This hotel, on a tiny side street in the center of the busy medina, has roots that go back to the 1940s, when it was a posh restaurant and social center for Marrakech's expatriate community. Past patrons include Winston Churchill, the Aga Khan and many members of Hollywood's elite. Today, in its current incarnation, it is part of the wave of new boutique-hotels providing quests with an alternative to the flat, dry commercial accommodations found in such abundance here. Similar to the superior Villa des Orangers, this ornate, modern Moroccan fantasy encourages listless daydreaming and total inhalation of the local culture. Visitors intent on meeting Marrakech face-to-face will find this a perfectly located inn, with a friendly staff and well-stocked, whimsical, contemporary-style guest rooms.
Keep in mind that the adjacent Doukkala Mosque elicits its muezzin (an amplified call to the faithful) five times per day, including one at sunrise. This hotel is definitely well off the beaten path, and locating it can be nearly as difficult as booking a room. When arrivals finally do hunt it down, a house-proud staff dressed in traditional garb greets them affably. The multilevel hotel wends its way up and down creaky staircases, through narrow halls dressed with hand-carved patterns, and past flowering courtyards to reach the numerous lounges and furnished
terraces that form the public space.
Breakfast, tea and cocktails (included in the rates) are served in a small but fragrant courtyard, but guests may enjoy them anywhere they can find a seat. A trickling fountain, rustling leaves, chirping birds and an olive tree set the scene for total relaxation. Colorful handicrafts, antiques, mystical lamps, works by local artists, bright Berber rugs, and tribal-inspired fabrics and upholstery lend a fanciful air to all of the common rooms, and carved plaster, zellij tile and arabesque paint jobs add authenticity. The chef takes pleasure in arranging cooking classes in which guests learn the intricacies of Moorish cuisine as they prepare their own tagines or pastries.
A working farm surrounds the hotel's pool—inconveniently located 15 minutes away by a free, but infrequent, shuttle. A glorious hammam complete with arched ceilings, tiled walls and traditional fixtures provides the perfect introduction to this ancient art of relaxation. Massage treatments are also on offer. High-speed Internet access is available at no charge to guests. Parking is a problem in this traffic-clogged neighborhood, though an expensive garage is nearby.
Smart contemporary style blends with traditional elements to provide a relatively pleasing look. Color schemes are bright and contrasting, and appointments are an eclectic blend of antiques and custom-designed pieces. Like the public areas, lots of regional knickknacks, Berber rugs, cedar ceilings, whimsical lighting fixtures and traditional touches make the rooms interesting. Standard amenities include TVs, minibars, thermostats, IDD phones, safes, and marble and granite baths with hair dryers, lifeless towels and limited toiletries. One lacks a tub. Two units lack either balcony or terrace, and only room 15 is fitted with twin beds. All the rest proffer firm king or queen mattresses, and four suites boast fireplaces. A few rooms provide weak wireless Internet signals. The rooftop sundecks of the suites are worth the steep increase in rates for privacy and amazing bird's-eye views, and the two Royal Suites proffer whirlpools.
Room service is limited, though most requests are obliged. This is an expensive, upbeat inn with an energetic staff, though for the rates, quality could be higher. Few hotels can provide such a fine location and vibrant interiors. Management works hard to create a unique and enjoyable environment for its well-traveled clientele.