What are the Best Hotels in Morocco? Part 1: La Mamounia Hotel & Spa

Where in the world does history tango with opulence, imagination pirouette with fantasy, and luxury embrace artistry? Why La Mamounia, of course.... the legendary grand hotel from the jazz age, set amidst the lush palm oasis of Marrakesh, which Winston Churchill referred to as "the most lovely spot in the whole world."

Opening its doors for the first time in 1923, during the time of the French Protectorate, La Mamounia is an exquisite, perhaps divine mix of Arab-Moorish architecture and Art Deco. With great fanfare, it re-opened in 2009 after a 3 year renovation and has subsquently been pinned the absolute top of every list, earning accolades for "hotel of the year," "best resort," "best international spa," "best hotel spa," "best hotel for service," "best urban hotel" and the "Grande Dame" by Fodor's 100 Hotels Award.

In times of yore, La Mamounia became Winston Churchill's retreat, where he would spend winters painting the majestic High Atlas Mountains and surrounding countryside. It was here that he relaxed in private with FDR just after the Casablanca Conference, (where he and FDR, Charles de Gaulle et al had outlined the strategy for ending WWII). The painting of the High Atlas Mountains that he gave to President Truman sold for almost $1 million.

Movie stars, rock stars, royalty and political leaders have all stepped through these doors into the mythical fortress of luxury and privacy to release themselves into the feather embrace of glamor, discretion, refinement and leisure. Marlene Dietrich was here, and Charlie Chaplin, and Alfred Hitchcock, and Charlton Heston, Mick Jagger, Tom Cruise, Nelson Mandela, Ronald Reagan.... the list goes on and on and on.

It is even rumored that Alfred Hitchcock got his inspiration for The Birds, from a flock of pigeons that he startled of his balcony one morning while filming The Man Who Knew Too Much.

La Mamounia is a World Heritage Site. With an unbelievable selection of beyond-star-rating restaurants and bars, an absolutely gorgeous pool filtered with ozone, and what has been called the world's best spa, you can arrive, luxuriate in this most exquisite blend of Europe and Arab ambiance, and have a most wonderful experience without having seen anything of Morocco except what's visible from the balcony. Or, you can use it as your base to explore the labyrinth tunnels of the nearby souk, bartering for ancient carpets, cheetah pelts, or a traditional silk kaftan..... or enjoy joy a day of  World class golfing, skiing, hiking, car races, hot air ballooning, or ATVing, all of which are available close by.

The hotel itself offers indoor and outdoor swimming pools, tennis, squash, spa, fitness center, golf driving range, billiards, and a casino.

A quick word about La Mamounia's spa: it covers 27,000 sf, and patrons can lie on couches on a platform propped by gilded columns over the indoor pool. The marbled hammam comes with a high-tech power gym, with red leather sofas and black walls that lead to whirlpool baths, saunas, a beauty parlor and a high-end Paris coiffeur. Massage, facials, mani-pedis, and a wide assortment of wraps are available.

Although the newly renovated hotel does not allow people to wander in off the street, if you book a dinner reservation you can meander through the fabled lounges and bars. 

La Mamounia is not a part of a greater chain; it is locally owned and operated and chooses not to "compete" with other hotels around the world. There are very few hotels in the world with this level of quality, service and luxury, although some critics have given it an honorary "7 star" rating.

Here, at La Mamounia, is an amazing opportunity to live a fantasy, touch history, dance with ghosts of a world gone by... and emerge with a wealthier spirit as you journey onward in your life!

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Our team of experienced travel professionals at Marrakesh Voyage would be delighted to help you design a private, guided journey in the Kingdom of Morocco.