Shopping in Dubai: Here’s where to stay

Located in the busiest part of Dubai, the Flora Grand Hotel is a good choice if you have trained your sights on the city’s many souks. The Gold Souk, and the Covered Souk are both a short distance from here, as is the Al Ghurair Centre, if you want to shop in air-conditioned comfort. The metro station next to the hotel is convenient when you return with shopping bags from your mall raids downtown.

Some pick the hotel for its architectural beauty, some for the views. With a lobby that leads directly into Dubai Mall, shoppers usually choose The Address Dubai Mall purely for its location. It helps that it also hosts five great restaurants, a spa, and a gym. They have 244 rooms, and they command an awe-inspiring view of the urban sprawl of Dubai with endless golden stretches of sand beyond the steel structures.

When dune bashing gets passé, try looking out onto snowy slopes. Welcome to the Kempinski Hotel located in the Mall of the Emirates. Their Ski Chalets look out into Ski Dubai, the first indoor ski-resort in the Middle-East. Imagine a day of hardcore shopping at Gucci, Prada, Cartier and Bvlgari, with Topshop, Zara and H&M just around the corner, and capping that with a cup of hot Irish coffee against alpine vistas in the middle of a desert.

Four restaurants, two bars, and a pool bar–some hotels make it so easy to let your hair down. Overlooking the Dubai Creek and Marina, the InterContinental also serves some of the best Parisian bistro food. It is at shouting distance from Dubai Festival City Mall, a giant complex of high-street and luxury stores. After an intense shopping spree, check into the spa for a quick recovery–their Balinese and Shiatsu massages will get you ready for Round 2 in no time.