To call Mandalay Place a mall is generous. There are only about 40 boutiques and restaurants in about 100,000 square feet of space, a miniscule fraction of what you'll find at the "real" malls up the street. In fact, if you don't dawdle to window shop and just use the facility as a quick way to get from Mandalay Bay to Luxor without going outside, you can make it through in just a few minutes.

So this really isn't a destination mall like the Forum Shops or the Grand Canal Shoppes, but that doesn't change the fact that the shopping opportunities here are unique, very interesting and definitely worth a look if you're in the area.

Mandalay Place is on a bridge between Luxor and Mandalay Bay, accessible from the former on the south end of the casino and from the latter on the north end near House of Blues and the showroom. On the Mandalay Bay side you'll find a couple of noteworthy stores before you even go up the big escalator to the mall proper: one of two Chocolate Swan outlets, a deliciously decadent dessert emporium (full review) and the Reading Room, an independent bookstore offering limited editions and rarities alongside mass-market publications.

Upstairs you'll find several more one-of-a-kind boutiques offering everything from clothes to jewelry to fine art to fine wine. Here are just a few samples:

55 Degrees Wine + Design is run by the same people who do the famous wine tower at the Aureole at Mandalay Bay, and the store offers a huge selection of wines, a tasting menu and more.

Godt-Cleary Gallery is more than just your average mall art gallery where you would buy knock-off Lichtenstein prints. This place has showings of paintings, sculpture and other artistic expressions, such as a display of Cindy Sherman table settings that bring the presentation of a meal up to the level of fine art.

The Art of Shaving is a combination retail outlet and barber shop-spa for men, offering haircuts and shaves in a spa setting alongside an extensive collection of skin care, hair care, and fragrances.

Other name-brand outlets include the first Nike Golf store, Davidoff cigar emporium, Samantha Chang lingerie and Urban Outfitters clothing.

If you're hungry, you must go to the aforementioned Chocolate Swan, but there's also the Burger Joint, a pseudo-retro diner with a big selection of casual food and draft beers, or Cafe Giorgio, a fine Italian restaurant from Piero Selvaggio.

As the only serious shopping option on the south end of the Strip, Mandalay Place may not be the biggest or grandest mall in the city, but it gets the job done and -- if nothing else -- you can avoid the heat outside when you're traveling from Mandalay Bay to Luxor.

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The Full Story

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Harrah's Buys Shutdown Binion's Horseshoe
Unusual Shops Make Mandalay Place Mall Stand Out
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