La Mamounia

La Mamounia stands at the edge of the Marrakech medina on Avenue Bab Jdid, a short walk from the Koutoubia Mosque and Jemaa el-Fnaa, set within 20 acres of gardens originally laid out in the 18th century and gifted by Sultan Sidi Mohammed ben Abdallah to his son Prince Moulay Mamoun. Opened in 1923 and renovated by Jacques Garcia in 2009, the hotel blends Art Deco lines from its early 20th-century heyday with traditional Moroccan marquetry, zellige, and stucco work, and has hosted guests from Winston Churchill, who painted in its gardens, to generations of film stars during the Marrakech festival. Rooms and suites are split between the historic Mamounia wing and a newer riad-style wing, with the most exclusive suites offering private gardens or terraces overlooking the Atlas Mountains. Dining covers four restaurants, including Moroccan, Italian, and Asian kitchens plus a poolside grill, alongside a famous patisserie and several bars. The spa runs to roughly 2,700 square meters with a hammam, a long indoor pool beneath a domed ceiling, and an outdoor pool set in the gardens, plus a full fitness center and tennis courts. Service is formal and attentive, with a long-standing concierge team well versed in arranging medina tours, desert excursions, and private garden access, making it suited to guests seeking a historic, full-service palace experience rather than an intimate riad stay.