Roger Federer’s favorite holiday destination is not a European country, as some may have expected. The Swiss icon once revealed that his go-to spot for a relaxing vacation is the Asian archipelago of Maldives. But he also enjoys spending time in Dubai, UAE, and it takes the cake over Maldives since he also owns a luxurious home there.
Maldives is the smallest Asian country, comprising 26 atolls about 750 kilometres from the continental mainland. With lavish resorts dotting the islands of the sparsely populated nation, it has developed into a popular tourism destination. Many celebrities, including athletes, actors, singers etc., prefer to vacation there. Other than Federer, tennis stars like Novak Djokovic and Alexander Zverev also frequent Maldives.
In an interview in 2019, Roger Federer’s favorite holiday destination was confirmed by the former World No.1 himself. He said Maldives is his choice because he loves a beach holiday with his family (Robb Report). Federer and wife Mirka have visited the island nation multiple times, staying in the most opulent resorts.
“My favorite destination would have to be the Maldives. I love a beach vacation with my family, where at the end of the day, I can have a beautiful quiet dinner with my wife or a wonderful time with friends.”
Federer also revealed he loved mountain vacations. Hailing from Switzerland, he doesn’t need to travel far for that. The Swiss Alps are an iconic mountain holiday destination.
Roger Federer favorite holiday destination where he owns a lavish penthouse
The 20-time Grand Slam winner also has another favourite in Asia. Roger Federer has a close connection with Dubai in the UAE, even purchasing a home there. He has won the Dubai Tennis Championships a record seven times, a very valid reason for his affection for the city. In the same interview with Robb Report, he revealed that The Burj Al Arab Jumeirah in Dubai is his favourite hotel.
Federer used to stay in the ultra-luxury hotel frequently, but he also decided to purchase his place in the Middle Eastern tax haven. While he primarily resides in a lavish three-storey mansion in Wollerau, Switzerland, he shelled out about $23.5 million for a posh penthouse in Dubai in 2014.
The five-bedroom penthouse in Dubai’s exclusive Le Reve skyscraper is filled with luxurious fittings and amenities. As per the Architectural Digest, Federer can summon a helicopter to the building’s helipad with a press of a button. The Swiss star spoke about his choice to purchase a house in the Emirati city.
“But I had a good time practising, it was peace and quiet, and I kind of enjoyed it here. I was like, You know, I think this works well for practice and leisure. The next thing I knew, I had an apartment.”
The 6,100-square-foot penthouse is situated at the top of a 50-storey tower, offering exquisite shoreline views of Roger Federer’s favourite holiday destination. It comes with an 870-square-foot private terrace. The entire house has an in-built smart system that enables the resident to control the lighting, temperature, and multimedia from any room, for any room. Federer can also utilise the temperature-controlled rooftop pool and a cutting-edge fitness centre.
Other amenities offered by La Reve include a 24-hour concierge, personal butlers, a chauffeur-driven limousine, a bookable Ferrari, and a personalised security team for its most exclusive residents. Formula 1 legend Fernando Alonso also lives in the same building.
Although Roger Federer will not be playing in the Dubai Open 2024, he is an 8-time champion there in men’s singles, which is a record that still exists and is unlikely to be broken in the future. The Dubai Open 2024 venue is a 30-40 minutes drive from Federer’s house.
