A SPRING ESCAPE TO THE MANDARIN ORIENTAL, MARRAKECH

IN ONE LINE

A truly unforgettable luxury hotel experience in Marrakech

SETTING THE SCENE

Swapping grizzly London March for a long weekend in Marrakech was obviously a very tempting idea, so we were delighted when the team at Mandarin Oriental invited us over along with a small group of lovely ladies. For the past 60 years the Mandarin Oriental group has been on a mission ‘to delight our guests’. And we can safely say after our stay at MO Marrakech: it’s “mission accomplished”. From the moment we were picked up from the airport to the moment we were dropped back, this trip felt like an utter dream. If you are searching for a honeymoon or special occasion hotel, look no further.

Set in 20 hectares of gardens, just 20minutes from both the infamous Marrakech Medina and the airport, the hotel is a sprawling luxury hideaway. It’s easy to want to spend the entire time lazing by a pool but the hotel also has plenty of things to see, eat and do. The communal spaces are plentiful and beautifully designed but on the rare occasions we were actully able to tear ourselves away from our wonderful villa, we loved exploring MO’s grounds and gardens most of all. With bright bougainvillea and (100,000) roses scenting the air, an impossibly blue sky and a lazy atmosphere, we found it very easy to slide into ‘relax mode’ and to pretend we were VIPs.

OUR ROOM

It would be a diservice to call the place we stayed a “room” in fact you won’t find a single hotel room at Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech. Instead guests can choose between villas or suites. That’s it. And there is simply no ‘bad’ choice here. The 9 hotel suites are housed in the main building and all come with a private terrace and plunge pools, where you can spend your day looking out over the guest pool, gardens and Altas Mountains beyond. The 54 Villas….oh the Villas… are tiny worlds of their own. Dotted throughout the hotel grounds, each is laid out like a mini riad with the bedroom - or bedrooms plural if you need extra space - bathroom and lounge wrapping around a central outdoor courtyard. In the courtyard there is a pool/jacuzzi combo, multiple sitting areas, a fireplace and even an outdoor kitchen and shower.

Inspired by traditional Berber design, the interiors are light and airy with handmade details at every turn. The bathroom alone was bigger than most London flats, with elegant marble accents, tub, shower-turned-steam-room, walk-in-wardobe and covetable Dyptique products. We loved the easy access to the gardem area, with all the rooms featuring floor to ceiling glass doors which slid aside to let the outside in, while still maintaining privacy thanks to the large walled surrounds.

Each villa came complete with a private butler, who is contactable through Whatsapp. Firewood, Mint tea, new towels, whatever we might need, our every whim could be catered to. The housekeeping team really impressed us with their daily turn-down service too. One morning a glasses cleaning cloth had been left out for some sunglasses we’d left out and our phone charging cables had even been tidied away with a little branded clip. For us, true luxury is in the small details and MO nailed it.

FOOD & DRINK

One of our lasting memories from our trip would have to be the sheer volume of delicious food we consumed. Unlike other hotels with single restaurants where you need to order off the same menu at lunch and dinner, there seemed to be endless options for dining locations and menus. This is definitely a hotel where guests could spend an entire holiday not needing to leave the front gate. We luckily got to sample most of the list below and while its difficult to pick favourites we would highly recommend cocktails at Ling Ling and an alfresco lunch in the Le Potager Garden, which as well as being set in a beautiful location, is also a great opportunity to drop in to the friendly local goats next door.

Shirvan, A sharing plate style dinner menu influenced by the world of the Silk Road.
Ling Ling, A unique experience by Hakkasan and seemingly the most popular spot with guests and locals alike - the cocktails here were great.
The Bar, a lounge to drop by anytime.
Pool Garden, alfresco cuisine in a relaxed poolside setting - The weekend brunch is a must!
In-villa-dinning service available 24 hours a day.
The vegetable garden - we rode our bikes out for lunch here one day and afterwards wandered the gardens and met the local animals.
The Tent, a magical spot to watch the sunset from.

THE SPA

Just when we thought our stay couldn’t get anymore relaxing we were treated to a couple’s spa day. The hotel’s award wining spa is vast and beautiful. The 6 spa suites - including one for couples - each have a private terrace and garden so that treatments can also be taken outdoors should you choose. Theres a heated pool, gym and yoga studio plus hair and beauty salons. Honestly this was one of the best spa experiences we’ve ever had, helped along by the lovely staff and surroundings.

THE HIGHS & LOWS

H: If we haven’t already gushed enough about the one bedroom villa then let us have one final go at it! We truly felt as if we had our own slice of Marrakech staying there. The villas were private, calming and beautiful and everyday we discovered something else surprising and wonderful about the space - from the handmade textiles and artworks to the changing supply of local sweets. And Having a butler on call was the extra luxurious cherry on an already luxurious experience. Of course we can’t fail to mention here too the endless parade of amazing food we ate, along with the kind and professional staff that made us feel like royalty.
L: There wasn’t much to complain about on this trip…except for the fact that we ever had to leave our lovely little ‘villa bubble’. But if we HAD to say something, we could mention that the steps down from the bed were a bit of a hazard during middle-of-the-night bathroom breaks.

GOOD TO KNOW

The restaurants and spa are able to be visited even if you are not staying at the hotel
The hotel can help guests arrange tours and activities
The Medina is only a 20 minute drive from the hotel
Bikes are available for guests to hire
For fitness buffs a jogging track runs around the whole property, along with an on-site gym
Just next door is the Roayl Golf Club
Also a neighbour worth a visit is the MACAAL museum
Children are welcome and the hotel has a “Kids’ Kasbah” for ages 4 -12