In the past decade Marrakech has emerged as one of the world's most sophisticated destinations, with a hotel scene to match. From traditionally crafted riads to Moorish desert resorts, Juliet Kinsman seeks out the sexiest stays in the souk and beyond...
There is nowhere quite like Marrakech, and no place more deserving of the adjective 'exotic'. This Moroccan Berber city stands where the Sahara, the Atlas and the Anti-Atlas all meet, and the result is in interesting mix of quarters, each area boasting its own clutch of hip hotels. A cursory glance at the landscape reveals a seemingly pre-industrial Medina, where navigating the winding streetname-less alleys is near impossible, as donkey-drawn carts jostle for space with jellaba-clad motorcyclists. But scratch the surface and you discover one of the highest densities of sophisticated places to stay in the world - and this is set to double.
Last year, 5,334,000 bed nights were booked in Marrakech, which was a 29% increase on 2004. There are currently 50 hotels ranging from one-star to five-star, and 400 riads in addition to this. On top of the 17 five-star hotels currently gracing the city and its surrounds,17 new projects, all of them luxury, are all underway, including the Four Seasons, which is building a hotel with villas, apartments and a golf-course five-minutes' drive from the airport. This will be the Four Seasons' first foray into residential properties, with 40 two- and three-bedroom townhouses and detached three- and four-bedroom villas all on offer.
Opened in 1923, Hotel La Mamounia is probably the most famous of the city's grand dames, with 171 rooms, 57 suites and three private villas. All showy marble and five-star frills, most of its Art Deco heritage has been eclipsed by modern-day grandeur. What is much more interesting is the burgeoning boutique abode scene - namely the glut of stylish riads. The Place Jemaa el-Fna is the hub of activity within the Medina, and there are heaps of chic bijoux boltholes within walking distance, such as Riad El Fenn (featured) and Riad Lotus Ambre and sister, Lotus Perle. Riad 72 is another making waves with its contemporary stylings. Also within the ramparts is the Kasbah area, which has its own array of artistic abodes, such as Riad Mehdi (featured).
Gueliz to the northwest of the old city, is the new town, but it's to the southwest, in leafy and upmarket 20th-century Hivernage, where you'll find most of the bigger chain hotels, such as Le Sofitel and the 277-roomed Le Meridien. And the sprawl continues for quite some kilometres. The Palmeraei (Palm Grove), which is 22km north of Marrakech on the road to Casablanca, boasts excellent estates such as Moorish-style guesthouse Jnane Tamsna and Caravan Serai (featured).
One of the trends in this North African destination du jour is holidaymakers booking a couple of days slap, bang in the hurly burly of the Medina, and then, once they're souked out and sightseeing-weary, they retreat to the laidback luxe of the surrounding resorts for another few days.
"Of all the destinations we've visited, it's got a surprising abundance of great quality hotels, in terms of style, as well as lots of bars and restaurants that give Paris and London a run for their money," remarks James Lohan, from Mr & Mrs Smith, the hotel guide series.
Apart from the unique contrast of hustle and bustle outside with the tranquility within a riad's walls, what also makes Moroccan accommodation so unique is the traditional methods applied to the decor, and also the craftsmanship visible in the furnishings. Tadelakt is often the render of choice: a stucco smoothed plaster, which can be coloured from pale pinks to dark chocolates browns. Its waterproof quality makes it especially versatile, internally and externally, and the various hues work in harmony with the surrounding desertscape, and also the pink-coloured ramparts of the Medina. The intricate, colourful mosaics that adorn so many of the city's surfaces, demonstrate the homegrown zellij geometric tilework, and contribute to the individualism of Marrakech's abodes. Other signature details include the mashrabiyya, the wooden (or sometimes metal) latticework used in balcony and window screens, and the abundance of wrought iron handicrafts. Combined with sumptuous fabrics, mountains of cushions, and an all-pervasive infusion of orange blossom, the result is an extraordinary boutique hotel culture, and luxury lodgings unlike anywhere else in the world.
