A decadent, family-owned destination hotel combining the va-va-voom styling courtesy of famed French architect Jacques Garcia with an exceptional Henri Chenot spa, a stunning 80m pool and the princely Middle Eastern passion of Arabian horse breeding.
Located 7km (4 miles) southwest of the old city on the road to Amizmiz and the Lalla Takerkoust lake, the Selman is set in 15 acres of landscaped grounds with gorgeous views of the Atlas mountains. It’s a 10-minute drive to the airport and a 15-minute drive to the Djemaa el-Fna.
Owned by the Bennani Smires family, the Selman is a high luxe Moroccan resort. Lavish interiors are furnished with Venetian chandeliers, velvet and silk sofas and vast bouquets of flowers. Styled by Jacque Garcia (who renovated the Mamounia), the décor blends Second Empire opulence with intricate Arabian craftsmanship and a bold palette of imperial purple, fushia pink and peppermint green. Key-hole arches and columned corridors draw you through marble patios and out onto the sun-drenched terrace overlooking an 80-metre-long pool lined by sentry-straight palms. Beyond, owner Abdeslam’s thoroughbred horses prance around the paddocks, investing the whole scene with a surreal storybook quality.
The stunning surroundings are matched by professional service delivered by a team of nearly 200 staff. The facilities are impressive, too. There are three restaurants (international, Moroccan and a poolside pavilion), a bar and a stunning spa, which houses one of only four Vitalité Chenot institutions in the world. It offers a serious range of biontology, detoxification and relaxation in gorgeous surroundings that mimic the Topkapi Palace. Experts from Merano visit regularly to train staff in cutting-edge lymphatic drainage, hydrotherapy and massage, which is why so many guests make annual visits. Of course, the hotel can arrange all manner of activities, but some of the best can be had right here, including tours of the five-star stables and stunning equestrian display.
In contrast to the public spaces, which are designed to impress, the 55 bedrooms and five suites are intimate and cossetting with cloudlike beds, gentle silk carpets and discreetly hidden tech. They are generous in size, with comfortable seating areas, a large leather-covered desk and a deep terrace overlooking the pool. Bathrooms are beautifully finished in miniature zellij tiling and dark marble, and all have a bath, shower and double sinks. The five riads are extravagant in size. Each has a secluded garden, a 15-metre pool, and comes with fast-track airport transfers and secluded butler service.
Drink and dine in opulent splendour in the baroque Selman Bar and restaurant where you’ll sit on pink and peppermint silk chairs and enjoy an international menu featuring truffle and artichoke soup followed by dainty portions of quail and porcini mousseline. Alternatively, the Moroccan restaurant, Assyl, serves a classic Moroccan menu and a Saturday buffet accompanied by a belly dancing spectacle. Light Mediterranean lunches and an enormous breakfast buffet (featuring homemade breads, pastries, charcuterie and an egg station) are laid on at the poolside Pavilion, where seating overlooks paddocks full of gambolling thoroughbreds. Breakfast incurs an extra charge, which seems churlish at this level.
The resort is fully accessible and there are two specially-adapted Junior Suites.
This is a sophisticated resort. That said children are welcome and staff dote on them. All rooms accommodate extra beds at 600MAD (£48) per night for children aged four to 12, and 1200MAD (£96) for children over 12 years old. There’s a Kids’ Club for children over the age of four, which puts on special programmes during holiday periods. Babysitting services are available on request.
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