Mr eTraveller
Morocco’s Fabled Palace Of Hospitality
From one dazzler to the next. After last week’s visit to The Siam, this week we have another gloriously beautiful property in the most alluring of destinations. La Mamounia, one of the finest hotels in the world, is as famous as Marrakech itself and deserves all the accolades it receives as the most illustrious hotel in Morocco.
La Mamounia’s renovation is nearly as famous as the hotel. Aware of the increasing competition for guests at the upper end of the market, La Mamounia closed for three years, reopening in 2009 to even more laudatory accolades than it earned in its previous incarnation. Under the discerning supervision of French designer Jacques Garcia, La Mamounia was transformed into a fascinating hotel and a tourist attraction in its own right; the many beautiful photographs displayed throughout the hotel augment the mysteries of Moroccan culture and serve as a fitting complement to the glamorous contemporary furnishings. No detail is overlooked here, not even the details we don’t even realise are details: gardeners catching hedge trimmings in dropcloths so as not to have them fall on the ground; a button next to the sofa to open the door to the suite lest the occupant prefer to receive visitors while seated; two bathrobes of different weights for daytime and nighttime comfort.
All rooms and suites at La Mamounia are decorated in a sophisticated Moroccan style evoking the spirit of Marrakech. On the grounds of the hotel are three individual riads for the ultimate in private luxury. Each of the three bedrooms has its own living room; all have direct access to the private pool and patio area. Within the main building, the signature suites are the last word in elegance. The Majorelle Suite is particularly appealing with its semi-circular bedroom’s wall lined with windows right around, providing a unique panorama of the city.
As is often the case with traditional Islamic architecture, a deceptively plain exterior wall can harbour a private sanctuary of beauty within, and so it is at La Mamounia, whose famous gardens are a luxuriant escape from the outside world. Despite its convenient location inside the medina, within short walking distance of Jamaa El Fna (designated as one of UNESCO’sMasterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity), La Mamounia’s extensive grounds offer a resort’s worth of diversions; from tennis courts to the swimming pools (indoor and outdoor), not to mention an ice cream pavilion in the centre of the garden, there is little need to leave the premises if not for the allure of the city beyond the walls. Within the garden is Le Marocain, one of La Mamounia’s fine dining restaurants, this one serving Moroccan cuisine at its best.
La Mamounia’s VIP welcome at the thoroughly modern Marrakech Menara Airport sees guests who have reserved suites or riads whisked into a private lounge where Immigration formalities are handled by someone else while clients enjoy a selection of traditional pastries and a relaxed arrival. Already, La Mamounia’s special qualities are apparent. After all, how many hotels have their own literary award, to be awarded this Saturday 29 September? Read La Mamounia’s Literary Prize .pdf here. How fitting, then, that La Mamounia’s lifts are lined in fine, embossed Moroccan leather like a classic book off the shelf of a distinguished library.
La Mamounia
Avenue Bab Jdid
40 040 Marrakech
Morocco
tel: 212 524 388 600
mamounia.com
Source = Mr. eTraveller
