La Mamounia

Wow. Okay. I really just wanted to see Marrakesh (what a great name for a city, btw) and after doing some research, realized that THIS is the hotel to stay here. (I think there’s one other fancier royal palace converted to a hotel and all the 5-star luxury chains you can think of, but this is IT!) The fact that Winston Churchill loved here 90 years ago and Paul McCartney stayed here in the 70s and wrote a song about tells you something. It’s got charisma. I loved every minute of my stay. And I will say, if I had stayed anywhere else in Marrakesh I know I would have been disappointed, even if it were at a Four Seasons. Marrakesh has been cleaned up considerably in the last few years and now it resembles a terracotta or salmon pink Moroccan Rancho Mirage (California), all six lane, perfectly paved boulevards stretching as far as the eye can see. Now, I like a cleaned up city (I wasn’t too happy to go home to LA especially) but it may have taken some of the rough and tumble charm I was expecting at the Medina. Tangier 15 years ago felt much more exotic. That said, La Mamounia was the treasure I didn’t know about before this trip. I had heard about it over the years but didn’t know it could be this amazing. And it was. Flying from Lisbon was quick and the airport was very nice (at least coming… going back was rougher). We were picked up the hotel’s Range Rover and got very nice check-in treatment (perhaps as a result?). It wasn't that expensive but the airport is really close. We didn’t have any bags (just backpacks) as this was a quick, short trip for us from Portugal but that really confounded the bell staff. I don’t think they had ever seen anyone check in with basically no baggage. It become a running joke. We had moved our travel dates up a few days to impending horrible weather (105 F heat) that was coming so ended up in the most basic room as that was all that was available online. Fortunately, we were upgraded to a nice corner suite which we thought was great… windows on three sides, a little reading alcove with more windows and a giant private patio. Though it was almost right on the main street, you didn’t get any street noise. (Though we were right behind the employee break area so you got a lot of chatting and cigarette smoke at certain times, which kind of ruined my bath one day but it was atmospheric and I survived). I was happy at the upgrade but at check-out I got the impression they couldn’t believe we could have liked it as much as we did. We did! It was beautiful. But what else have you got? The hotel was built in the late 1920s in an art deco nouveau style and set on 60 lavishly landscaped acres of historic 300 year old olive trees in what was formerly a royal garden. How could you not enjoy it? It is also exceptionally well-lit at night. The hotel has been recently renovated and they kept what was beautiful and improved on anything that was dated. There are still bathroom tiles from the 20s (or at least they look like they could be). I think the lighting could still use some work... never figured out how to fully use it. This is hands down the most photogenic hotel I’ve ever been to, and I’ve luckily been to some nice ones. When we arrived, we were seated in the huge, main reception area on large, cushy couches under a great lighting fixture which has to be seen to be believed while waiting to be checked in. Then we were taken down a few darkened halls with amazing wood detail and torchieres to our room. It was a hike but was worth it. As soon as we admired the suite and settled in, we went off to check out the hotel. It is gorgeous… each area was more stylish than the next. After enjoying the lavish gardens from a park bench, we managed to snag the best table at the main outdoor bar and settled in the for the evening. Our server Abdul was fun and friendly and made the evening enjoyable… the next night we did the same thing and were served by Douiri, another delightful server, who got an assist from Abdul. The food was great… some of the best fish and chips I’ve ever had and we were in a desert. Both evenings were delightful, in large part to the friendly staff. The people watching was pretty great, too. Lots of French people in fancy resort wear with too much money enjoying themselves and smoking/vaping more than you’d think. The next morning, breakfast was served by the pool. It was gorgeous. The food was… sad to say… just okay and in some instances cold and lacking in the buffet… but the service was mostly very good (a few outliers… including one guy who kept giving us the check before we had any food on our plates). Still, what a location for breakfast. The pool was getting a little crowded by the time we left each day. I only ventured into it only once and I was a little intimidated by the pool “boys”… mostly unsmiling men… who set up your lounge chair for you. Fortunately, I had the good luck of being served by Toufik… what a super nice guy! The famous pool was really enjoyable except for the really boring but loud conversation held by the few American businessmen at the hotel in the shallow end (surprise!) who were surprisingly annoying. I left early because I couldn’t listen anymore. I missed the French smokers/vapers! One day we had lunch at the Italian restaurant. The main waiter was a little unhappy with the fact that we only split a pizza. We were a little unhappy the pizza was so bad. And it was. And expensive, too. We ended up splitting a club sandwich in the bar the next day before our flight which had obviously been pre-made and was ice cold. That said, it was tasty and didn’t make us sick, as we had feared it would. The club sandwich at the pool looked better. So, other than some servers at breakfast and the Italian restaurant waiter, we had great service and except for our fish and chips, the food was just okay. Still, it didn’t matter. This place is magical. The gym is large and in the middle of the gardens, so a hike away on a hot day. Alas, though it was beautiful and well-equipped, its high ceiling made it apparently hard to air condition. It was one of the hotter (in the temperature sense) hotel gyms I’ve been to. We made a quick visit to the hotel gift shop looking for a baseball cap… alas none fit but the tall gentlemen who runs it could not have been more charming. We only left the hotel once to walk to the Medina. We had to see it and we saw it and were back in 90 minutes. Um. Worth seeing, I guess? We didn’t get much of a greeting coming or going. I think the bellmen have seen too many tourists who aren’t guests. They’re very good at keeping them away from most guest-only areas but non-guests can come in for the restaurants and linger on the grounds. It wasn’t really a problem during our stay but sometimes you do get asked if you're a guest, which is never my favorite feeling. Some employees who deserve special mention… Nordin, our driver; Khalid, who checked us in, Hadijah, our butler; Abdul, our great server the first night; Douri, our great waiter the second; super friendly Toufik at the pool, and Imane at the front desk. Plus the gift shop gentleman. In fact, almost everyone else we came into contact with was pleasant, too… I just didn’t get their names. BTW… there are house cats everywhere. It’s the hotel’s thing and it’s really kind of nice. And I’m not necessarily a cat person. The gardens and the hotel are just so beautiful words can’t do La Mamounia justice but others have tried… even in song. So I've thrown in quite a few pics. When the sweet woman at the front desk, Imane, asked if we’d come back, I said absolutely! I meant it. And she said it would be in a better room. Why not? I think that tells you there are a lot of regulars who come here… it seemed to be very French during our time… and I totally understand why. This hotel is not like any other. It is truly one-of-a-kind. I look forward to coming back anytime (except summer) and I would highly recommend staying here if you’re ever in Marrakesh… I can’t imagine staying anywhere else in this city. It’s that good.

La Mamounia is undeniably beautiful. The gardens are stunning, the property is iconic, and every staff member we encountered was warm, gracious, and professional. Unfortunately, our stay did not live up to the level of luxury we expected given the price point. Arrival & Room Experience Upon arrival, we were assigned a room with a shower design so small that water spilled onto the bathroom floor. When asked about it they showed us how to roll the towels to mitigate the water issue. After raising the issue with management, we were moved to a suite. While we appreciated the accommodation, it came with an additional charge and, according to management, was the only option available if we wanted a larger shower that would not flood the bathroom. The suite was more spacious, but we still encountered several frustrations. The room technology and lighting controls were confusing and unintuitive, making simple tasks unnecessarily difficult. Small but important details were also overlooked, such as the lack of milk or cream for in-room coffee. We were also surprised to find outdated hair dryers. At a hotel of this caliber, we expected modern, high-performance models comparable to those found at other leading luxury properties. While seemingly minor, details like these contribute significantly to the overall guest experience. Service Recovery What disappointed us most was the limited service recovery after we raised our concerns. Everyone we interacted with was courteous and professional, but we left feeling that our feedback to management was acknowledged rather than truly resolved. As two women traveling together, there were also moments when we felt our concerns were not addressed with the level of attention we expected. While we cannot know the reason, it contributed to an overall feeling of being less supported than we anticipated. Overall Impression La Mamounia remains a breathtaking destination worth visiting for its beauty, history, and atmosphere. However, for the rates charged, we expected a more polished, guest-focused experience, with greater attention to comfort, functionality, and responsiveness when issues arise. Beautiful hotel, but not the seamless luxury experience we had hoped for.

I came to Morocco to celebrate my 50th birthday and wanted an unforgettable experience. I chose La Mamounia and I made the right choice. The hotel is spectacular. From check-in you realize that everything will be memorable. The decor is luxurious and elegant, like a Moroccan palace. The outdoor area features a large swimming pool next to a magnificent garden. The restaurants and bars are beautiful and lively. There's also a full-service spa and gym. If you like, Casino. I stayed in a suite on the top floor with a beautiful view of the pool and garden. Words can't describe it. But the highlight is the service and care from the people. From the beginning, they made my journey unforgettable, taking care of every detail. Special thanks to Timothé, Rita, and Amine.

First, the hotel grounds and common facilities are wonderful. For the amount paid/charge for rooms the service is lackluster. Compared to a four seasons, one and only resort chain-the service doesn’t match. We had. A few disappointing experiences. Calls to concierge and front desk often go unanswered. Had to request a steam iron 5 times-often telling us it was in its way (when it wasn’t). For two days we had notified the hotel of a sewer smell in the room. 1st day maintenance came (after repeated requests) and told us it was coming through the shower drain. They “fixed the issue and said it would not come back”. The next days it came back stronger and worse, burning our nose and throat. The hotel made us change rooms-after spending a few hrs relaxing at the spa. It was 7pm that evening and we had to pack up the entire room, move all our luggage. This caused us to delay dinner and loose track of items. The hotel offered us a room upgrade as compensation. (Note we were leaving early on the morning). The hotel said they would make it right and offer a discount for that night. Upon checkout they decided not to offer any form of compensation-rather saying the room upgrade was compensation. (Being forced out of a room bc of sewage is very disrupting) Unfortunately any other high end luxury hotel we have stayed in around the world would have handled the situation and treated their guest with much more grace and hospitality. I would check out the four seasons or royal mansour instead of La mamounia. The majority of the staff were great, friendly (slow and not overly attentive-as you would expect) but unfortunately the hotel management and guest experience team were not friendly and arrogant

Lovely Staff Warm check in Perfect Stay