The Top 8 Most Luxurious Malls in the World

The way we lead our lives has evolved beyond what one could have imagined thousands of years before. People now utilize money, gold, and technology to live a lavish and comfortable existence. Everything has shifted in every sector of life, adding a flair for luxury. People with money seek luxury vacations, luxury shopping, luxury clothing, and luxury in every aspect of their lives. It is more than just the demand for basic amenities.

Globally, there has been a major increase in luxury retail malls. Shopping malls are not just places where people can shop or buy their regular stuff; they have become a safe space for everyone to have fun, dine, shop, or even watch movies with so many other things. These extravagant places which we are going to talk about today have become a source of amusement and entertainment zones for the residents as well as for the tourists visiting these places. So, let’s explore these majestic Malls which are the monuments of opulence.

Redefining Opulence with the World’s Top 8 Extravagant Shopping Centers

Here’s the list of the top 8 lavish shopping hubs spread across the world offering you not just a place to satisfy your shopping spree with many other entertainment options to amuse you in every way possible.  

1.  Dubai Mall, UAE

The Dubai Mall is the world’s largest shopping mall, including 1200 lavish shops and boutiques. This greatest mall spans 5,400,000 square feet. It is the world’s most visited mall and luxury destination, with over 80 million people yearly. This upscale mall was delayed several times before ultimately opening on May 8, 2009, with a parking capacity of over 14,000. Canali, Rolex, Revoli, Victoria’s Secret, and many more luxury brands can be found in the mall. 

The Dubai Aquarium and Underwater Zoo is a famous attraction in The Dubai Mall, with over 300 species of aquatic creatures, including sharks and rays. The aquarium has received awards for its excellence and was inspired by “The Underwater Paradise.” Play DXB is a virtual reality theme park that was previously known as VR Park Dubai and Sega Republic. The park features 15 rides, including motion simulators and obstacle courses, as well as a laser maze and bumper cars. Reel Cinemas is a 22-screen cinema in The Dubai Mall, featuring four cinema suites and the first THX-certified cinema in Dubai.  Dubai Dino is a replica of a Diplodocus fossil, over 7 meters tall and 24 meters long, located in the Grand Atrium of The Dubai Mall.

2.  Bluewater, England

Bluewater Shopping Centre is an out-of-town mall in Kent, England, located 28 km east of London. Opened in 1999, it spans 240 acres and has 154,000 m2 of retail space over three levels, making it the 5th largest shopping center in the UK. This is not only a luxury mall in England, but also a top shopping destination throughout Europe and the UK. This mall has all your favorite designer outlets, as well as an abundance of high-street favorites.

A multiplex theater will keep customers occupied, as will a fitness center for those who wish to get some exercise. The food court in this mall is at your service to fill your hunger, and its triangle shape was purposefully designed to keep customers from missing anything vital. It is undoubtedly a luxury location that you must visit on your trip here.

3.  Villagio – Doha, Qatar

Villagio Mall in Doha, Qatar is another upscale mall that opened in 2006. The mall has some of the most highly regarded online luxury brands and shops. The mall’s interiors are Italianate-themed. The mall also houses an indoor theme park called Gondolania Theme Park. The indoor theme park features Gondolania Ice Rink, one of Qatar’s two ice hockey rinks, which hosts the Qatar Ice Hockey League and the local Desert Cup event.

The mall also includes a boat ride option inside, which provides a breathtaking view during the journey. One of the top luxury malls to visit in Qatar. A notorious incident about this Mall was the 2012 fire that resulted in the death of many people. On May 28, 2012, a major fire broke out at Villaggio Mall in Qatar, trapping 17 people, including 13 children, inside a nursery. The investigations later revealed that an electrical fault at the Nike store caused the fire.

4.  Mall of the Emirates, UAE

The Mall of the Emirates in Dubai was voted the World’s Leading New Shopping Mall at the World Travel Awards in London in 2005. It is developed and owned by Majid Al Futtaim Group, opened in November 2005 and features over 630 retail outlets, 7900 parking spaces, 100 restaurants, 80 luxury stores, and 250 flagship stores, with a total gross leasable area of 255,489 square meters. This is the very first mall in the Middle East to have an indoor ski resort and ice park called Ski Dubai and the Dubai Community Theatre and Arts Centre, and Magic Planet.

The mall also features a five-star Kempinski hotel. This premium retail mall has around 700 businesses in its four-story edifice. In 2013, the mall launched a multi-stage rehabilitation project totaling around AED 1 billion (US 4 million). In 2012, the mall was regarded as the world’s seventh most productive retail mall. 

5.  Grand Canal Shoppes, USA

The Grand Canal Shoppes is an upscale shopping mall located inside the Venetian and Palazzo resorts on the Las Vegas Strip. It opened in 1999 and features indoor canals with gondola rides, live performances, and upscale boutiques. The surroundings and inside setting within this mall are very different from many others on the globe, whether you are resting or going around window shopping. The mall is designed to resemble St. Mark’s Square and features a sky-painted ceiling. The mall originally had 500,000 square feet of retail space, but then expanded to 875,000 square feet with 208 tenants.

The mall has also housed a number of restaurants and nightclubs, including themed meals and a risqué nightclub that failed financially and shuttered in 2013. In 2019, a new show, Atomic Saloon Show, opened in the former Act space. Moreover, Valet parking is available upon arrival at the mall, so you don’t have to waste time seeking a spot to park your car.

6.  West Edmonton Mall, Canada

West Edmonton Mall (WEM) is a prominent retail mall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, owned, managed, and operated by the Triple Five Group. It is the second most visited mall in Canada, after the Toronto Eaton Centre in Toronto. As of 2015, West Edmonton Mall in Alberta, Canada, was North America’s largest mall. The mall also has high-end boutiques such as La Maison Simons, Victoria’s Secret, and Hugo Boss. It has three floors of commercial space and accommodates more than 800 companies and services.

Millions of people visit it every year. Aside from being a famous luxury shopping destination, the mall has many other entertainment options. These may include Galaxyland, World Waterpark, Mayfield Toyota Ice Palace, Sea Life Caverns, Professor WEM’s Adventure Golf, Ed’s Recreation Centre, and many movie theaters. The mall also has themed zones including Bourbon Street, Europa Boulevard, and Chinatown. 

7.  Canal City, Japan

Canal City Hakata is a huge shopping and entertainment center in Fukuoka, Japan. Canal City Hakata started construction on June 3, 1993, and opened for business on April 20, 1996. The Jerde Partnership designed the facility. It is the largest ever private development in Japan’s history ($1.4 billion dollars for 234,460 m2 (2.5 million square feet). This is a beautiful shopping mall in Fukuoka, Japan, and you would feel honored to shop there while visiting this Asian country.

This mall has lots of entertainment options, including canal stores, observation spots, fountains, and water features. The complex is created in an odd amusing style, with many curved sculptures and fountains, and the city of Fukuoka is hardly visible, creating a sense of an oasis far away from the bustle of the city. Basically, you will find everything you need at a retail center here. Look for a music stadium, a gaming center, comedians performing on the street, and art displays.

8.  The Landmark, Hong Kong

Hong Kong Land owns Landmark, a business complex located in Central, Hong Kong. It has three office towers: Gloucester Tower, Edinburgh Tower, and York House. At the center of the LANDMARK shopping complex is the retail hub known as Landmark Atrium. This commercial complex shows why horizontal space is decreasing in Hong Kong, China. The city of Concrete is the most expensive city due to this reason. Many developers are choosing to scale up their projects, and the Landmark Mandarin Oriental Hotel, which has 113 rooms, is a first-rate example within this mall. The mall’s elegant Oriental Spa and Gloucester Towers are its other notable attractions. You will have no regrets about shopping at this mall when visiting Hong Kong.