« Words cannot do justice to
Royal Mansour’s unique beauty. Royal Mansour is more than a palace; it is the embodiment of Moroccan living as an art form ». The first time I read those words on the Royal Mansour website, I wondered how it would be to actually stay at « more than a palace »…Now that I have experienced it, I could not agree more : there are no words or pictures to describe the Royal Mansour. Yet, such an experience of genuine refinement and luxury has to be shared… Equipped with my
Leica D-Lux 6, I tried my best to spot the best details on the pictures you will see here.
It started right upon arriving in Marrakech, as it is at the airport that I got a first glimpse of what awaited me. Airport service had been arranged to handle passport formalities while I was taken to the VIP lounge, complete with Moroccan tea, and in less than 30 minutes I was sitting in a limo driven by a chauffeur wearing white gloves.
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| The main patio |
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| The main patio
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Driving past the private avenue leading through the imposing bronze gates of the hotel in such circumstances could be described, I guess, as a royal arrival. Helped out of the car and into the hotel patio by quite a few bellboys and hostesses, I immediately realised the level of craftsmanship and grandeur that make this place so unique. It only took a few minutes – which were enough to be immersed in the exotic atmosphere of the Royal Mansour with its spectacular courtyard lobby, before I was escorted to my riad, where check-in took place. And it was only after the nice concierge showed me around my riad that I realised : at the Royal Mansour, you don’t stay in a hotel room. You stay in your own typical Moroccan house : a home away from home, a destination within a destination.
My riad
Derived from the arabic for garden, a riad is a traditional Moroccan home, where peace and privacy are paramount. The riads at the Royal Mansour are not any typical Moroccan house though. They are, as every inch of the hotel (the restaurants, libraries, lounges, bars, pools and spa), a living testimony and a showcase of Moroccan’s elite artisans’ craftsmanship : every detail you see is handmade, handcrafted, handsclupted… A place to see, without being seen – with the latest in-suite electronic systems. As every riad at the Royal Mansour, mine was spread over three floors, and was built around a central atrium : a private open air garden, with the relaxing sound of trickling water in the fountain.
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| The riad door |
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| The riad interior garden |
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| The fountain in the interior garden… Peaceful |
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| The sitting area of the interior garden |
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| The view from the interior garden : the sky, simply… |
On the ground floor were a huge living room, bar and lobby, a perfect blend of Moroccan tradition and modern devices and pieces of art.
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| My riad lounge |
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| The lounge and its endless sofa |
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| The lounge, from another angle : view on the interior garden |
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| This nice flower arrangement was waiting for me ! |
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| Table detail in the lounge |
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| The stairs to the 1st floor… Beautiful details really are everywhere ! |
The first floor boasted a vast bedroom (some have two, some three) with a sumptuous marble bathroom and a dressing room.
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| The bedroom |
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| Details on the bed : sculpted wood and lace applied on leather |
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| Ready for a peaceful night… |
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| The walls, the ceiling, the windows… All handmade |
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| A beautiful bedside setting |
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| From the bedroom to the bathroom |
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| The bathroom as you walk in |
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| Details… |
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| More details : hand-sculpted marble and chiselled silver |
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| It’s worth looking up, even in the bathroom ! |
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| My robe, sitting on the larger than life bathtub |
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| The sculpted chandeliers make the light quite special |
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| More bathroom details |
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| The marble bathtub… Fit for a king (or a queen) |
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| …And so was the shower |
The second floor was a terrace with plunge pool, solarium, fireplace and dining table with views over the medina.
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| My rooftop pool |
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| It was a sunny day 😉 |
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| Those sunbeds were soon to be used !
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The Royal Mansour medina and amenities
Built as a medina (the traditional Moroccan city surrounded by the same walls as Marrakech itself), the hotel spreads over 3.5 acres, surrounded by fortifications. A medina inside the medina, built by the very best 1,500 artisans of the country over three years, with the very best materials from around the world : various colours of marble, Baccarat crystal, osterich leathers, hand sclupted ceilings… Exceptional !
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| Inside the hotel (medina) streets : a real city ! |
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| Pretty riads everywhere |
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| And palmtrees too |
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| Amazing details on a ceiling in the hotel |
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| A peaceful day |
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| Extraordinary local craftsmanship |
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| The lobby / entrance to the hotel |
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| Walking around the hotel, in one of the galleries |
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| Another small patio |
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| The view above the main patio |
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| Pretty walls and floors |
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| The hotel grounds were endless ! |
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| And room after room, luxury was everywhere |
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| The library |
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| A view from above, somewhere in the hotel |
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| The blue patio |
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| Frescoes in the corridors |
Sitting together within their very own miniature palace by the main patio, the Royal Mansour’s two fine dining restaurants (La Grande Table Marocaine for an authentic Moroccan feast, and La Grande Table for a classic French dinner) are supervised by French Michelin starred chef Yannick Alléno… Only the best !
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| Dining at La Grande Table Marocaine gastronomic restaurant |
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| La Grande Table Marocaine gastronomic restaurant |
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| La Grande Table Française gastronomic restaurant |
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| La Grande Table Marocaine gastronomic restaurant |
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| La Grande Table Marocaine gastronomic restaurant
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A must for a sunny destination like Marrakech, the Royal Mansour doesn’t have one pool, but two : my favourite one is located inside the spa – a world on its own, under an impressive pergola. The second one lays outside, by the shady palms in the extensive gardens.
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| Getting into the spa… A delight for the eyes ! |
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| Heaven on earth ? |
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| The spa |
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| Spa treatments |
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| Feeling lazy at the spa ? |
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| The main pool… |
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| I had quite a lot of fun too 😉 |
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| The main pool |
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| Another pool view |
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| Of course, it came with a jacuzzi |
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| Walking around the hotel |
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| Palm trees and flowers everywhere in sight |
No detail has gone overlooked in this incredible resort. And the quality of service is unmatched. If you order room service, you can request your food be served on your rooftop terrace. The breakfast alone is worth seeing : a smorgasbord of viennoiseries, eggs, bacon, and other local staples served on a white table cloth. The staff move about throughout the medina and riad using a « behind the scenes » network of tunnels and lifts to discreetly tend to every whim and need, including retrieving your sun glasses a mere two floors below if you’re feeling lazy !
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| Rooftop breakfast anyone ? |
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| Breakfast feast |
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| View on the interior garden from the second floor of the riad |
The Royal Mansour is by far the best hotel I have stayed at, and I am looking forward to going back.
