La Villa Des Orangers

Marrakech had been on our travel list for quite a while and we managed to find a way to tuck 5 days in between visits to Lisbon and Madrid during the Christmas / New Year break. This was our first time in Marrakech and we debated between some of the grand hotels and the smaller riads. We opted for Villa des Orangers given its location and its reputation as an oasis in the thick of the action. We were very happy with our choice.

The location of the hotel can’t be beat as it is walkable to all of the top old city sights. Also in the vicinity are the Royal Palace, La Mamounia and the Royal Mansour. While Marrakech can feel a bit chaotic, all of that disappears when you walk through the front doors of the Villa des Orangers. The sounds of motorcycles are replaced with bubbling fountains and birds chirping. The riad itself has courtyards, traditional architecture, exquisite tiles, pools, flowers, candlelit lanterns…. You are immediately transported.

We opted for a ‘Small Suite with Terrace’ which was situated on the second floor, up a flight of stairs (no elevators here). While I know that each room is unique, we found the ‘small suite’ to be generous with a sitting area, sleeping area and a large bathroom. The bathroom included a claw foot tub and sizable shower. The sitting area was a wonderful spot to enjoy breakfast in the mornings. The highlight of the room was the rooftop terrace, accessed by private stairs in the room. The terrace had a private shower, lounge chairs, table, umbrella and a gate with direct access to the rooftop pool! If only we had been there when the weather was warmer so that we could take full advantage of the rooftop.

If you book directly through the hotel, breakfast, lunch and laundry are included. We enjoyed breakfast in our room 4 out of 5 mornings. Note that lunch is a 3 course affair and was very good. And we took good advantage of the laundry as we were on a 10 day trip. Service overall was wonderful and very kind. People here could not be more helpful and welcoming. Whilst sitting in the bar on the afternoon that we arrived, the General Manager, Souheil noticed new faces and talked us up, sharing thoughts about things to see, etc. Souheil and his team helped organize a fantastic day trip with car and driver to the Atlas Mountains and the Agafay Desert - don’t miss them.

Beautiful hotel in the very centre of Marrakech. We were upgraded to a huge 2 storey suite, with open fireplaces,.the largest shower i have ever seen,.and a lovely.patio overlooking the pool. The staff are delightful, the restaurant food sublime overall 10/10