The Mansour Eddahbi, Marrakech’s original luxury hotel and conference centre, was reimagined by French architects Studio MHNA in $100-million refit into a palatial hotel with 503 rooms inspired by the extravagant life of Sultan Ahmed Al-Mansour, after whom the hotel is named.
Located in Hivernage between the Medina and the new town, the hotel is well placed for visiting the city’s main sites. It’s a 10-minute drive to the Djemaa el-Fna and Mansour’s Badi Palace.
The most famous member of the Saadian dynasty, Ahmad al-Mansour went by the nickname ‘Eddahabi’ (The Golden One), thanks to his efforts in transforming Marrakech into one of the grandest cities of the 16th century. The scale and opulence of the hotel, spread across seven buildings named after his sons, is testimony to his wealth.
The décor and architecture are on a monumental scale: giant, gilded bird cages house metallic falcons (Ahmad’s favourite sport), marble corridors run into the distance, gilded moucharabieh screens and mirrored walls twinkle beneath a constellation of subtles and fountains and water channels burble sonorously everywhere you walk. Intimate it is not, but it is a great feast for the eyes.
There’s a full menu of facilities including three outdoor swimming pools and a children’s pool, five restaurants, a fitness centre and a jasmine-scented spa with eight treatment rooms, a hammam, sauna, steam room, nail bar and hair salon. The conference centre and event facilities are some of the best in the city and make this a first-class option for business travellers. Given the scale of the place, service can be slow and a few more staff wouldn’t go amiss.
Given the Arabian Nights excesses of the public rooms, it’s a welcome surprise to find the 503 rooms decorated in a restrained, sophisticated style. White linens with bronze borders cover plump king-sized beds, while carpets and wall fabrics layer a restrained cream on sandstone palette.
Bathrooms are spacious and furnished with contemporary fittings, baths, powerful rain showers and large, luxe marble tiles. Robes, slippers, LCD televisions, coffee and tea-making facilities and minibars come as standard. It’s worth splashing out a little extra for a Superior room with a balcony.
The scale of the dining rooms works against an atmospheric experience and the breakfast buffet can feel a bit like a canteen. That said, the choice is enormous with breads, pastries, fruit, cold meats, cheese and a selection of hot dishes. For lunch you can opt for snacks by the pool or barbecue at the nearby Jamra Bar and Grill.
The Moroccan restaurant Dahbi overlooks the garden and is certainly worth a visit. Otherwise, there’s the naffly-named Medi Terra restaurant serving international cuisine inspired, apparently, by al-Mansour’s cultural voyage through Italy in 1580-81. Best of all is the astrology themed Manso Bar and Lounge, which serves cocktails on a romantic roof terrace and offers the intimacy the other spaces lack.
Yes. All public areas and rooms are accessible, and the latter have roll-in showers.
Yes, although the glitzy style doesn’t suggest it. Two children up to the age of six years old can stay free of charge and childcare equipment such as cots, night subtles, strollers and baby baths are complimentary. Adjoining rooms and children’s menus are available, there’s a club (two-12 years old), kids’ television channels and a playground. Babysitting is available for a fee.
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