Morocco, a land of vibrant culture, stunning landscapes, and rich history, offers an exotic and enchanting experience for every traveler. From the bustling souks of Marrakech to the serene Atlas Mountains and the vast Sahara Desert, Morocco captivates with its diversity and charm.
Morocco is a chameleon when it comes to its cultural offering, and choosing the best hotels is a varied task. Whether you’re looking for a vibrant city break and want to stay in one of the prettiest riads in Marrakech, yearn for serenity and seclusion in the Atlas Mountains, or plan to immerse yourself in the Agafay desert, there’s more to this African country than the promise of winter sun. It’s perhaps obvious, then, why Morocco has long since been favored by the fashionable jet-set crowd, and has become home to so many notable hotel addresses. Some are so lavish they veer on palaces, others are romantically reimagined farmhouses.
After a day of adventure, retreat to one of Morocco’s luxury hotels or 5-star accommodations, offering opulent comfort and warm hospitality. Here’s a curated collection of accommodations that showcases the very best of Morocco, as distinct as the country itself.
Top Luxury Hotels in Morocco
1. El Fenn, Marrakech
It’s easy to forget what a game-changer El Fenn was when it opened two decades ago on the edge of the medina with just six jewel-toned bedrooms, plumes of bougainvillea and a rooftop that felt like a fabulous house party. It stitched itself into the fabric of the Red City and redefined its aesthetic with color-clashing walls and lounges of thickly woven Berber and velvet fabrics, Moorish keyhole archways, and orange trees.
Like the best hotels, it has moved-and expanded-with the times. Co-owner Vanessa Branson, founder of the Marrakech Biennale and a certified Marocophile, has gradually bought up the crumbling neighboring riads to create a wondrous labyrinth of 13 interconnected buildings, 3 pools, and 41 bedrooms in blush pinks, mustards, and acid yellows. Some have zellige tiles, others hand-stitched camel leather floors and carved wooden ceilings, all offset with pop art and bright contemporary installations. Various sun-dappled courtyards lead to a new wood-carved annex, which references traditional Arabic motifs in the latticework and stained-glass windows.
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I recently stayed in one of the “cozy” rooms, behind an ornate cedar door. On a hand-plastered traditional tadelakt wall hangs a contemporary dot painting by Moroccan artist Abdelmalek Berhiss, while a timeworn mother-of-pearl iridescent chandelier dangles above the bed. It’s nearly impossible to tell old from new, a result of using local artisans, natural fabrics, and upcycled furniture. The open-air, guest-only Colonnade Café is dotted with olive trees; its modern spiral staircase, which connects the ground-floor boutique with the sprawling spruced-up rooftop, is a monument to Marrakech’s contemporary mood. Yet amid the rooftop’s pool, sunbeds and pops of color, the old magic of Marrakech endures.
2. The Royal Mansour, Marrakech
At the Royal Mansour Marrakech, located inside the medina, the draw is privacy-its beautifully tiled riads have their own pools dotting lush gardens that are made for afternoon strolls. Of course, that seclusion isn't the only defining factor: The palatial resort, founded by King Mohammed VI to showcase the best of Moroccan artistry and hospitality, was built over three years by 1,200 master craftsmen. It’s a swoon-worthy showpiece of Moroccan decorative art, starting with the 5,000 pound etched bronze doors that open upon your arrival.
Each of the 53 individual three-story riads comprises a mini courtyard (with a canopy that automatically unfurls if rain is detected); a sumptuously appointed living room; an equally dazzling bedroom with silk-covered walls, hand-painted arched doorways, and generous MarocMaroc bath amenities; and a private rooftop terrace with a fireplace. You and all this space are tended to by a gracious staff, in particular a butler who appears silently through the riad’s kitchen service entry (staff travel unseen via an underground tunnel system).
Although Djemaa el Fna square is within walking distance, there’s much to keep you ensconced in this city sanctuary, including indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a magnificent spa, and two superb restaurants, La Grande Table Marocaine and La Grande Table Française (both overseen by chef Yannick Alléno from Paris hotel Le Meurice), as well as the indoor-outdoor La Table, which serves a formally presented breakfast and lunch by white-gloved staff.
3. La Mamounia, Marrakech
For more than 95 years, La Mamounia has been a beloved destination and luxury hotel for discerning international travelers. Located in the heart of the enchanting imperial city, this legendary luxury hotel has recreated the intoxicating mood of a Moroccan palace, blending palace grandeur and Arabic-Andalusian style with modern technologies befitting a 21st-century luxury retreat.
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This is where Charlie Chaplin and Churchill chose to hole up, and Hitchcock filmed The Man Who Knew Too Much. Reinvigorated by designer Jacques Garcia, it had a spectacular reopening in 2009. Retreat from the hubbub to the huge gardens, with their beekeepers, lemon trees, secret ice-cream parlor, and the loveliest pool with a palm tree in the middle. The Sunday poolside brunch-tagines, grilled fish, pizza flatbreads-is excellent for hungry children, as is eating in Le Marocain to the sounds of a traditional oud (a bit like a lute). For a riad-style stay, there are three houses on the grounds, but the rooms with views out to the Koutoubia Mosque and over the rooftops of the Red City are the ones that give you the best sense of place. Pick up neon earthenware jugs, Berber-style rugs, and baskets at New York designer Martin Raffone’s MaisonLAB in Guéliz.
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4. Kasbah Tamadot, Asni
All kasbahs are a kind of oasis of calm behind fortified walls, and Kasbah Tamadot is one of the very finest in Morocco. Its name means “soft breeze” in the local Berber language, evoking the reprieve it offers in the shadow of the Atlas Mountains. First built over a century ago as a home for a local governor, it became part of the Virgin Limited Edition Collection of lodges and resorts in 2005. Now reopening after substantial damage from the 2023 earthquake, Tamadot is a lavish yet quirky Amazigh castle with exquisite carved doors and intimate courtyards, secret passageways, and terraces of reflecting pools strewn with rose petals.
It is furnished with the extraordinary collections of the previous owner, a Venetian antiquarian named Luciano Tempo, which were included when Richard Branson purchased the place. Huge bronze and wooden chests that might have carried Barbarossa’s loot stand in corners. In rambling gardens, pathways meander beneath trellises of jasmine while apple trees frame the cabanas around the swimming pool. In addition to atmospheric rooms in the old kasbah, new accommodations offer a step-up in luxury with 10 glamorous Berber tents in the gardens and six luxurious riads, which offer three-bedroom suites and private pools.
5. Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech
Connecting with nature in Morocco's beauty spot, where you can be as active or as laid-back as you like, all while enjoying the breathtaking backdrop of the Atlas Mountains. Just 20 minutes outside the bustling heart of Marrakech, the landscape starts to change-countless olive groves, tall leafy palms, and fragrant argan and lemon trees. The distant views of the Atlas Mountains paint the scene, but it's the grand arch at the resort’s entrance that sets the tone of sheer majesty. Step through the iconic Fairmont swinging doors and you’re greeted by towering ceilings, marble accents, plush furnishings, and an endless sense of chic glamor. Every corner is an Instagram-worthy shot, with bold, vibrant prints that reflect Morocco's rich heritage-ancient yet alive.
The main bar, Le Bar, dressed in a sleek black-and-gold scheme, feels like a scene straight out of a James Bond film. Jaw-dropping Moroccan chandeliers add to the extravagant spirit and five-star quality. Outside, 570 acres of lush green landscape await, showcasing Marrakech’s horticultural prowess. Home to an 18-hole golf course and a pampering spa, it’s the ultimate base for wellness seekers, romantic couples, families, and culture vultures keen to experience the crème de la crème of Marrakech’s idyllic rural scene.
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6. Dar Ahlam, Ouarzazate
This rare palm-framed fantasyland near Ouarzazate, whose name translates from Arabic as “House of Dreams,” was conjured 20 years ago, from the wild imagination of a Parisian creative. Thierry Teyssier re-envisaged the 200-year-old ochre kasbah and its rammed-earth ramparts to honor its Berber heritage with authenticity, elegance, and an unrivaled romance. Spells at the hideaway are more magical than ever, with the handful of rooms in the North African castle joined by spacious suites at the edge of the Louis Benech-landscaped grounds.
Teyssier’s past lives as a theater actor and event planner keep him challenging traditional hospitality as a disrupter and storyteller: Every soul-stirring scene is art-directed and choreographed to enchant, with delicate, tactile interiors, seductive scents, and unexpected curios at every turn. Surrendering to Dar Ahlam’s rare rhythm is akin to participating in immersive theatre, with unprompted poolside pomegranate juices, candlelit Berber tents for secret suppers, and personally addressed hand-penned scrolls or other gifts at bedtime. Guests can explore vast desert-scapes by four-by-four, or let the staff plan a picnic in a villager’s vegetable garden. There is no lobby, restaurant, or bar, just beautiful spaces unfettered by telephones, menus, or minibars.
Dar Ahlam’s emotive approach to hospitality has a precious respect for Morocco’s remote rural places, with the surrounding community deeply involved. This interdependence with the people of the area is a welcome lesson in how respecting geography and hyperlocal history cultivates a richer appreciation on both sides.
7. Villa Mabrouka, Tangier
Last year, designer Jasper Conran once again proved both his love of Morocco and his gifts as a hotelier. An instant classic, Villa Mabrouka is a sensitive renovation of the former Tangier love nest of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé in a magical secret garden by the Kasbah. Conran’s thoughtful follow-up to the delightful L’Hôtel Marrakech is a lesson to our age of de...
8. Fairmont Tazi Palace, Tangier
Integrating opulence in just the right measure is a difficult task, but this five-star hotel (once home to the king's advisor) pulls it off perfectly. After you enter the building with its cream-colored walls, you’ll find yourself in the lobby, a luminous space with nearly 40-foot ceilings. It’s the first hint that this hotel does everything in style: from the eight acres of landscaped grounds to the dramatic lamps that illuminate the corridor leading to the Crudo restaurant and the photogenic swimming pool, where you’ll lose track of time under the Mediterranean sun.
The hotel’s 133 rooms are an amalgam of elements that celebrate the country’s craft traditions with fretwork wooden screens, mosaics, and bespoke fabrics created by local artisans. The Fairmont Tazi Palace’s massive wellness center includes 10 treatment rooms, a private spa, a solarium, a hammam you won’t want to leave, and sunny Andalusian-style gardens that lead to a secluded vitality pool. Let yourself unwind before refueling at one of the four restaurants, where ingredients are pulled from the hotel’s own orchard and kitchen garden.
9. Nobu Hotel Marrakech
With a name as reputable as Nobu on the door, good service, and an even better restaurant offering are practically scribed into the brickwork. Marrakech is the brand's first foray into Africa, and its interiors remain respectful of the location, capturing a different kind of aesthetic that sets it apart from its Mediterranean cousins. The location is one to celebrate. From here, you can walk to the medina and the souks, or arrange drivers to take you further afield via the concierge, who suggests tours to the Atlas mountains, desert picnics, and cultural experiences like camel rides. The rooftop is as beautiful as the 360-degree views it offers, and watching the sun cast ombre shades of pink and orange across the sky before it sinks behind the horizon is best accompanied by a signature cocktail or a serving of mint tea-poured from an elaborate silver-tone pot, of course. Every bedroom is a suite bedecked in mahogany wood and rich furnishings.
10. Caravan by Habitas Agafay
The rocky sparseness of Morocco’s Agafay desert has long attracted travelers wanting a break from the sensory explosions of Marrakech. It’s an ideal landing spot for the Habitas group, which since 2016 has been setting up its minimalist, sustainable eco-retreats in places like Mexico, Namibia, and Saudi Arabia. Their oasis among the lunar dunes eschews bells and whistles in favor of communal vibes and engagement with nature-or “luxury for the soul,” as founders Oliver Ripley, Kfir Levy, and Eduardo Castillo call it. They have now applied their ethos to Agafay’s 41 Berber-inspired tents and lodges. Each en suite tent-solar-powered, with eco-bathrooms-embodies stylish pared-downness: no minibars or TVs, just wooden floors and earthy cream and ochre tones reminiscent of the regional rock.
Like all Habitas retreats, Agafay uses light-impact building materials as much as possible, either upcycled or sourced locally, which are designed to blend into the landscape. Weekenders escaping European cities sink into poufs and Berber rugs inside the communal glass-wrapped lounge. On the semi-open dining veranda, beneath raffia lamps, they tuck into lamb slow-cooked in the underground oven before knocking back market sangrias by the open-air bar, silhouetted against the Atlas Mountains and flame-red sunsets that give way to heavenly constellations. This is what travel is about-less guilt and more meaning amid tranquillity, good conversation, and cleansing nature.
Other Notable Hotels in Marrakech
- Amanjena: Inspired by the rose-hued buildings of old Marrakech, offering shaded courtyards, fountains, and luxurious pavilions.
- Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech: Nestled in olive groves and gardens, featuring villas and suites with private pools.
- The Royal Mansour: A medina within a medina, offering private riads with terraces and plunge pools.
- Selman Marrakech: An Arab-Moorish inspired palace with rooms exuding traditional elegance.
- La Sultana Marrakech: An exotic hotel comprising five adjoining riads with courtyards and gardens.
- Park Hyatt Marrakech: A brand-new luxury hotel at the base of the Atlas Mountains with spacious guestrooms.
- Four Seasons Marrakech: Designed as a Moroccan Palace with Moorish gardens and reflecting pools.
- Fairmont Royal Palm: A luxury resort with exquisite guest rooms, golf courses, and landscaped water gardens.
Whether you choose a traditional riad in the heart of Marrakech or a secluded kasbah in the Atlas Mountains, Morocco's hotels promise an unforgettable experience filled with luxury, culture, and warm hospitality.
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