Top 4 incredible malls of Dubai

In Dubai's malls, shopping and dining are just the tip of a very large iceberg – in one case, almost literally. Escape the heat and spend your days exploring these spectacular entertainment complexes, where you'll find museum-style attractions, all-out thematic décor and even a winter wonderland.

The Ibn Battuta Mall pays homage to the expeditions of medieval explorer Ibn Battuta, who was born in present-day Morocco. The mall's six courts reflect the six regions that Battuta explored: Andalusia, Tunisia, Egypt, Persia, India and China, containing a total of 275 stores, 50 restaurants and 21 movie screens, including an IMAX theater. Thanks to its convenient retail zoning, you'll find the mall a cinch to navigate – it's divided into family, high-end brand, department store and entertainment categories.

A 390,000-square-foot structure spread across four floors, the Dubai Marina Mall is a one-stop shopper's paradise packed with 130 stores, including high-street fashion favorites such as Levi's and H&M as well as fast-casual eateries like YO! Sushi. In the surrounding Dubai Marina district you'll also find waterfront apartments, restaurants and even more shops. During the cooler evening hours, go for a stroll along The Walk, an art-lined promenade in the middle of the Jumeirah Beach Residence community, just minutes from our Radisson Blu Residence, Dubai Marina.

Entertainment at the Mall of the Emirates is never in short supply. Theater buffs will be delighted by the Dubai Community Theatre & Art Center (DUCTAC) with its 543-seat main stage, black box theater, and dance, rehearsal and art studios. DUCTAC holds performances, exhibitions and workshops on a weekly basis, designed to appeal to both the local community and international visitors. If you've got the kids in tow, head over to Magic Planet, Dubai's largest indoor entertainment center for families. Test your skills at the pool tables, get your kicks on amusement-park rides like the RoboCoaster, or lose yourself in a screening at the first 4D movie theater in the United Arab Emirates – all without ever leaving the mall.

Looking to really beat the heat? Take a trip to Ski Dubai, the Middle East's first indoor ski center, for tubing, skiing, snowboarding, tobogganing or just plain playing in the snow. Winter sports enthusiasts can rent their gear onsite and choose from fun runs or the indoor black-diamond slope. Once you've worked up an appetite zooming down the slopes, grab some themed refreshments at one of the Alpine cafés, or try out South Pole living with a swim in a pool occupied by friendly Gentoo and King penguins.

The Dubai Mall is a stunning structure with 5.9 million square feet of total floor space, more than 1,200 retail stores and over 200 restaurants. Its 'Fashion Avenue' has one of the largest selections of international designer brands among the malls listed here, including Valentino, Hervé Léger, Chloé, and Michael Kors.

Not to be outdone in the family entertainment department, the mall also houses the Dubai Aquarium & Underwater Zoo, where you can get a 270° view of the main tank by walking through a tunnel almost 50 metres long. On display in The Souk Dome is DubaiDino, the 25-foot-tall and 80-foot-long skeleton of Amphicoelias brontodiplodocus, a long-necked, plant-eating dinosaur.