Despite a central location, the Mandarin Oriental Marrakech does not feel like a city break – it is more like an oasis retreat. The first Mandarin Oriental in Africa, the hotel chain’s latest outpost offers the luxury and outstanding service for which the chain is famous.
The glossy monochrome lobby opens up into a view of the breathtaking pool garden and beyond to the Atlas Mountains, creating an immediate sense of awe.
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Location
Conveniently located 30 minutes from Menara airport, and 15 minutes from the Medina – a must for any visit to the city. Hotel cars and local taxi services are at the disposal of hotel guests.
Suites & Villas
There are no rooms per se, the entry level accommodation are the suites, which are located on the top floor of the hotel and spacious enough for a family. The terraces offer views out to the crimson Atlas Mountains.
The majority of guests stay in one of the 54 villas scattered throughout the gardens. Behind opulent wooden doors there is 3,000 sq ft of private living space, including a swimming pool, hot tub, outdoor shower, fireplace, indoor shower with steam room, kitchenette and an array of areas for al-fresco dining.
Service
‘Staff goes the extra mile’ might sound like an overused cliché, but the Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech, has embraced this mantra fully. Each villa has its own butler available via WhatsApp service which guests are added to upon arrival. Need your hot tub turned on? Fireplace lit after dinner? Bikes delivered to your door? Guests can easily arrange such requests with a quick message from a sun lounger by the pool or a restaurant in the Medina.
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Dining
Given the careful thought gone into other services of the hotel, it should come as no surprise that guests have an array of top-quality dining options.
Shirvan restaurant is open all day, starting as a dreamy breakfast spot overlooking the hotel grounds. Guests can enjoy an impressive buffet, or order traditional breakfasts such as shakshuka and msamen (pancakes drizzled with honey and almond butter). In the evening, its doors are open for a world-class affair. Inspired by the history of the Silk Road, the sharing plates menu includes favourites like the lobster pastilla and pistachio cake.
For a more upbeat affair, Ling Ling by Hakkassan blends dining and dancing. Much like its iconic Mayfair hotspot, the menu offers traditional Cantonese dishes and innovative cocktails. Ling Ling is popular with Marrakech locals as a late-night bar.
Some guests, understandably so, would prefer not to be torn away from their luxurious villa. The Mandarin Oriental Marrakech has predictably got this covered, with in-villa dining available 24 hours a day. The chef can do a poolside BBQ or candlelit dinner for two, all from the comfort of your villa.
Amenities
The hotel covers 20 hectares, so you really can get lost in paradise. In an elegant twist, each villa has a different variety of rose in its garden, helping guests to find their way home. The grounds also have farm animals and a vegetable garden, which can be set up for a dining experience. And if guests prefer a more active stay, they have access to two golf courses, tennis courts and bikes available upon request.
For fans of a fly-and-flop holiday, there is the hotel spa. Inspired by the cathedrals and mosques of Andalusia, light speckles through the shutters down the corridor and dapples the pool. In keeping with the hotel’s loyalty to local culture, Hammam is a central feature of the spa treatments. Enjoy two hours in a private wet room while your body is cleaned, scrubbed and massaged – even your hair is washed. Other treatments have a specialist focus, such as digital wellness escape to recover from strains of frequent digital device use, or oriental harmony for those suffering from jet lag. The spa suites all have a private terrace or garden, allowing for outdoor treatments.
With so much for guests to enjoy in the hotel grounds, it is possible to holiday without stepping a foot outside. However the more adventurous will enjoy excursions organised by hotel staff, from a trek in the Atlas Mountains to a guided tour of the Medina.
The verdict
With style and superlative service, the Mandarin Oriental makes its mark in Marrakech.
