Hotel: La Mamounia / Stay Period: 2 nights (March 2024) / Program: Virtuoso

La Momounia, is one of the world’s 50 best hotels and lives up to that title. It is one of the most architecturally stunning hotel that we’ve ever visited. From the Centenary Chandelier in the lobby to the ornate tile work everywhere, the hotel doesn’t fall short of enchanting you with its intricacies showcasing the best Moroccan art! From the moment you walk-in, you enter a whole new world of luxury and elegance! This was one of our best stays of the year (so far!). We hope our experience can help you decide if this hotel is the right fit for you.

Virtuoso Benefits

Before we review the property, a quick note that the hotel can be booked under our exclusive Virtuoso programme. Booking under the rate, you can receive the following benefits:

• Daily Complimentary breakfast for two
• $100 equivalent food & beverage credit
• Early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability
• Complimentary upgrade, subject to availability
• Welcome note from the GM and welcome amenity

Location: La Mamounia

La Mamounia is located just outside the Medina in the centre of Marrakech. It is walking distance away from the main Kotoubia mosque, the tallest building in Marrakech. Despite its central location, the hotel’s expansive gardens create a peaceful oasis away from the city’s hustle.

Hotel Entrance & Check-In: La Mamounia

As you walk into the hotel, we were greeted by friendly staff and the grand Centenary Chandelier. The staff took our luggage and escorted us to one of their red sofas to complete the check-in formalities. The dimly lit lobby brings out the beauty of the chandelier even more all throughout the day! We stayed during the month of Ramadan and hence we did not have any welcome drinks served. After completing the formalities, they explained our benefits and directed us to our room.

Available Room Types: La Mamounia

La Mamounia offers a variety of luxurious accommodations, each designed to reflect the hotel’s rich Moroccan heritage while providing modern comfort and convenience In total, the property has 135 rooms and an additional 70 suites. Its worth noting that all room are quite small and may feel cramped. If you want more space, we would recommend going for one of the suites.

Rooms

• Classic Hivernage Twin Room: This is the base category. With the room size from 28 to 40 sqm, this is the only room category that comes with no balcony and only has a twin bed option. This can only fit up to two people and is ideal for friends or solo travellers looking to experience the hotel

• Superior Hivernage Room: This is the next category. The room size is similar to the twin room although comes with the option of a Double bed that is ideal for couples

• Deluxe Koutoubia room: Slightly bigger (30 to 40 sqm) than the Classic and Superior rooms with views of the Kouubia mosque. This is perfect for small families as it can accommodate up to three people and also has a balcony

• Deluxe Park room: Similar size to the Koutoubia room, this room offers a King bed and balcony with views of the lush gardens and Atlas mountains. This is the category we stayed in and can fit up to three people

• Deluxe Adgal room: Slight bigger than the Park room (30 to 45 sqm), this room has an option of Twin or King bed. This room has connecting balcony so is ideal for a group of people who’ve booked more than one room

Suites

Starting from the base category of the Hivernage Suite right up to the Al Mamoun Suite, each suite is uniquely designed. If you want a separate lounge, bedroom and a more spacious bathroom, these would be your best choices. It is ideal for people looking to experience the opulence and grandeur of Mamounia and those with bigger families/groups.

Riad

The highest category of rooms, where you can book your own private riad with your a private pool and gardens. An exclusive immersion into the art of Moroccan living secluded from view, deep in the heart of La Mamounia’s gardens, the three elegant 700 sqm Riads offer a luxurious, exclusive and very unique holiday experience. It is ideal for big groups looking for a more private experience of Mamounia.

Room: Deluxe Room, La Mamounia

We stayed in the Deluxe room with a balcony, facing the extensive gardens of Mamounia. The room looked a bit tight but was nonetheless stunning. It was ornately decorated with a lot of attention to detail.

Bathroom

The bathroom had a single sink, shower area and a bathtub. I’m always a big fan of double vanity but these were only in the Suite rooms here.

La Mamounia: Breakfast

Breakfast was served by the poolside at Le Pavillon de la Piscine. In the mornings, it was beautiful to sit outside in the sunshine! Breakfast included a selection of buffet items along with a small a la carte menu. The a la carte menu was mainly egg-based with a few sweet options. The buffet included an extensive Pierre Hermé pastry selection along with the usual continental options and cereals. We tried the pistachio-filled croissant and it was delicious!

The waiters were very friendly and made sure we enjoyed our breakfast on both days!

Lunch: L’Italien par Jean-Georges

The day we arrived, we had lunch at the Italian restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Jean-Georges. The menu had a selection of classic Italian menu items and an extensive wine menu as well. As we are vegetarians, we selected from the limited options that had the (v) next to it (Not complaining! In fact, it makes life easier to have a few options to choose from!). I was particularly impressed by the fettuccine pasta dish I had. When I spoke to the F&B manager later, he said that they make their pasta fresh on-site.

On the whole, the pasta was the highlight of my lunch!

Drinks: Le Bar Majorelle

Pre-dinner, we decided to have drinks at Le Bar Majorelle. The ambiance was very classy with a live band! I decided to be experimental with my drink and ordered a cocktail with wasabi called Nihonshu (a first!) and I wasn’t disappointed. The Mr. on the other hand stuck with a classic Mojito (slightly boring!).

Dinner: Le Marocain

After our delicious Italian lunch, we decided to have dinner at the Morrocan restaurant on the first evening. The menu contrary to the Italian was a tasting menu. They had a choice of two or three courses and vegetarian options as well. We opted for the two courses and I’m so glad we did! It was a lot of food!

For our entree, we had a selection of Moroccan salads. This was a lot more food than I had expected. It had a combination of dips and pickled vegetables that we thoroughly enjoyed. I enjoyed it more than the husband as it was all cold and he’s more of a hot comforting meal kind of person!

This was followed by a second course of vegetarian tagine and cous cous (our first of the man tagines on the trip!). I quite enjoyed it although it wasn’t the best of the trip!

Gym in La Mamounia

The gym at Mamounia is hidden somewhere in the vast gardens. I walked a while to get around and find it! The signage wasn’t very clear on where I had to turn. I got there eventually. It had everything you would need in a gym including cardio machines, free weights, and machines. As its accessible only to hotel guests, its fairly quiet.

Outdoor Pool

Mamounia is famous for its outdoor and indoor pools. Both pools are only open to guests with no option of a day pass. Hence, if you want to experience the opulence of the hotel and relax by the poolside, you would have to stay there!

The outdoor pool is heated and entirely clad in Murano glass. One side is the hotel building and the other side are the lush gardens. On a good weather day, everyone basked in the sunshine and enjoyed their drinks and some ice cream. Just next to the pool, there was an exclusive Pierre Hermé ice cream stand. What more would you want?

Indoor Pool and Jacuzzi

The indoor pool is more traditional and admirable with the Moroccan architecture. The attention to detail on the pillars and walls is admirable. My personal preference was to stay in the tranquil indoors as I prefer the quiet and shade. A short passageway away from the indoor pool is the warm jacuzzi, that added to the perfectly relaxed afternoon.

Other Facilities

Mamounia is indeed a beautiful hotel with a lot of activities and facilities to keep you busy.

• The Spa: Mamounia offers over 80 spa treatments including traditional Hammams
• Tennis court: Just across the gym, they had a tennis court that could be accessed during the day
• Games arcade: Next to the gym, they also had a arcade room with games, perfect to keep the kids entertained

Conclusion

We had an amazing stay at Mamounia. It is one of the best hotels that we have stayed at. It lives up to the service you would expect for the price you pay. The staff make sure that you have a memorable stay!

Digging a bit digger, let’s see who would be the ideal guest for this property…

Who is this for?

• If you are on a longer trip to Morocco and want to enjoy a special occasion
• Definitely for people/families who want to experience the grandeur of Morocco
• If you want to be close to the Medina but not live inside it
• If you want discreet luxury and take all your Instagram photos!

Who is this not for?

• If you want to live in the Medina and have a more traditional riad like experience
• If you prefer minimalist style architecture

How to Book?

If you wish to receive the same perks as us then, please fill out your details, and we will get back to you!