The interior courtyard of one of the three bedroom riads at The Royal Mansour in Marrakech
Marrakech has no shortage of luxury hotels, but the 53 room Royal Mansour stands out from the pack because of it’s lineage (King Mohammed personally backed and oversaw the construction of the property). Suffice it to say, the King has crazy good taste.
There is no such thing as a bad room at the Royal Mansour, even the one bedroom riads are 1,400 square feet. If that’s not big enough, worry not. The largest guest riad has over 20,000 square feet of space. All this space means the Royal Mansour is a haven of calm within the craziness of Marrakech. It’s the only place I’ve ever slept in Marrakech where I wasn’t woken before dawn by hearing the call to prayer.
Arches are a motif throughout the Royal Mansour
Each guest riads rocks a rooftop pool, all laid out over 9 acres of spotless grounds. You never see the cleaning crews working (rumor has it there is a separate network of tunnels for the staff, so that the service golfcarts don’t ruin the guest experience). When you’re in your guest riad, you almost feel as if you have the whole place to yourself, so If you’re looking for a hot pool scene, go elsewhere.
Mosaic inlays and luxe fabrics at the Royal Mansour
The nothing-but-the-best motif runs deep at the Royal Mansour, and a lot of it would be missed at first glance. From the library chair with the built-in iPod dock, to the roof which retracts so guests can see the stars, each surface has exquisite finishes. The hotel’s restaurants are overseen French chef Yannick Alléno, who runs Le Meurice in Paris. The guest stationary comes with your name engraved on it. The Pringles in the minibar will set you back $15.
The waiting area in the Royal Mansour’s Spa & hammam
With room rates starting at about US $2000, the Royal Mansour isn’t for the budget conscious. Fortunately, the hotel’s French and Moroccan restaurants, as well as it’s gorgeous spa, are open to non-guests and well worth the splurge.
Left: luxe fabrics and a gorgeous lantern detail on one of the three bedroom riads Right: a sunny sitting area
A lavish lounging area that was gorgeous, yet didn’t feel overly formal
The living room in one of the three bedroom riad style rooms
Left: A gorgeous chess set Right: the dressing area
A bedroom in one of the guest riads
Left: a metal sink Right: interior arches
Rooftop Lounging area at the Royal Mansour
Left: rooftop pool Right: rooftop dining area
Le Grand Table Marocaine
Left: Mint tea from room service Right: Interior of the La Grande Table Française
Courtyard at night
Left: a Chair in the Library with built in iPod dock Right: Cigars for sale at the hotel’s bar
.Night at the Royal Mansour
Rue Abou Abbas El Sebti
40 000 MARRAKECH, MAROCCO
Tel: + 212 5 29 80 80 80
Fax: + 212 5 29 80 80 91
Email: info@royalmansour.ma
Disclosure: Much thanks to the Royal Mansour, who provided me with accommodations during my stay.