La Mamounia

La Mamounia has recently celebrated its 100th year, in which time a lot has stayed the same at this palace hotel in the heart of Marrakech. However, a lot has changed too - the pool and spa have been upgraded a fair few times, the restaurant menus, still mouthwatering, have added a few more modern dishes. Oh, and in 1923 there wasn’t ultrafast wifi, Smart TVs in the rooms or air conditioning. It is that charm and opulence, the beautiful furnishings and fittings of this palatial setting that make it stand out from the crowd. Guests enter through the beautiful carved arches into a cavernous lobby area bedecked with statues and hanging lights. Huge wooden doors lead to lounges and hideaways where you will find Moroccan craftsmanship and an ambience perfect for rest and relaxation. And there are so many ways to relax. There is an exclusive, plush cinema showing both classics and the latest releases, or you may prefer to indulge in one of the two tearooms, or the four high-class bars. Outside, eight hectares of gardens include olive trees that date back centuries, fig trees and seasonal flowers among the many hundreds of species, and this all in a unique setting delimited by 12th century ramparts and set against a backdrop of the Atlas Mountains. All that, and we haven’t even mentioned the stunning pools, modern spa, the yoga, the tennis, gym, hair salon or… we could keep going. But really it is that luxury and sophistication that have kept people coming back to this beautiful palace hotel.