It would take Morocco’s only spa offering therapies by Guerlain to beguile tourists away from magical Marrakech to Casablanca. So, the Four Seasons endowed itself with one. The city’s sole ultra-luxe hotel conveys that Casablanca, Morocco’s largest city, is contemporary and cool, rather than lost in time.
Perched atop Anfa Hill in Casablanca’s classiest purlieu, the hotel has its eyes set on the vast Atlantic Ocean. The iconic seafront Hassan II Mosque makes for a leisurely downhill stroll, while Anfa Place shopping mall is 10 minutes away by cab. A two-hour drive takes you to the Moroccan capital Rabat to explore its historic sites.
Crisp, smart, with lots of suave and marble, this compact hotel is more European than Moroccan in feel, but has Moroccan motifs elegantly integrated into the decor, creating a quietly sophisticated ambience. Having said that, the glitzy entrance is worthy of Vegas, emphasised by the lobby’s floor-to-ceiling windows framing the Atlantic. Though the view is stunning, people are more often distracted by the high-end jewellery showcased around the lobby, where the green on a displayed emerald necklace complements the vibrance of the lawns. There is direct access to the beach.
Expert concierges can craft itineraries that uncover Casablanca’s vivacious contemporary art scene and surprisingly evolved culinary culture. Front office staff however can be impatient.
No alcohol is sold here, but staff will graciously supply requisite paraphernalia to chill your champagne or knock up cocktails. It is the hotel’s ambition to revive the romance of Casablanca as conjured by the eponymous film, and to this end dispatches guests on a vintage motorcycle with sidecar into the slender streets of the old Medina, via Art Deco quarters to the famous Habous district near the Palace. Perhaps the hotel’s most impressive feature is its destination spa with treatments by Guerlain. The 90-minute Imperial Relaxing Massage (£165) is a must.
Rooms are resolutely contemporary and you could be at a Four Seasons anywhere, though design features capture the hotel’s maritime location with contemporary artwork on a littoral theme. They verge on the small side – even Junior Suites are snug – but this will probably not pose too much of a problem, as guests spend their time on the terraces (most rooms have one), especially those with ocean views, or in the sumptuously marbled bathroom complete with tub and Bulgari Thé Bleu toiletries.
There are three restaurants. Buffet breakfasts are available at Bleu, the signature Mediterranean restaurant, which serves up expansive ocean views over dishes incorporating fresh-caught fish. Young French executive chef Christophe Laplaza enjoys infusing continental ingenuity into local seafood as with his signature dish The Crab, Niçoise-style (£18).
Poolside Latitude 33, in a drape of lush verdure, serves fresh regional specialities made for sharing. As liquor isn’t available, you are offered mocktails and invited to get drunk on the views, which are all the more beautiful from the outdoors terraces at Mint, an all-day dining option with adjacent lobby lounge.
Soak into cushions whose colours evoke the setting sun on blue seas while enjoying original Moroccan and Middle Eastern dishes. It must be noted that while a five-star hotel isn’t usually the place for tagine, this hotel’s interpretation is surprisingly great. Teas are best enjoyed out on the terrace with its Moroccan seating arranged around a blazing fire.
There are five adapted rooms offering accessible bathrooms, visual alarms etc.
Yes, with extensive facilities and welcome amenities provided.
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