La Mamounia opened in 1923 in gardens that the 18th-century Sultan Mohammed Ben Abdallah gave his son, Prince Al-Mamoun, as a wedding gift. The architects Henri Prost and Antoine Marchisio joined Moroccan tradition with Art Deco, and the hotel stands behind 12th-century ramparts within sight of the Koutoubia minaret. Winston Churchill wintered here to paint, and his name lives on in the bar and a suite. Jacques Garcia reworked the palace from 2006 to 2009, and Sanjit Manku and Patrick Jouin completed a two-phase renewal in 2020 and 2023 for its centenary, crowned by a chandelier inspired by Berber jewellery. There are 135 rooms, 71 suites and three riads of 700 square metres hidden in the gardens, each with its own pool and a butler on call day and night. L'Asiatique is by Jean-Georges Vongerichten, L'Italien by Simone Zanoni, Le Marocain serves traditional cooking in an Arab-Andalusian setting and Pierre Hermé signs the pastries; a vegetable garden of 1,500 square metres supplies the kitchens. The spa of 2,500 square metres has two hammams and a private hammam, and there is a 20-seat cinema.
- Nearest airport
- Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK), 4 Miles / 6 Kilometres
- Rooms
- 209 rooms, suites and riads
Insider tip The concierge can arrange a camel ride at sunset outside the city, followed by dinner by candlelight in a tent.
Why I choose it A century-old palace behind the medina walls, with gardens that make Marrakech feel quiet.