Doha’s malls are spectacular, but be prepared to do more than shop. As well as thousands of stores ranging from high-end designer to international chains, malls here are also feats of architecture, featuring chandeliers, fountains and even a replica of Venetian canals! Inside you can catch a film, go-kart, ice-skate, go trampolining, even ride a carousel – these aren’t shopping centres so much as giant entertainment houses. Oh, and the food! This is everything you need to know about the best malls in Doha.
Mall of Qatar
This 500,000-sq-metre beast is the largest mall in the city (and, indeed, in the country) – unsurprisingly, it’s well worth a visit. The centre of the mall looks like something out of a video game, with high columns wrapped with plants, water fountains and art installations. Here you’ll find a wealth of stores, restaurants and entertainment options.
From Calvin Klein to Carrefour, Sketchers to Swarovski, you’ll be hard pushed to find a brand that isn’t represented here. Outside of shopping ‘til you drop (in all seriousness, wear comfortable shoes), you’ll find the usual handful of fast food and chain restaurants as well as local eats. Catch a flick at the huge cinema while you’re here, or take the kids for an afternoon at the arcade, hang from the indoor climbing wall, stop off at softplay or have a game of bowling.
Villagio Mall
Slip on your boat shoes and jump into a gondola at this Doha mall modelled after the city of Venice. This indoor mall with an outdoor feel (think inside but with store fronts resembling proper brick shops, a ceiling painted like the sky and gondoliers breezing past) is a brilliant place to take an air-conditioned stroll among the hustle and bustle of shoppers.
You’ll find international stores here, as well as a host of local fashion brands, plus restaurants including Sushi Library, Shake Shack, Benihana and Applebees. If you get bored with shopping, there’s plenty to do here: you can sail along the canals, strap on some skates (there’s an Olympic-sized ice-rink here), or hit the go-karting track.
Place Vendôme Mall
The outside of this mall has real wow factor, with a canal and dancing fountains that make for a pretty show. Grab some food and eat al fresco at one of the little tables next to the fountains (you may have to wait a little during busier times). Inside the mall, you’ll find a tonne of space, a domed eating area and a mixture of traditional and modern design with hanging moon and star chandeliers, twinkling fairylights and pretty tiling. The shops range from high-end designers to large supermarkets, and there are plenty of places to eat, from the Armani Cafe to Le Relais de L’entrecote. Plus, you can try out the onsite escape room, catch a flick at the cinema or check out the Trocadero theme park.
City Center Mall
This large, airy mall with palm trees in the centre is packed with fashion stores, electronics outlets, and a huge hypermarket (Carrefour). There’s also a handful of great entertainment options available here, from catching a film at the Grand Cine Center cinema, to a 1000-sq-metre inflatables park for kids (and big kids!); this mall even boasts Padel courts (that’s the mashup of squash and tennis that’s got everyone going wild). After your activities, pick some food from the scores of eateries; choose from the usual roster of fast food joints to juice bars, Middle Eastern eats and sit-down restaurants.
Landmark Mall
This place is a literal landmark in the Al Gharaffa area, in the north of Doha. Unlike many of the other malls in the city, this structure sits on a single (very spread out) storey. Inside you’ll find a Carrefour hypermarket, brands including Zara, M&S, Swarovski, Aldo and Superdry, among literally hundreds of others. This mall is a great place for children – head to Circusland and hop on the carousel, bounce through the trampoline park and race cars at the kids’ arcade. Recharge with a drink from Joe & the Juice, grab a bite at Tawouk, or hit up one of the number of fast food outlets on offer here.
Doha Festival City
You’ll need to dedicate a serious chunk of your time if you want to fully explore this 600,000-square-metre mall. Before you hit the shops, carve out some time to check out the entertainment options. Take the kids to Angry Birds World, where they can race cars, go on themed rides and get flung through the air by a giant slingshot (yes, really). There’s also a real life snow park, gaming world, cinema and an outdoor fitness trail that you can run and bike on.
Now let’s get to the retail therapy. There are huge department stores here from Ikea to Harvey Nichols, as well as smaller chains and boutiques. You’ll find several food courts here for budget-friendly eats, as well as Carluccio’s, Eataly and Angelina Paris, among a host of others.
Mirqab Mall
This smaller, quieter mall is a step away from some of the mega malls that dominate Doha’s shopping landscape. There’s a pretty indoor fountain with palm trees dotted around it, underneath a large arched ceiling that makes the mall feel particularly spacious, and the architecture is superb. There’s a large Carrefour, more than 500 stores and several kids’ play areas. You’ll also find a cinema here, as well as a number of hair and beauty salons that are highly rated.
Lagoona Mall
The big wow factor at Lagoona Mall is the dining area: choose from a number of restaurants on the piazza, with the snail-shaped water fountains wrapped right around the tables so you can be right among the action. Stores in the elegantly set-out mall range from Adidas to Armani, Swarovski to Superdry, and it’s a great place to shop if you’re looking for something that isn’t too crowded (although the piazza fills up around mealtimes). Outside of shopping and eating, you’ll find cinemas with reclining leather seats, and a kids’ soft play area.
