Most visitors to Dubai end up in The Dubai Mall at some point, and a good number of them lose an afternoon in Bloomingdale's. It's the kind of store you walk into for a pair of sunglasses and leave two hours later wondering whether everything will fit in your suitcase.
What You'll Find at Bloomingdale's in The Dubai Mall
Bloomingdale's in The Dubai Mall spreads over three floors, with designer fashion, accessories and beauty alongside homeware. Give it a proper slot in your itinerary rather than squeezing it in before a dinner reservation, because changing rooms and beauty counters both take longer than you'd expect at busy times.
If you're comparing labels, Galeries Lafayette and Level Shoes are in the same mall, so you can see a few options in one afternoon without crossing the city.
Getting to Bloomingdale's and Finding Your Way Around
The Dubai Mall has well over a thousand shops, so it helps to know where you're heading before you arrive. If you're coming by Metro, get off at Burj Khalifa/Dubai Mall station and follow the long air-conditioned walkway into the mall. It takes around ten minutes, which feels longer on the way back with bags.
Taxis and hotel cars drop off at the main entrances, and the digital directories on each level will point you to Bloomingdale's. Wear comfortable shoes. You'll walk much further than you plan to.
The Best Time to Shop at The Dubai Mall
The Dubai Mall is at its busiest on Friday to Sunday evenings and through the winter, when tourism peaks. Weekday mornings, soon after opening, are the calmest time to shop, and you'll often have the beauty counters almost to yourself. If you'd rather go later, the Dubai Fountain shows run every evening just outside the mall, which makes a good excuse to sit down for half an hour.
Timing your trip can help too. The Dubai Shopping Festival runs across December and January with promotions throughout the city's malls, and Dubai Summer Surprises brings another round of sales in July and August. During Ramadan the mall stays open late, and the evenings after iftar are lively.
Shopping Bloomingdale's UAE Online From Your Hotel
If you'd rather not carry bags around in the heat, Bloomingdale's UAE also sells online and delivers to your hotel, with same-day and 2-hour options on eligible orders in Dubai. It's useful when you've forgotten something for a special dinner, or when you want to compare prices before heading to the store.
Orders over AED 500 ship free, and most items can be returned free within 30 days, although beauty products usually can't be. Before checking out, look at the Bloomingdale's UAE codes on Rezeem, which list current discounts on full-price items and sale edits. Codes work on online orders, so they won't help at the till in the mall. During the bigger sale periods, it's worth comparing the code with the sales, as the sale reduction is sometimes the better deal.
Payment is easy for visitors, too. The site takes the major cards, including American Express, as well as Apple Pay and PayPal, so there's no need to set up anything local.
How to Claim a VAT Refund on Your Dubai Shopping
Visitors aged 18 and over can reclaim VAT on shopping through the UAE's Tax Refund for Tourists scheme. It covers purchases of AED 250 or more at participating retailers, and you validate them at the airport within 90 days of buying. You get most of the 5% VAT back, minus a small fee per receipt, either in cash or on your card. If the shopping is going in your checked luggage, validate it before you check in, not after. The refund only covers goods you take out of the country, so meals, spa treatments and anything used up during your stay don't count.
Ask for a tax-free receipt when you pay, and pack the items where you can reach them, because you may be asked to show them at validation. The UAE government's VAT refund page explains each step.
Keep all the receipts together in one envelope. It's much easier than searching through three shopping bags in the departures hall.
