the identification of the most popular and respected names across various industries, based on rankings and reviews from big data sources including Google, Facebook, YouTube and TripAdvisor. The selected businesses, organisations and creatives were then vetted by an independent audit firm to ensure complete transparency and fairness throughout the process.
The final nominees – the top 5 in each category – were then shortlisted by an esteemed jury panel, which comprised industry pioneers, including:
- Ammar Al Malik – Managing Director Dubai Internet City
- Alyza Beg – Group Head Corporate Affairs of the Easa Saleh Al Gurg Group (ESAG)
- Derya Matras – Vice President of Meta Middle East, Africa and Turkey
- Sania Mirza – International Tennis Player & Former World No 1
The Director of Marketing at Bayut & dubizzle, Sahar Khan, served as Special Advisor to the Jury.
WINNERS OF THE BAYUT YHYC AWARDS 2021
Once the nominees were finalised, the names were unveiled online and opened to public voting. The winners were decided based on the 230,000+ public votes received during a 3-week long voting campaign.
It’s now time to reveal the best of the best in Dubai, as voted by the people! Here is the list of all the esteemed winners at the first-ever Bayut Your Home, Your Choice Awards 2021. Our list is divided by category and the respective awards within them.
COMMUNITIES
- Best Luxury Villa Community in Dubai: Signature Villas Palm Jumeirah by Nakheel
- Best Affordable Villa Community in Dubai: Al Reem, Arabian Ranches by Emaar
- Best Luxury Apartment in Dubai: Burj Khalifa by Emaar
- Best Affordable Apartment Cluster in Dubai: Mediterranean, Discovery Gardens by Nakheel
- Best Real Estate Agency in Dubai: Betterhomes
Find out the full list of winners and runner-ups for the Communities Awards!
ENTERTAINMENT
- Best Theme Park in Dubai: Aquaventure Waterpark
- Best New Tourist Attraction in Dubai: Deep Dive Dubai
- Best Golf Club in Dubai: Emirates Golf Club
- Best Beach in Dubai: Kite Beach
Here are the full details of the Entertainment Awards winners and runner-ups.
EDUCATION
- Best Primary School in Dubai: Dubai English Speaking School (DESS)
- Best Secondary School in Dubai: GEMS Dubai American Academy
- Best Nursery Chain in Dubai: British Orchard Nursery
Here are the runner-ups for the Education Awards.
RETAIL
- Best Rewards Programme in Dubai: SHARE Rewards
- Best Online Grocery & Food Delivery App in Dubai: Talabat
- Best Discount Programme in Dubai: Smiles
Check out the Retail Awards runner-ups.
HOSPITALITY
- Best 5-Star Hotel in Dubai: Atlantis, The Palm
- Best Boutique Hotel in Dubai: Lapita Hotel Dubai
- Best Beach Resort in Dubai: Anantara The Palm Dubai Resort
- Best Spa in Dubai: Anantara Spa
- Best Hotel Membership Programmes in Dubai: U by Emaar
Click here to to reveal the Hospitality Awards runner-ups.
DINING
- Best New Fine Dining Restaurant in Dubai: CÉ LA VI Dubai
- Best New Café in Dubai: Hive Board Game Café
- Best Instagrammable Café in Dubai: Secret Garden by L’ETO
- Best Hidden Gem Restaurant in Dubai: Al Ustad Special Kabab
See which restaurants and cafes made it to the Dining Awards runner-ups list.
CREATIVE TALENT
- Best English Radio Entertainment Show in Dubai: The Kris Fade Show, Virgin Radio
- Best YouTube Content Creator in Dubai: Mo Vlogs
- Best Instagram Influencer in Dubai: Khalid Al Ameri
Take a look at the Creative Talent runner-ups.
THE STUNNING PERFORMANCES AT THE BAYUT YOUR HOME YOUR CHOICE MEGA EVENT
The red carpet was rolled out on the evening of November 2, 2021 at the Dubai Opera. This elegant and glamorous event was attended by more than 500 guests, included luminaries from the business and entertainment worlds.
Through their witty humour, friendly quips and playful banter, the amazing hosts, Shereen Mitwalli, Ali Al Sayed, Omar A. and Kris Fade, made sure it was a night of fun, laughter and celebration. For the enjoyment and entertainment of guests, the event also comprised a series of stunning acts and performances. Let’s take a look.
THE NATIONAL ANTHEM BY DUBAI POLICE MARCH BAND
The event opened with the National Anthem of the UAE, performed by the spectacular Dubai Police Band. As everyone stood to honour the building crescendo of “Long Live My Country,” the stage and space were lit up in the glowing hues of the UAE Flag. After the National Anthem, Haider Ali Khan, the CEO of Bayut & dubizzle and the Head of EMPG MENA felicitated the Dubai Police for gracing the event with their presence.
THE BALLET EXTRAVAGANZA
Following the opening note by our CEO, the stage was taken over by the ballet troupe, which immediately left the audience in awe with a stellar aerial performance. Akin to a dream of a fantastical wonderland, the performance was truly magical, like a fairy floating in the air on a midsummer’s night.
And while the audience was still enchanted by the beautiful spell that performance had cast on them, the tempo picked up and the ballerinas took charge, conquering the entire event space. You could see them gracefully pirouetting and jetéing on the stage and right next to your table. Truth be told, it was like being immersed in the midst of a ballet recital!
A BROADWAY EXPERIENCE
A great night calls for great music and the Bayut YHYC event delivered just that! Renowned vocalist, Salha, took centre stage during dinner service and turned up the heat with her amazing performance. Bringing Broadway to Dubai Opera, Salha crooned and swayed to classic jazz numbers like “Fever” and “Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend.” Keeping the mood upbeat but still relaxed, the performance paved way for the remaining show to continue on with great fervour and enthusiasm.
THE FINALE
The closing act, to bid adieu to the winners and guests, was a high-energy hip-hop sequence. It brought the event to a close on exactly the right note – with moods uplifted, spirits high and a feeling of cumulative celebration at what had been a tremendous evening!
That’s all we have for you now from the highlights of the Bayut YHYC Awards 2021. This was the first time Bayut had hosted a consumer choice awards to celebrate Dubai, but it certainly won’t be the last.
A big shout out to the team who poured their heart and soul into making this event a huge success and congratulations to all the winners. For those who didn’t triumph this time around, remember that you’re all winners as far as we’re concerned. And there’s always next year! Onwards and upwards.
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