What does the word ‘mall’ make you think of? For most, the images that come to mind with this word are probably of a large, clean and simple building which houses numerous shops and stores of all types and sizes. Maybe that image also contains fast food eating places, small stalls and the occasional season display of decoration.
With the Abu Dhabi Mall in the United Arab Emirates, nothing quite so mundane was ever going to suffice. Instead of a place to shop and maybe grab a quick bite to eat, the Abu Dhabi Mall has seemlessly dedicated itself to create a retail and enjoyment experience, all within familiar surroundings of a mall complex. It would be easy to lose a day here, and indeed, many tourists describe a trip to the splendour of the Abu Dhabi Mall as a highlight of their Middle Eastern vacation.
There is, quite simply, absolutely everything one could hope for at the Abu Dhabi Mall. There are over 250 retail outlets, stocking everything from designer clothes and {lingerie} to fashionable homewares, meaning there really is something for everyone. Yet the stores almost take second place in the boasting stakes, considering the high quality of some of the other amenities provided within the mall grounds. There are 40 international cuisine food outlets and stalls within the mall, offering everything from a quick bite of food to grab on the go, to full sit down meals. There are also numerous coffee shops and soft drinks stands, to quench the thirst of the dedicated shopper.
So far, while enormous in scope and size, all of these aforementioned items are fairly standard for a mall. It is, however, with the extras that the Abu Dhabi Mall truly comes into its own realm. There is a huge family entertainment area, including a cinema with multiple screens, a children’s education centre and even a bowling alley. These are just the fixed, permanent amenities; there are also regular seasonal additions, including music shows, craft fairs, exhibitions and performing artists. These tend to take place in the Main Atrium of the Mall, which is easy to find due to it being the entrance to the mall also.
There is also a hypermarket on the lower level of the mall, which provides every day shopping needs that one would usually expect to find in a grocery store or Wal-Mart at home. This hypermarket, the Addcoop Hypermarket, is located on the ground floor level of the mall, and is connected to the main retail areas on the three floors above by elevators and walkways.
Finding the Abu Dhabi Mall should not be difficult, given its prominence as a prime tourist destination. The mall itself is located in the Tourist Club Area of the city of Abu Dhabi, which itself is some 30 minutes drive from the main airport of Abu Dhabi International. To reach the mall from your hotel, consult a local map, but for most Abu Dhabi hotels it is a medium walk or short taxi ride away.