Jay Gatsby would approve of the louche Moorish Deco style of the 10-suite Villa Makassar. Other than the Mamounia, this place is the reference point for Art Deco in Marrakech, combining an air of timeless elegance with the period’s colourful geometric style and luxurious materials.
Appropriately located in the princely quarter of the Kasbah, Villa Makassar is within easy reach of the Saadian Tombs and the royal palaces. It’s a 20-minute walk to the Djemaa el-Fnaa, but the villa is accessible by car. Pick up taxis at the nearby Bab Agnaou, or do as Gatsby would and have them call one for you.
If Marrakech has a signature style, it is undoubtedly Art Deco. There’s something about the geometric designs, colourful palette and luxe materials that sit comfortably with the Moroccan aesthetic. Décor at Villa Makassar focuses specifically on the dynamic interwar period of 1919-1939 – when the tomb of Tutankhamun and the Aztec pyramids were being discovered – filling the courtyards and lounges with museum-quality pieces by Francis Jourdain, Jacques Emile-Rhulman, Sonia Delauney and Paul Poiret. The villa itself took five years to renovate, with specially-commissioned bronze sculptures and wrought-iron work, Makassar ebony veneers, stained glass windows, leather wall coverings and antique objets d’art everywhere.
The range of services and facilities is impressive for a old city property. Aside from the dining room, bar, reading room, art library, shop and roof terrace, there’s a heated outdoor pool and a spacious chromotherapy spa with two hammams, a heated counter-current pool, a hot tub, a beauty parlour and a massage area. A 24-hour concierge, room service and a chauffeur service is also offered.
Each of the spacious rooms is decorated in the style of one of the great designers or artists of the period, such as the Piet Mondrian room with its huge wall-art installation. Furniture is arranged according to Feng Shui principles to ensure the best night’s sleep, although the plump, king-sized beds, marble fireplaces, and complimentary slippers and robes also help to ease you into a state of complete relaxation. Flat-screen televisions and DVDs are provided.
In keeping with the laid-back attitude of the era, breakfast is served all day, every day, in your room, in the restaurant, by the pool, on the terrace or in the courtyard. Lunch and dinner menus offer a choice of Oriental and international cuisine, after which you can retire to the Churchill bar for cigarillos and cognac.
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Children above 10 years old are accepted and there’s a spacious two-bedroom suite for families. Children’s meals and babysitting can be arranged on request.
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