Muscat-Oman top Shopping Malls

Shopping Malls Muscat has come a long way from the simple old souks to the bustling , ultra modern shopping complexes that have sprung up in the city in recent times. The Capital area has a number of shopping malls, mostly situated in Qurum at the split of the main highway, and in the Al Khuwair area facing the Government ministries. Local produce in the super markets is reasonably priced and of a good standard. There are many furniture shops selling Western style furniture, handicraft shops,and a few galleries which renovate and customise antique Middle Eastern and Indian furniture. All the shopping malls are fully air-conditioned,brightly lit and cleaned round the clock, have their own mix of shops and showrooms, car parks, cafes and food courts and play areas for childrenocation: Qurum Commercial area PO Box : 234,Jibroo,Postal Code 114 Tel: 24566180,Fax : 24566186 e-mail : alaraimi@omantel.net.om A popular meeting place and great find for the latest in European and International fashion and accessories. Home to brand names like JC Penny, Giordano, Mexx, Versace, Bata of Italy, Rolex, Kenwood, Bose, Bosch, Carlton Cards and Acer. Also houses shops dealing in Music, Electronics, Perfumes, Art, Crystalware, Footwear, Sports Gear, Gifts, Greeting Cards, Furniture.Burger King and Golden Gate help in stemming the hunger pangs of shoppers. Away from the busy Qurum and Ruwi areas,this mall houses shops selling the latest music tapes and CDs, Clothes, sporting and diving equipment,a greeting card shop, an internet cafe, and Al Fair supermarket. The mall has a separate food court and includes restaurants like Cafe Glacier, Muscateers, Iranian restaurant and Pizza land. Shopping MallOman LuLu Hypermarkets offer an ultra-modern shopping ambience by integrating all conceivable needs of the consumers under one roof. LuLu Hypermarkets have extensively laid out counters, sprawling parking spaces, play areas for children, food court, money exchange and bank counters besides a panoply of international and regional brands aptly justifying its tagline, LuLu, where the world comes to shop LuLu Hypermarkets not only dot the cities of the UAE but have become the most preferred shopping destinations in Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain,Yemen, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia. Located in the exclusive Shatti Al Qurum area and close to the beach and the Muscat Intercontinental, the Grand Hyatt and the Sheraton Qurum Beach Resort. It has a variety of outlets selling items like crystal ware, toys and gift and handicrafts. The Oman Heritage Gallery showcases Omani locally produced crafts and gift items. Restaurants include D'Arcy's Kitchen, O Sole Mio and Pizza Land are found in the ground floor. Muscat City Centre Muscat City Centre opened in October 2001 and is one of the leading shopping and lifestyle destinations in Oman. Featuring over 142 international and local brands – many of which have made their debut into Oman for the first time, and 18 restaurants and cafés, Muscat City Centre underwent a major expansion in 2007 which almost doubled the size of the mall by introducing more than 60 new stores, and increasing its retail space to 60,484 sqm. Muscat City Centre offers a range of popular shopping and dining options designed to meet the needs of the wider community from the latest trends in fashion, furniture and electronics or more practical conveniences like banking services, pharmacies and optical centres. The mall is anchored by a Carrefour hypermarket, a Magic Planet family entertainment centre, Home Centre, the value-added E-Max and Max stores, Sun & Sand Sports and a number of fashion brands including Marks & Spencer, Zara, GAP, H&M and the multi-brand store Centrepoint. Muscat City Centre also houses a Toys 'R' Us and Zara Home store, which round off the mall’s major anchors. Located in Seeb conveniently on the Al Sultan Qaboos Highway, Muscat City Centre has its own dedicated flyover with multi-level parking for 2,250 visitors. Qurum City Centre is Majid Al Futtaim Properties’ second venture in Oman after the hugely successful Muscat City Centre. Strategically located in the commercial hub of up market Qurum area, the project stretches across a gross leasable area (GLA) of over 20,600 square metres. The Centre opened its doors to the public in October 2008 and is home to over 75 retail outlets with anchor store Carrefour and popular brands such as H&M, BHS, Mango and Borders. The merchandise mix includes a strong representation in key categories such as fashion, F&B and other convenience and service sectors. Qurum City Centre has a designated food court, convenient access to and from the mall, with more than 900 parking lots and a taxi pick-up facility. Muscat City CentreCity Centre Mall City Centre Mall is the biggest and best shopping centre in Oman. It opened in 2001 and its correct name is Muscat City Centre, which can confuse people as it is several kilometres outside Muscat's city centre. It belongs to the Majid Al Futtaim chain of malls, which include the Mall of the Emirates and Bahrain City Centre. together the mall houses 144 retail outlets and 20 restaurants. They include a huge Carrefour hypermarket, where you can buy just about everything from camping equipment to fresh lobsters. There is also a large Borders bookstore, stocking a good selection of English books, and a Centrepoint. One section has designer clothes stores, like Giordano, Misako and Bally. The food court includes a variety of fast food outlets, such as McDonald's, KFC, Hardees, Subway, Cinnabon and Baskin RobbinThere is a Magic Planet entertainment area for children. The malls multitorey car park has spaces for over 1,500 cars. Muscat Shopping Readymade Garments is one of many shops in Mutrah Souq where you can buy traditional clothes. I was invitated into the shop by a pushy salesman. But he was was OK and gave me many hints and told me about the different styles. The price for a Dishdasha and cumma started at 10 rials. I got it for 7 rials. Mutrah Souq is the largest shopping area in Muscat, and one of the largest traditional markets in the Arab Gulf States. What to buy: A wide variety of items ranging like spices, traditional items, local crafts, Omani daggers, saddles, frankincense, baskets, wool carpets, Kelims, wall hangings, a variety of clothes, perfumes and of course there are shops which sell Western-style products. What to pay: Most of the products suit the budget of foreign visitors. And bargain is accepted