The new Radisson Blu typifies how Marrakech is on the move to a cooler, more contemporary vibe. The 198 rooms, bar, restaurant, business suite and spa were conceived by a savvy Casablanca design studio and mix laid-back, mid-century modern style with subtle Moroccan influences.
It occupies a prime position in Guéliz, 10-minutes drive west of the old city. You’ll find Marrakech’s best restaurants and bars in the neighbourhood and the hotel sits above the trendy new Eden Carré shopping mall. Airport transfers can be arranged on request.
Sitting discreetly on the second floor, the only street level sign of the Radisson are the security guards flanking a revolving door into what appears to be an upmarket florist. This raises the hotel above the fray and creates a sense of drama when the lift doors open into the huge lateral space that is the bar, lounge and restaurant. Here architect Imaad Rahmouni has created a chic and intimate environment with smart subtleing, zoned seating areas, a sociable, central bar and mid-century contemporary furniture that feels modestly contemporary. The pièce de résistance is the landscaped patio with its glass-sided pool and sundeck occupied by kaftan-wearing beauties in gold-rimmed sunglasses.
The Radisson is well equipped for a business hotel with five conference rooms and a section of secluded terrace for outdoor meetings. There’s also a large gym, yoga studio and Scandinavian-style spa with two hammams, five treatment rooms and an Iyashi Dôme weight-loss machine. Two hundred well-trained and proactive staff members exhibit an infectious can-do spirit that overwhelms any irksome issues such as the booking leisure activities with hard-to-get-hold-of, out-of-house contractors.
There are 198 balconied rooms wrapped around the patio, ranging from standard rooms, through various suites to one- and two-bedroom apartments. All of them are a good size and like the rest of the hotel the styling feels fresh and thoughtful although the rooms have the uniformity of a classic business hotel. Great attention has been paid to practical details (top-class soundproofing, dozens of power outlets, irons, Nespresso machines, satellite televisions, comfortable writing desks) and a quality finish, with wardrobes on gentle-close hinges and tightly tiled contemporary bathrooms with walk-in showers and Grohe fittings.
Decision paralysis will be your only problem at breakfast as you try to choose between a multitude of cereals, homemade jams and breads, Moroccan soup and pancakes, homemade yoghurt, stewed, dried, spiced and fresh fruits, pastries, charcuterie, cheeses, shredded salads, eggs and omelettes. Lunch and dinner are equally good, with a refreshingly short, contemporary menu featuring American classics and fusion Middle Eastern food. In the evening the patio bar comes into its own with Marrakshi hipsters sipping tooth-achingly sweet mocktails.
Yes, there are three dedicated rooms and lift access to all floors.
Children up to six years old stay for free, and junior suites have pull-out sofa-beds that can be used at no extra costs. Children will need watching around the pool, however, as it is unfenced and there’s no access other than via a ladder from the sundeck.
Trusted Tourism Brand
Leave a review