Definitive Guide To The Top 5 Luxury Hotels Of Marrakech That Capture The Essence Of Modern Luxury
An alluring destination for luxury travellers, choose from palaces owned by the royal family to sprawling riad-style retreats that capture the timeless architecture of Marrakech.
Colourful, culture-rich, and bustling with life, Marrakech is one of the most visited cities in the world. Although there are endless reasons to holiday in Marrakech, its architectural design instantly catches the eye. The grand keyhole arches create striking doorways and walkways, leading to open courtyards with vibrant gardens and ornate water fountains. Colourful ‘zillij’ or zellige tiled floors and bold hues such as fuchsia, royal blue, and vibrant red harmonize perfectly with the calming desert tones, forming a captivating expression of Moroccan design aesthetics.
The city’s grand hotels are often inspired by the rose-hued buildings of old Marrakech. With choices abound in the ‘Red City,’ planning where to stay can feel overwhelming for luxury travellers who seek only the best. DP shortlists the city’s top luxury hotels that marry the finest in design and architecture with the best cuisine and hospitality.
1.Royal Mansour Is The Epitome Of Moroccan Craftmanship Endowed With Royalty
The lobby’s grand showcase of zellige work, wooden features, stucco walls, and fabrics opens a window into Moroccan art de vivre. (Image Credit: Royal Mansour Marrakech)
Royal Mansour, owned by King Mohammed VI of Morocco, stands as the ultimate retreat for dignitaries and celebrities. Crafted by Morocco’s finest artisans, this Moorish palace exudes opulence and grandeur. Spread across like a medina; it features 53 private raids. Each riad is unique, with three floors adorned with stucco walls, intricately carved cedarwood, and heavily embroidered damask curtains. Experience utmost privacy in the exquisite private residences, each boasting a luxurious plunge pool, charming patio, and a breathtaking roof terrace offering stunning views of Atlas Mountain. Led by Chef Yannick Alléno, its seven restaurants serve a wide range of cuisines, from Italian and Mediterranean to pan-Asian. ‘La Grande Table Marocaine’, the most sought-after fine dining restaurant, has joined the elite circle of Les Grandes Tables du Monde, counted as a gastronome’s guide to luxury gastronomy.
With its wide range of exceptional treatments, from traditional hammam and Indian ayurveda to cutting-edge facial treatments like phyto-cosmetology, the Spa Royal Mansour Marrakech continues to lead as a topnotch wellness destination in Marrakech and worldwide. Surrounded by a landscape garden, ‘Le Jardin’, the 30-metre-long swimming pool is a dream refuge on hot summer days. As the night falls, a musical atmosphere envelopes ‘Le Jardin Bar’, setting the tone for a wonderful night.
DP recommends a stay at the exclusive private riads that boast captivating architectural designs over three floors.
2.Amanjena Unfurls A Palatial Ambience With Understated Luxury
Amanjena is a palatial retreat of sun-kissed pink facades, a towering palm garden oasis dotted with standalone maisons and pavilion homes offering private pools and outdoor gazebos. Synonymous with expansive private riads of Morocco, architect Ed Tuttle designed the rooms as restrained, tasteful, and tranquil. For couples seeking space and privacy, Amanjena’s 32 air-conditioned Pavilion suites, resting beneath a graceful stucco Venetian dome, impress with their impeccable Moroccan decor, featuring Berber carpets and zellige floors. Enclosed within the scented gardens, the suites open into a sprawling outdoor courtyard and a traditional outdoor gazebo that calls for lounging or private dinners by candlelight. After a refreshing swim session, one can enjoy a hearty breakfast or lunch under the shade of the rose-toned serene corridors surrounding their pool terrace, or raise a glass of champagne to the day with their selections of fresh salads, grills and seafood by the manicured lawns of the ‘Olive Grove’. Japanese cuisine enthusiasts would relish the unique ‘Washoku cuisine’ at the nightly restaurant ‘Nama’ around the charcoal-fired robata grill.
The biggest draw is the serene design and architecture of its spa, which offers immersive hammam rituals of indulgent body cleansing from black eucalyptus ‘sabon beldi soap’ to rhassoul clay full-body masks exfoliation sourced from the Atlas Mountains followed by a refreshing cold shower. The Aman-style hospitality and tailormade experiences echo the old Italian-American saying ‘when you are here, you’re family’.
DP recommends the Al Hamra Maison, a mini Eden enclosed by a private garden with a large, heated pool, two large traditional outdoor gazebos for dining and lounging, and a spacious main pavilion ideal for large families.
3.Mandarin Oriental Captivates With Its Andalusian-Berber Design Aesthetics
Set among 20 hectares of a scented garden of olives and flowering plants, the Mandarin Oriental’s 56 private villas are the first choice for modern travellers. Inspired by Berber and Andalusian-Arabic influences, the designers Dorothée Boissier and Patrick Gilles have given a contemporary twist to traditional Raids. The master suite opens into a stunning central pool, lounging areas, a curtained alcove adorned with cushions, a fireplace, and an outdoor pantry promising several rounds of Moroccan tea indulgences. The outdoor courtyard is perfect to watch sun-drenched days flow into glittering twilight evenings. Enjoy an alfresco lunch by the pool garden. By day the outdoors are a playground for sensory lunches and spa rituals and by night, savour the oriental flavours at Ling Ling by Hakkasan and soak in a lively social scene enlivened by live jazz and other musical performances. Golf lovers can get exclusive access to three golf clubs, the nearest being the Royal Golf Club.
A restorative spa ritual that combines oriental aromatherapy and authentic Moroccan hammam treatments beneficial for tired bodies and jet-lagged souls awaits guests of the Mandarin. The team can happily arrange for an open-air spa treatment at Spa suites or a private yoga class for those focusing on a wellness holiday. From the comfort of the villas to diverse culinary choices to its rejuvenating escape in Moroccan and Oriental wellness, Mandarin Oriental takes care of all the desires of a modern-day luxury traveller.
DP recommends a culinary experience at Ling Ling by Hakkasan, which serves creative Cantonese dishes paired with an innovative list of cocktails and desserts.
4. The Oberoi Marrakech Radiates Indian Palatial Grandeur With Arabesque Charm
A new contender to the glamorous hotel scene of Marrakech, The Oberoi Marrakech is a palatial retreat designed by architect Patrick Collier, who undertook the monumental task of resurrecting the refined elegance of an Indian palace. Decked out in Carrara marble and zellige tiles, its grounds sprawl endlessly, around a gargantuan courtyard and gleaming grand canal water feature that runs through the length of the resort. The Indian hospitality brand modelled the property inspired by the 14th-century Ben Youssef Madrasa of Marrakech. The property features 78 rooms and suites designed with inspiration from Berber and Moorish architecture. The most spectacular view is of the ‘Royal Suite’, which mirrors magnificent views of the Atlas Mountains from the first floor of the opulent suite terrace. The suites and villas blend contemporary style with traditional Moroccan charm, adorned with a subtle palette of muted ivory and burnished gold.
The grand decor of ‘Rivayat’ facing a sprawling patio entices as much as its culinary offerings of Michelin-starred Chef Rohit Ghai’s Indian fare. The ambient ‘Tamimt’ extends an alfresco terrace dining experience amidst the panoramic view of the grand canal and the garden. As evening settles in, ‘Vue’, the stunning bar amplifies golden hour by offering well-crafted drinks under a candlelit interior, a glowing fireplace and an alfresco terrace. Dream holidays are elevated by the experiential tours designed by Oberoi’s concierge team that includes a private tour to the desert and cocktails around a sea of dunes, a personalised barbeque led by a dedicated Chef or watching the sunrise over the ‘Ochre City’ and the Atlas Mountains on a hot-air balloon are a few experiences to name.
DP recommends the Royal Villa, which has a private pool that reimagines the elegance of ancient Indian palaces.
5. La Moumonia Is A True Celebration Of The Moroccan Art Of Living
La Moumonia first opened in 1923 and is still the uncontested grand dame of Marrakech. History shows that La Mamounia dates back to the 18th century when Prince Al Mamoun received a sumptuous thirteen-hectare orchard from his father as a wedding gift. Outside the medina, with commanding views of the Minaret de la Koutoubia, the palace hotel has been completely renovated by designers Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku. The 135 rooms and 71 suites have been redesigned, blending traditional Moroccan craftsmanship with Art déco opulence. Each suite has a themed decor featuring a private balcony or a terrace whose views beckon you to gaze out over the hotel gardens, pools, or the Koutoubia Mosque.
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With two new restaurants helmed by three Michelin-starred chefs Jean-Georges Vongerichten, an underground wine bar, the famous Pierre Hermé afternoon tea experience, a more modern take on the hotel’s existing Moroccan restaurants, and a refurbished Churchill Bar as an exclusive champagne and caviar space, La Moumonia is attracting a well-heeled young crowd with this modern facelift.
DP recommends the private spa at La Mamounia for much-needed downtime in the most beautiful setting.
These luxurious hotels offer an authentic taste of Morocco and provide an ideal launchpad for exploring the city and venturing to the Sahara’s breathtaking wind-blown dunes and the starkly stunning Agafay desert.
