During my stay in Marrakesh last May, I simply couldn’t pass up the chance to stay in the Ochre City’s most exclusive hotel! The Royal Mansour has been awarded numerous distinctions, confirming its supremacy in the world of luxury hospitality. I had the pleasure of spending two practically flawless nights in this gorgeous establishment. Come with me for a visit!
As my car passed through through the impressive gates, I could immediately feel the magic of this hotel’s estate, featuring five hectares bordered by ramparts. I should mention that I was impatient to stay at the Royal Mansour, opened only in 2010, as it’s very well-known in the world of luxury establishments. In 2019 alone, the Royal Mansour won two prestigious and much-sought-after prizes: last June, it was elected “Best Urban Hotel” by Condé Nast Traveler, and a month later, it won the distinction of “Best Urban Hotel in Northern Africa and the Middle East,” awarded by Travel + Leisure. A promising start for this luxury hotel, which has risen quickly through the ranks to become Marrakesh’s most exclusive establishment!
Where Luxury Meets Moroccan Art de Vivre
This serene location was designed to look like a traditional medina, with walkways punctuated by flowering gardens and fountains. 53 private riads, or traditional Moroccan houses, are spread throughout the estate, offering residents total peace and quiet. The hotel attracts the world’s most well-to-do clients, who come to explore Marrakesh in the best possible conditions!
Each riad features three floors with an interior courtyard, a living room, a dining room (for the larger riads), between one and three bedrooms with a marble bathroom, and a rooftop with a private terrace, small pool, and a few deckchairs. We chose the Superior Riad, the smallest of the houses with just one bedroom—yet with 140 m² for just the two of us, we certainly had plenty of space!
A Royal Palace
We owe this gem of a hotel to the King of Morocco himself, who wanted to showcase local artisanal savoir-faire. The best talents in the kingdom were brought together for this ambitious project, making for an exceptional final result: zellige tiles, tadelakt, wooden sculptures, and high-quality materials, such as stitched leather for the walls. Nothing is too good for the Royal Mansour!
As for the gardens on the estate, they truly offer guests a haven of tranquility despite being just a stone’s throw away from the city’s most famous landmarks. The monumental pool in the heart of the gardens is the perfect place to lounge about for a few hours!
High-Flying Gastronomy at the Royal Mansour
The thrice-starred chef Yannick Alléno is in charge of the restaurants at the Royal Mansour, and here yet again, the hotel scores more points as it climbs up the rankings! The three restaurants offer something for everyone: first off, there’s the gourmet dining option, La Grande Table Marocaine, where we went for dinner on our first night.
After 12 wonderful years, this superb culinary collaboration came to an end in 2022. It is now Executive Chef Jérôme Videau, in partnership with Chef Karim Ben Baba, who takes over La Grande Table Marocaine to keep it at the highest level.
Here, guests can enjoy top-notch, innovative Moroccan cuisine. Our evening began with an assortment of Moroccan salads, followed by lamb with seven-vegetable couscous and an orange blossom pastilla for dessert. The setting is simply sublime, but the real show-stopper is the chance to enjoy Moroccan mint tea with local pastries in the courtyard—a truly unique and romantic way to top off a superb dinner!
The restaurant La Table is the place to go at any time of day; it opens for breakfast and continues its service during lunch, when you can eat under the shade of century-old olive trees, then onto dinner, which is served in a subdued ambience. We opted to have our breakfast in the comfort of our own riad, and I have to say that months later, I still remember it very vividly; our delicious breakfast featured several French products and pastries (including a brioche that was to die for!), but also classic dishes such as eggs (we selected the eggs Benedict) as well as several Moroccan treats and absolutely divine crepes!
The third restaurant, Le Jardin, is a bit more relaxed. Under the shade of pergolas, this outdoor eatery offers cuisine with Asian and Mediterranean influences. Chic and relaxed—what more could you ask for?
At the end of 2019, a new restaurant named Sesamo was born at the Royal Mansour. Multi-starred chef Massimiliano Alajmo has created an absolutely delicious Italian menu! Authentic cuisine that delights fans of Italian cuisine.
A Fabulous Spa with Exceptional Treatments
The Royal Mansour has also received a number of awards for its fantastic spa, spread out over 2500 m². The all-white interior décor, which takes its cues from an aviary, is truly a work of art. It lends the space an air of lightness and purity that made me feel relaxed from the moment I entered. I chose to try the hammam, a signature treatment and an immersive experience in pure Moroccan tradition. Over the course of an hour inside a superbly designed steam room, my therapist treated me to an exfoliation treatment, followed by an “Amber Honey” body wrap, and finally a soaping down for my body and hair. I left the hammam with super soft skin and a wonderful memory of this exceptional experience!
The Verdict
The Royal Mansour is without a doubt the most exclusive and luxurious hotel in Marrakesh and is even making its way to the top of international rankings! And I can confirm that the hotel’s prestige is completely deserved. From the privacy and opulence of the riads to the exceptional restaurants and high-flying spa—all located within a gorgeous estate in the heart of Marrakesh—the Royal Mansour offers a range of amenities and services without equal in the country! This is where you’ll find the very best of Morocco!
I loved:
- Unconventional hotel made up of riads, offering guests plenty of privacy
- An unusually beautiful spa with exceptional traditional treatments
- La Grande Table Marocaine, one of the best restaurants in Marrakesh!
I disliked:
- Perhaps the lack of warmth from the personnel, who were all rather reserved!
Practical Information:
Thank you the Royal Mansour for the invitation to explore their establishment.Of course, the content of this blogpost was left entirely up to me!
About Florence Consul
Editor of Experiences Luxe since 2015, I love discovering new exclusive and authentic experiences all over the world. I left my home country (France) 6 years ago to become a global citizen, traveling 365 days out of the year. I am a foodie person and I make a point of tasting local specialities.