Joanna James
As one of the Middle East's certified shopper's hotspots, Doha is home to some of the biggest and most spectacular malls on the planet. Here are some of the city's best malls to shop around in on your next holiday in the desert capital.
Often ranked as the best mall in the city, the City Center Mall is an iconic shopper's paradise in the Al Dafna area of Doha. With a whopping 70,000 people visiting the venue during vacation season, the mall has become a tourist hub in its own right. Famed for housing high-end cosmetic shops and globally recognised brands, the homeware section and sports accessories for sale at the mall are also top-notch. In addition to a bowling alley, the City Centre Mall is also home to an ice skating rink.
Spread out across an area of 124 acres, the Mall of Qatar is home to a whopping 500 retail hubs including stores, restaurants and entertainment hotspots. Some of the biggest brands on sale at the mall include ALDO, Adidas and Bershka while the Cineplex at the mall contains an impressive 19 screens. Xtremeland and at Kindsmondoz are other reasons why families love spending time at this mammoth shopping compound located at the Jahhaniya Interchange in Doha.
Identified by locals and expats as a little piece of Venice in Doha, the Villaggio Mall is about as close as one can get to the Venetian atmosphere in the desert. Sprawled across an area of 360,000 square metres, the mall is a tourist attraction that draws nearly fifty thousand visitors on a daily basis. With two hundred retail spaces to its name, the mall's most famous signature stores include Christian Dior, Valentino, Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Dolce and Gabbana.
Situated in one of Doha's most breathtaking corners in West Bay Lagoon Street, Lagoona Mall is unique in design with outdoor patios and canopies creating a luxuriously relaxing atmosphere. Known as the best place to pick up home decor items and accessories, the fashion stores and cafes at the mall make it a popular hangout for residents as well as expats. The massive corridors and the state-of-the-art lighting techniques used to illuminate the mall also make it a wonderful place to spend time in.
Whether one is based at the Banana Island Resort Doha by Anantara or any one of the other Doha hotels, a tour of the Tawar Mall is a must as the stunning architecture alone is well worth the visit. Although the mall is among the most luxurious malls in the city, the locale contains stores and brands that are suitable for even those on a budget. With more than 300 stores to choose from, the Tawar Mall Doha is a great place for both bargains and high-end products. In addition to Novo theatres, the locale also boasts a musical fountain. Open from 8 am to midnight from Saturday to Thursday, the mall closes from 11 am to 12:30 pm on Fridays for prayers similar to most businesses.
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