Where?
A 15-minute drive from Marrakech Menara airport is the city’s Mandarin Oriental. As you pass through the frenetic city, it’s difficult to imagine how you’ll be able to switch off.
The medina, or old town, is famous for its bustling souks, constant street music and locals trying to sell you everything from food to selfies with monkeys. But as you arrive at Mandarin Oriental’s 20 acres of meticulously landscaped gardens and olive groves you’ll slip into a serene state of being.
With the city centre only a 10-minute drive away (about £8 in a taxi), it’s the perfect retreat as you prepare for a day of sightseeing and soaking up the city’s rich culture.
Style
Designed by French duo Patrick Gilles and Dorothée Boissier, the hotel draws on Berber and Moorish influences. The huge standalone villas with walled courtyards, built from local sandstone, are contemporary interpretations of the traditional riad.
In the main building, Gilles and Boissier reference Moroccan crafts. There are floors of white and black mosaics and walls adorned with typical warm H’ssira star mats incorporating subtle Berber motifs.
Food and drink
A “dedication to exceptional service and a spirit of innovation” are central to the Mandarin Oriental ethos and it’s evident at the hotel’s two main restaurants.
I started our culinary experience at Hakkasan’s Cantonese, sat in the outdoor terrace, with the ponds and trees lit up by the evening moon. We shared the Ling Ling Escape, starting with a dim sum platter of steamed squid siu mai with goji berry, steamed scallop and king crab dumplings, steamed herago (tiger prawn and asparagus) and cristal dumplings accompanied by a beef salad (with grapefruit, pine nuts and shallots) and succulent wasabi tiger prawns.
The main courses included Josper-grilled wagyu tenderloin beef in Marmite sauce (it worked), stir-fried asparagus in garlic, Atlantic spiny lobster and egg-fried rice with spring onions.
Always leave room for pudding! The Yuzu calamansi mousse with white chocolate was dreamy. There’s also a cocktail bar, serving up locally-inspired cocktails.
Shirvan offers world cuisine with a local twist. Wanting to try a traditional tagine dish, I ordered the lamb shank version, with masala sauce and burnt tomato. It was an unexpected but delicious combination and testament to the head chef’s vision.
As was the BBQ grilled octopus served with a chermoula sauce and amlou (a paste made from roasted almonds, honey and argan oil). Both dishes tested my Greek blood and resistance to messing with traditional recipes but passed with flying colours. Dessert for me was pistachio ice cream served with the aforementioned amlou (if it’s on the menu, I’m ordering it).
Breakfast is served in Shirvan, where you can choose from a buffet of pastries, fruits, cereals and artisanal cakes. Or order from the a la carte menu. The local omelette is sensational.
Villa service is also available and the outdoor cocktail bar serves up the most delightful concoctions as the day’s heat slowly fades away.
Facilities
The large outdoor heated swimming pool is the centrepiece of the complex and is surrounded by stunning lakes that extend your aqua blue view. It was my first port of call once we’d unpacked. Surrounded by sunbeds and attentive staff, enjoy floating around on an inflatable lido between sips of your cocktail and soak up the sun.
The hotel also boasts an award-winning spa: a temple of wellbeing dedicated to health, holistic healing and rejuvenation.
Inspired by the cathedrals and ancient mosques of Andalusia, the spa includes a state-of-the-art fitness centre (with an on-site PT available), hairdresser, beauty salon, yoga studio and a traditional Moroccan Hamman specialising in black soap scrubs.
I opted for a 60-minute Oriental essence massage, combining oriental oils with movements that focused on the back, neck and shoulders. Bliss.
If you’re feeling a little more energetic, you can hire a bicycle to explore the landscaped paths and gardens or enjoy the hotel’s brand-new outdoor sports area, The Courts. Opening this summer in time for the tenth anniversary celebrations, grab your racquet and head to the TigerTurf tennis court or the Mondo surface padel court.
The Courts Pavilion is the ideal hub for players and spectators to grab a cold drink or light bite.
The Kasbah Kids’ Club is located on the grounds’ small farm with goats and donkeys to stroke and is neatly adjacent to the hotel’s organic vegetable garden, where you can take part in cooking lessons or enjoy an idyllic lunch.
The hotel also boasts its own beehives which are expertly maintained by Khalid Samata, a world-renowned honey expert and owner of The Hive restaurant in Selfridges, London. He’s a busy bee...
As you don a beekeeping suit to visit the hives, Khalid’s Honey Masterclass Experience takes you through the fascinating process of honey production and the essential role bees play in our ecosystem.
Once you’ve lifted a tray of honey from the hive, you’ll then make your way to a honey-infused lunch in the vegetable garden with each course prepared by the chef in front of you.
Extracurricular
Marrakech has so much to offer. The famous Medina area surrounded by a labyrinth of narrow lanes packed full of Moroccan wares from leather purses to locally produced art and ceramics changes vibe throughout the day and evening.
It has a buzz primarily coming from the many street food vendors or rooftop bars and restaurants. While the stall holders love to encourage you to barter for the best price. This seemed to have calmed down a little since my last visit 20 years ago.
Within the Old Town, the zellij tiled Marrakech Museum with its magnificent brass chandelier and fountains and the Musée Yves Saint Laurent are a must.
The design district of Sidi Ghanem is a great showcase for the creativity of the city, with metalwork, leatherwork, tableware, jewellery and furniture on display at different artisan shops in a more tranquil setting than the bustling souks.
A visit to the Koutoubia mosque and minaret, surrounded by its rose garden, is not to be missed. Nor is the Moorish Bahia Palace with its gilded and inlaid painted wooden ceilings.
Known as the garden city, do also dip into the Jardin Majorelle, created in 1920 and restored by Yves Saint Laurent, and the Agdal gardens, some of the oldest in the world.
Feeling adventurous? Book a quad bike trail ride through the outskirts of Marrakech’s desert area. There are plenty of operators to choose from but after a lot of research (mainly based on safety as I had our 17-year-old son with me), Furious Quad Marrakech was the obvious choice and highly recommended.
Set up by two local relatives, we immediately felt at ease as we were warmly greeted and they introduced us to our new mode of transport for the next two hours. With helmets provided and a guide to take you safely on your exhilarating exploration through the gravel and sandy terrain, exploring the area on four wheels was the highlight of the trip for my son.
Moto Cross and Buggy tours are also available. The trail ended with a traditional mint tea and the most radiant of sunsets before we were dropped back off at the hotel.
Which room?
The main hotel building boasts seven suites that overlook the Atlas Mountains, creating the perfect backdrop as you enjoy the heated plunge pool.
But it’s the 54 one and two-bedroomed private villas on the complex that really make you feel at home and in your own little world, far away from it all.
As you walk through the tall wooden doors and into the courtyard of your villa, you’ll find a heated swimming pool, surrounded by sun loungers, hideaways and cute dining areas. The central bedroom opens out onto the adjoining jacuzzi.
Inside, you can escape the heat and enjoy a nap in the sitting room, or relax in the oversize circular bathtub or shower and steam room.
Best for
Romantic getaways, families looking for a home-from-home, as well as those who love a tranquil escape, enjoy good food and a bit of pampering between exploring the more chaotic aspects of a city.
Details
Suites start from £1,095 per night. Villas start from £1,180 per night. Book it here
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