Since visiting The Oberoi in Marrakech, I finally know what it feels like to travel like royalty. About a twenty-minute drive from the city, this five-star hotel lies along the Route de Ouarzazate. The perfect escape from the always hectic centre of Marrakech. The Oberoi is heavily gated; you could easily drive past it if you didn’t know better. But once we pass through the security gate, our thousand-and-one-nights fairytale begins…
We created a little clip of our visit (in april 2024), so you get a good impression of this amazing place:
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A vast water basin with a burning fire at its centre creates a spectacular entrance before we even step inside the enormous hotel. I would call it a palace even as the hotel’s architecture is inspired by centuries-old Moroccan palaces. The design of the hotel’s courtyard is based on the Ben Youssef Madrasa school in the medina, only larger and even more impressive. The expansive open courtyard features the most stunning architectural elements, both Moroccan and Andalusian, as manager Taha tells us while showing us the best spots in the hotel. But the rest of the huge, two-storey complex also appears to be almost entirely handcrafted. The Oberoi hired over 200 of Morocco’s finest artisans to create the hand-carved cedar wood, plasterwork, and tiling. This is Marrakech at its finest.
As if we weren’t already completely blown away by the hotel and its water features, Taha also shows us the most luxurious suite in the hotel (which can be rented for around two to three thousand Euros per night). Larger than most city apartments, with a massive marble bathroom, views over The Oberoi’s “grand canal” (and, if you’re lucky, the Atlas Mountains as a backdrop), plus a private rooftop pool. If money is no issue, this is the place to stay.
And then I haven’t even started about the mystical gardens and the private villas nestled between them. The main building is surrounded by 11 hectares of fairytale-like gardens full of olive and citrus groves. Pathways, water basins, fountains, footbridges, and several villas equipped with every imaginable luxury are tucked in between. In good weather, you can picnic here in complete privacy under the olive trees. Guests staying in one of the villas can even have dishes from one of the three hotel restaurants delivered by buggy. Perfect for anyone seeking total peace and privacy. A-listers and royals, I imagine.
We opt for the full restaurant experience and take a seat in the grand courtyard at the recently opened Indian restaurant Rivayat, where Michelin-star chef Rohit Ghai serves one extraordinary dish after another. We try Indian classics like Butter Chicken and Prawn Masala, along with the most delicious side dishes such as naan and curry leaf. We finish with (strong) mint tea and a mango cheesecake… phew! So delicious!
We left feeling like royalty for an evening. What a majestic place to visit. We’ll definitely return for a day visit to enjoy the gardens and the pool. And as for a 1001-night wedding, the kind The Oberoi organises mainly for Indian royals, lasting one or several days and starting at around a million, we’ll sleep on that for now.
The Oberoi Marrakech
Route de Ouarzazate
Marrakech 40000
Images: The Oberoi and Tess van Daelen
