Many may not know this, but Morocco is Hollywood’s pick when it comes to African and Middle Eastern backdrop for movies. Sex & The City 2, American Sniper, Syriana, Body Of Lies and Borat to name a few. When I visited Marrakech, I was just smitten by the exotic charms this city had to offer.
The Royal Mansour lies in the heart of this captivating city. This luxury hotel surrounded with spectacular Moorish gardens, was commissioned by King Mohammed VI, who usually hosts his guests in its 53 private riads.
Inspired by North Africa, Spain as well as Portugal’s traditional Moorish architecture, the Royal Mansour Marrakech hotel design showcases a symmetry entwined with classical forms. As for the interior, it is a pure celebration of the diversity and virtuosity of master craftsmen from the Kingdom, with lace embedded plaster, carved ceilings, floors and walls.
Like the great gates of the imperial cities of Morocco, the monumental entrance is testimony of the local craftsmanship as well as the materials and techniques used; such as the traditional cedar wood, chiselled metal and sculpted plaster work. Just like the famous “Bab el Khemis” (Thursday Gate), the Royal Mansour Marrakech’s great gate promises; “happiness, wealth and prosperity”. The magnificent main reception building with its fabulous lobby, the bar, the different lounges, the beautiful library, as well as the three renowned restaurants, entice guests in.
The ground-breaking, distinctive and ingenious masterpiece hotel design is magnified by an intricate series of underground tunnels to each of the property’s 53 riads, accessed only by staff and thus guaranteeing the utmost privacy and discretion.
There are no suites or rooms at Royal Mansour Marrakech. Upon arrival, guests are escorted through the Medina and Gardens to their private residence, a traditional Moroccan Riad (private residence). The Royal Mansour Marrakech is built upon palatial proportions and exudes a magical charm. This is the only hotel in the world offering that unique concept. he exquisite Riad architecture spans across three different floors of the utmost secured privacy and enables an exclusive escape to another world. I thoroughly loved my very own Riad.
The Royal Mansour Marrakech Medina is a labyrinth of enchanting gardens of vivid and sweet scented floral and spectacular vegetation. A medina is typically walled, with many narrow and maze-like streets. Here in the Medina Gardens that surround the riads and spa, guests can expect to be captivated with the scents of roses, citrus, gardenias, jasmine, thyme basil, mint, sage, rosemary and eucalyptus that will fill you with a wave of unprecedented bliss. The soothing sounds of flowing water, the ever present singing birds combined with the whispering of the wind into the trees, is the promise of tranquility.
The Royal Mansour also boasts three outstanding restaurants, and happens to be Marrakech’s finest gourmet destinations. From modern dining in La Table to the haute-cuisine of La Grande Table Marocaine and La Grande Table Française, Chef Yannick Alleno brings you a gourmet experience like no other.
A true paradise when it comes to pampering and spoiling yourself with a wonderful spa treatment. The Royal Mansour Spa is a beautiful and serene space offering a range of treatments from massages, facials, and hydrotherapy as well as aesthetic and beauty services with many treatments to choose from on the menu.
The Royal Mansour Marrakech offers its guests unparalleled experiences of wonders and emotions, leaving an imprint in their memories. Guests also receive complimentary airport transfer and a personalised service of a designated butler. I will never be able to forget these sweet memories I made in Marrakech. The Royal Mansour made me feel like a princess from One Thousand and One Arabian Nights!