Ski Hall, Indoor ski resort in Mall of the Emirates, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Ski Hall is an indoor winter sports facility within the Mall of the Emirates in the desert metropolis of Dubai. The hall contains five separate slopes with different difficulty levels, from gentle beginner hills to steep descents and freestyle zones for advanced skiers.
The facility opened in November 2005 as the first covered ski venue in the Middle East. Since then, it has offered winter sports in a region where natural snow does not exist.
The name recalls alpine resorts, yet the facility sits inside a shopping center surrounded by desert. Visitors see families dressed in winter gear next to shoppers in summer clothes at the border between artificial snow and air-conditioned retail floors.
The entrance area offers complete equipment for rent, including insulated clothing, skis, snowboards, and boots for every size. Visitors should expect queues on weekends, and it is wise to bring comfortable socks to make the rental boots more pleasant to wear.
Several penguins live permanently inside the facility and walk across the artificial snow, while visitors may watch or photograph them. The temperature stays constant at minus 2 degrees Celsius, creating a sharp contrast with the more than 30 degrees outside in the shopping center.
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