A Honeymoon Escape at Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech
Georgie Bentley-Buckle jetted to Marrakech for her honeymoon to stay at Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech: a five-star desert-oasis meets mountain backdrop.
By Georgie Bentley-Buckle
Just 12 km from the wonderfully chaotic streets of Marrakech and we pull into Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech: a five-star oasis situated on a century-old olive grove. Set across 231 hectares with the Atlas Mountains piercing the landscape beyond, this luxury hotel celebrates its natural surroundings with a design concept that honours Morocco’s distinctive character. Providing both convenience with seclusion with a desert-oasis meets mountain backdrop, subtle hints of Berber craftsmanship balance locality with Fairmont’s global contemporary offering.
Sitting quietly with nature, the ancient olive groves continue to thrive in a flourishing garden of palm trees, orange blossoms, and lavender. Finished with earthy tones, the low-rise property encourages the organic elements of the rural location to lead. Drawing inspiration from the famous riads, architect Jean-François Adam carefully creates an indoor-outdoor experience across 135luxurious rooms, suites, and villas, which feature living spaces between 72 to an opulent 1,810 square meters.
With views of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains, French designer Marili Spataro crafted the Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech’s interiors. Celebrating Moroccan culture through a luxurious and contemporary lens, our spacious suite complete with a terrace overlooking the gardens, a lounge and huge bathroom with a walk-in wardrobe, invited us to slow down to a slower pace of life. Other options perfect for groups and families include the 741 sqm Prince Villas with feature two bedrooms, en-suite bathrooms, a private swimming pool, a landscaped garden and a hammam. Meanwhile, the jewel of luxury and comfort is The Presidential Suite. With two private suites, a spacious lounge, central fireplace and terrace, guests can revel with the finest mountain views.
The first Fairmont property to arrive in Morrocco, today the hotel proudly stands among an exclusive collection of four prestigious Fairmont hotels in Morocco, which include the Fairmont Taghazout Bay, Fairmont La Marina Rabat-Salé, and Fairmont Tazi Palace Tangier. A fusion of architecture that consciously blends with the natural world, the Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech is widely recognised for its 18-hole golf course and Country Club. Meanwhile, with four clay tennis courts and two padel courts, and its own pool, the gym and fitness centre stand as a destination in its own right. This impressive agenda for health and wellbeing continues at the high-ceilinged spa, which, on our visit for a couples massage in a private spa suite, complete with a hot tub, is nothing less than a palace.
The portfolio of culinary options rivals these wider facilities among the graceful olive trees. On our final evening, a dining highlight was a seat at AlAïn. Located upstairs in the heart of the hotel, the menu celebrates rich Moroccan spices with traditional Lebanese dishes under the expertise of Chef Abbass Kalakesh. This was paired with the friendly hospitality from the local team, who led us through the flavours of their home with a local bottle of Moroccan wine.
Three other restaurants from Executive Chef Guillaume Galvez allow guests to enjoy dishes that are inspired from near and far. From Morocco to Italy, on the ground floor, Capricci is under the care of Naples native Chef Modestino Pescatore with a striking wine cellar centrepiece. Whilst for laissez-faire lunches, poolside is L’Oliver, an elegant Mediterranean restaurant.
Over at the Country Club, Sabra provides seasonally inspired dishes made with fresh produce on the perimeter of the golf course. Finally, set to the soundtrack of a DJ, our pre-dinner apéritif in the sunken cocktail bar in the centre of the hotel was a favourite. Here, the hotel’s talented mixologists serve both signature and classic blends in a refined, glamorous setting, before we sauntered onto our restaurant of choice.
www.fairmont.com/en/hotels/marrakech/fairmont-royal-palm-marrakech
