This Desert Villa in Morocco Frames the Landscape Like Art
At Villa E, there's no reception, no lobby—just seven bedrooms, a heated courtyard pool, a private chef, and a view so still it feels surreal.
There's no sign to mark your arrival at Villa E—just the desert stretching flat and wide, the Atlas Mountains rising hazy in the distance, and a single, silent structure built low into the land. About 45 minutes southwest of Marrakesh, where the Medina's clang fades into the hush of stone and wind, this pared-back villa offers a different kind of luxury: private, quiet, and with architectural poetry written in red Ourika stone.
This is not a hotel in the traditional sense. There's no lobby, no check-in desk, no concierge clatter. But it moves with the ease of a hotel: staffed throughout your stay, with meals cooked to order, rooms cleaned quietly, and every detail handled as if you never had to ask.
Designed by the Marrakesh- and Paris-based Studio KO—the same minds behind the Yves Saint Laurent Museum—the villa bears their signature language: long, low lines, sharp silhouettes, an almost monastic minimalism. The entire structure is built from local stone, quarried just a short drive away, arranged in seamless blocks that feel more sculptural than decorative. Against the vastness of the Agafay, it doesn't try to stand out. It sits. Solid. Certain. Still.
Inside, seven bedrooms open directly onto the gardens, each with its own bathroom and a sense of space that's generous but never showy. A central dining room, open-plan living area with a fireplace, and a sleek kitchen used by both guests and the villa's private chef complete the interior. The house wraps around an open courtyard and a heated pool, connected by long, linear passageways that preserve the villa's geometric calm.
Meals here are quietly spectacular. Breakfast is included—think fresh fruit, Moroccan breads, local honey—and other meals can be arranged on request. The villa's in-house cook draws from what's local and seasonal: tagines rich with saffron and preserved lemon, grilled vegetables from nearby farms, maybe a dish tailored to your mood that evening. The food, like the space, is grounded and unfussy.
The villa is rented in its entirety—never by the room—and sleeps up to eight. Staff live on-site, but you may never see them unless needed. It's that kind of stay: invisible service, visible peace.
Beyond the villa's walls, the Agafay Desert unfolds in tones of sand and stone. There are excursions, if you want them—camel rides, quad biking, guided hikes—but they're best arranged ahead of time. Marrakesh is close enough for a day trip, the route winding through rural villages and olive groves, but most guests find themselves choosing stillness over movement.
To get here, a private car is best. Airport transfers from Marrakesh are usually included or easily arranged, though taxis need clear instructions—Villa E is not marked on the road, and that's by design. It's meant to be hidden. Meant to be quiet. Meant to be found, once, and remembered often.
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CairoScene
8 hours ago
- CairoScene
This Desert Villa in Morocco Frames the Landscape Like Art
This Desert Villa in Morocco Frames the Landscape Like Art At Villa E, there's no reception, no lobby—just seven bedrooms, a heated courtyard pool, a private chef, and a view so still it feels surreal. There's no sign to mark your arrival at Villa E—just the desert stretching flat and wide, the Atlas Mountains rising hazy in the distance, and a single, silent structure built low into the land. About 45 minutes southwest of Marrakesh, where the Medina's clang fades into the hush of stone and wind, this pared-back villa offers a different kind of luxury: private, quiet, and with architectural poetry written in red Ourika stone. This is not a hotel in the traditional sense. There's no lobby, no check-in desk, no concierge clatter. But it moves with the ease of a hotel: staffed throughout your stay, with meals cooked to order, rooms cleaned quietly, and every detail handled as if you never had to ask. Designed by the Marrakesh- and Paris-based Studio KO—the same minds behind the Yves Saint Laurent Museum—the villa bears their signature language: long, low lines, sharp silhouettes, an almost monastic minimalism. The entire structure is built from local stone, quarried just a short drive away, arranged in seamless blocks that feel more sculptural than decorative. Against the vastness of the Agafay, it doesn't try to stand out. It sits. Solid. Certain. Still. Inside, seven bedrooms open directly onto the gardens, each with its own bathroom and a sense of space that's generous but never showy. A central dining room, open-plan living area with a fireplace, and a sleek kitchen used by both guests and the villa's private chef complete the interior. The house wraps around an open courtyard and a heated pool, connected by long, linear passageways that preserve the villa's geometric calm. Meals here are quietly spectacular. Breakfast is included—think fresh fruit, Moroccan breads, local honey—and other meals can be arranged on request. The villa's in-house cook draws from what's local and seasonal: tagines rich with saffron and preserved lemon, grilled vegetables from nearby farms, maybe a dish tailored to your mood that evening. The food, like the space, is grounded and unfussy. The villa is rented in its entirety—never by the room—and sleeps up to eight. Staff live on-site, but you may never see them unless needed. It's that kind of stay: invisible service, visible peace. Beyond the villa's walls, the Agafay Desert unfolds in tones of sand and stone. There are excursions, if you want them—camel rides, quad biking, guided hikes—but they're best arranged ahead of time. Marrakesh is close enough for a day trip, the route winding through rural villages and olive groves, but most guests find themselves choosing stillness over movement. To get here, a private car is best. Airport transfers from Marrakesh are usually included or easily arranged, though taxis need clear instructions—Villa E is not marked on the road, and that's by design. It's meant to be hidden. Meant to be quiet. Meant to be found, once, and remembered often.
Egypt Independent
a day ago
- Egypt Independent
‘They don't want the rabble anymore:' Why Europe is rising up against mass tourism
As protestors have taken to the streets across Spain, disrupted a billionaire's wedding in Venice, and even caused a shutdown of the Louvre in the shape of a staff mutiny about overcrowding, Noel Josephides has been watching with one phrase on his mind: I told you so. 'I could have told you that would happen 10 years ago,' he says. 'And I said so. I said, 'This is going to get out of control.'' Josephides is the longstanding chairman of Sunvil, a UK-based tour operator that has been sending comfortably-off Brits on vacation since 1970. He's also a former chairman of ABTA and AITO, both UK travel industry bodies, which makes him one of the big beasts of European tourism. And he says he saw Europe's current overtourism meltdown coming. 'I said there'll be enormous problems going forward,' he recalls of a speech he delivered to the ABTA annual convention, held in Dubrovnik, in 2013. He delivered that warning as the sharing economy — spearheaded in travel by Airbnb — was mushrooming across Europe. His concern, however, was not just short-term rentals. What he saw coming was a perfect storm: rapidly expanding budget airlines working in tandem with proliferating short-term rentals to create vast new vacation capacity, driving down prices and ushering in a new era of large-scale budget travel. Of course, as a tour operator, Josephides works in direct competition with short-term rentals and the independent travel-planning that budget airlines encourage. Yet today, he seems like a Cassandra figure — he foresaw the chaos, but no one acted. Now his worst fears have come to pass. 'The local populations are quite right,' he says about the spiraling protests. 'It's out of control. I'm on the side of the protestors, even though it affects my business.' The Covid-19 pandemic was the only time in years that Barcelona's Las Ramblas was tourist-free. Josep Lago/AFP/Getty Images 'A salmon going against the flow' The situation in Europe this summer is a far cry from the empty streets and clear waters of the summer of 2020. During the pandemic, many destinations vowed to reinvent tourism for the better. But once travel restrictions were lifted, things quickly reverted to the old ways — and in many cases got worse, thanks to what came to be known as 'revenge travel.' For some locals, the memory of lockdown has taken on a halcyon glow. 'I remember walking in the streets very close to Las Ramblas and hearing birds singing and church bells,' says Maite Domingo Alegre, who lives in Barcelona. 'I'd never realized the bells tolled. But I never get to hear them anymore. Tourism has brought so much noise it's unbelievable.' An English teacher and associate professor at the Universitat Pompeu Fabra, Domingo Alegre lives in the city's historic center near the cathedral and works near Las Ramblas. She says her city has changed beyond recognition. 'We've always had tourism, and mass tourism, but over the last 10 to 15 years this has changed dramatically,' she says. 'It's not seasonal anymore, it's 365 days a year. And the visitors are much more than the number of inhabitants.' Crowded streets are one thing; the knock-on effects, she says, are worse. 'Most of the shops — even food shops, clothes shops, restaurants, everything in the center — is basically addressed to tourists,' she says. 'Prices have gone up. Airbnb basically evicted many locals. Most of my friends have fled the neighborhood because they can't afford to live there anymore.' The pandemic, she adds, intensified the problem, attracting remote workers from across Europe. 'They don't really mingle with the locals. They're not interested in Catalan or even Spanish culture. They think it's cheaper, and they have nice food and cheap drinks, so most bars and restaurants are also thought of for them.' Venice musician Ornello's latest video shows him as an astronaut, walking through the busy streets which have become alien to him. Courtesy Ornello In Venice, it's the same story. The local pop musician Ornello's latest video shows him dressed as an astronaut, wading through the summer crowds. In his real-life identity, Alessio Centenaro, he feels equally out of place in his hometown. 'I'm a cyclist and on Sundays I take my bike from Piazzale Roma (Venice's road terminus). I'm going out and I'm going against all the tourists arriving on the island and I feel like I'm a salmon going against the flow. Sometimes when you're surrounded by tourists, with hundreds all around you, you feel like you're the foreigner.' Venice has always been a city of tourists, he adds, but it also once had a sizable resident population. 'There are 48,000 people officially, but nobody says what's the percentage of old people. I'd say it's perhaps 70% over 70. If they will live another 15 years, what will happen then?' The number of residents in Venice has plummeted as visitor numbers to the city continue to rise. MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP/AFP via Getty Images From 'secret' to swamped For the past five decades, Josephides has watched destinations go from charming to overcrowded. The trajectory, he says, is nearly always the same. First a boutique tour operator like Sunvil identifies a little-visited destination that seems perfect for its clients — people in search of a vacation where they won't be surrounded by other vacationers. It'll add that destination to its books, usually chartering a weekly flight to get clients there initially. And so the first few seasons will be a halcyon period of relatively few visitors. They enjoy the peace and quiet; the residents enjoy the money they inject into the local economy. But then word will spread. A budget airline — because it's low-cost carriers, not legacy ones, who invest in lesser-known places — will start operating to the destination. The following year, its rivals follow suit, eager not to miss out. What if Jet2 knows something we don't? Suddenly, there's a surfeit of planes going to the destination, and to fill them airlines slash fares, meaning that the budget market becomes the 'volume market,' as Josephides puts it. Accommodation strains to keep pace with the growing number of visitors, prompting locals to invest in short-term rentals. Soon, that 'secret' destination is swamped — not just by the early, more affluent pioneers, but by that volume market, who fly in on the budget airlines, stay in an Airbnb and generally spend less locally. So the first wave moves on to a new place, and the cycle begins again. Josephides earmarks the Greek island of Samos as one of the next destinations to go through this cycle. This year there is one direct weekly flight from the UK, he says. 'Next year TUI (a German travel company) have Thursday and Sunday. Jet2 have put on four flights: two Manchester, one Birmingham and one Stansted. So wait to see Ryanair and easyJet pile in.' The mass market players, he says, 'move in like a vacuum cleaner. The nature of the island will change but local governments do not understand what will happen until it is too late.' Even established hot spots can be victims of their own popularity. Airports on the Greek islands of Corfu and Crete, Josephides notes, are inundated with flights. 'The volume market won't go to destinations that aren't known, so you get this bottleneck of cheap flights fueling the likes of Airbnb. The local population are quite right — it's out of control.' An Airbnb spokesperson said in a statement: 'Airbnb offers a different way to travel that better spreads guests and benefits to more communities. The fact is that overtourism is getting worse in cities where Airbnb is heavily restricted: in Amsterdam or Barcelona, the introduction of stringent restrictions on short term rentals have coincided with a steep increase in guest nights driven by hotels, and a surge in accommodation prices for travelers. Cities that want to have a significant impact on overtourism should embrace tourism that supports families and communities.' They added that 59% of 'guest nights' sold in the EU on Airbnb in 2024 are in destinations outside cities, while their research published in June shows that the majority of tourists still choose hotels. VRBO, another major short-term rental provider, did not respond to a request for comment. Palma's tourist board is taking steps to center the industry around residents, not visitors.A blitz on overtourism Pedro Homar knows this pressure well. As tourism director for Visit Palma, he's caught between visitors behaving badly in the Spanish city, and residents demanding action. 'We need to ensure that tourism is a sustainable industry, not just from an environmental point of view but also from a social and economic point of view,' he says. 'Our economy depends on tourism, so we either make sure we're physically sustainable or we will not have a future.' Since the pandemic, Palma has stopped promoting itself outright. Instead, it runs 'image campaigns' to shape perceptions — even running ads to call out antisocial behavior in certain resorts. In 2022, the city capped cruise ship arrivals at three a day, even though the port can handle six (Barcelona has followed suit, announcing in July that it will close two of its seven cruise terminals from 2026). It banned short-term rental apartments and Airbnbs in city-center residential buildings and has set a cap of 12,000 hotel beds: for a new hotel to open, another must close. Palma has also built up a 50-million-euro ($58 million) fund to buy and remove outdated hotels from circulation — typically cheaper properties that tend to attract budget tourists. 'It's a way of taking out of the market all these obsolete and old hotels that are no longer competitive and not the kind of product that we want for the destination,' Homar says. 'We don't need you' Palma's approach raises a question: Who has the 'right' to travel? Some destinations have long used high costs to deter mass tourism. Bhutan charges a $100-a-day 'sustainable development fund' fee. A gorilla-trekking permit in Rwanda costs $1,500 per person. Even Venice's 10-euro day-tripper fee has drawn criticism from locals for selling the city to the wealthy. Homar argues that destinations should have the right to choose their visitors, likening it to deciding whom to invite to dinner. 'I really do believe that as mature destinations, we have the right to choose the tourists that we want, and don't want,' he says. 'We want tourists that respect our personality, our way of living, our traditions. 'If you are thinking of coming over without a respectful point of view, we say, respectfully, we don't need you.' Josephides is blunter. 'They don't want the rabble anymore,' he says. 'It sounds awful to say so, and everyone's entitled to a holiday, but the numbers just keep growing. The whole thing is out of control. I can understand the democratization but it's up to the destination if they want clients without any money,' he adds. 'I'd like to drive a Ferrari, but I can't afford it.' For now, he says, most European destinations seem focused on capping numbers rather than pricing out budget travelers entirely. In Rome, visiting the Trevi Fountain has become an ordeal. Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto/Getty Images Winning back the locals Restoring the goodwill of residents is just as important as tackling the crowds. 'A city where residents are not satisfied is a city that doesn't work,' says Ruben Santopietro, CEO of Visit Italy, a marketing company for various destinations across the country. 'It loses its identity completely. Residents feel excluded and neighborhoods become touristic.' Born in Naples, which saw protests over lack of housing and growing short-term rental numbers in March, Santopietro has watched his hometown surge in popularity — and housing prices — over the past decade. He warns that if growth continues unchecked, 'in five years, 50% of the città d'arte (Italian cities of culture) will become inaccessible.' Rome, Florence and Naples, he says, are already 'suffocated by tourism' almost to the point of no return. Visitors, he adds, actually want locals around. 'Venice belongs to the Venetians. If locals aren't there, they won't go. Putting residents at the center of tourism models is the only way to preserve our cities from becoming open-air museums.' Homar agrees, echoing the same phrase — 'putting residents at the center of the tourist strategy' — when talking about Palma's new five-year plan, adopted in 2023. Some hotels the city buys will be replaced with green spaces or converted to housing. In November, Palma will launch free cultural activities for locals — organ recitals, children's days in the old atelier of artist Joan Miró, theater concerts organized by Spanish national radio stations, guided architectural walks around the city — to 'uplift the sense of belonging and the pride of being a citizen.' 'All these initiatives will be in spaces that residents for some reason believe are just for tourists,' he says. 'We're seeing that the sense of belonging that residents used to have about being in Palma, they were slowly losing that and we need to change that dynamic.' The scourge of social media Redistributing visitors can also help. The problem in Italy, Santopietro says, isn't that the country can't handle the numbers — it's that everyone goes to the same places. This summer, his agency launched a campaign, 'The 99% of Italy,' encouraging travelers to visit lesser-known destinations from Genoa to Tropea (some of which were their clients, but not all). 'We used social media platforms as they have created these imbalances,' he says, adding that they expect tangible results in the long term, as regional marketing campaigns take longer to take effect. Santopietro says that even in the busiest destinations, steps can be taken to disperse visitors. He suggests incentives — for example, discounted tickets to Rome's Colosseum for those who've already visited the ancient coastal town of Ostia Antica. In Naples, residents protested about the housing crisis in March, citing short-term rentals as one of the takes time In the short term, protests are likely to spread, says Estrella Diaz Sanchez, associate professor of marketing at Spain's University of Castilla-La Mancha. 'Some locals are frustrated about the number of tourists they receive, but I think the main factor is skyrocketing rents, driven by short-term holiday lets, pushing locals out of the housing markets,' she says. 'The solution isn't to reject tourism; it's to make it more inclusive and respectful.' Even Josephides, the tourism industry doomsayer, thinks recovery is possible. He points to Estoril, on the Lisbon coast, which in the 1970s was a mass-market destination. Authorities decided to push it upmarket, and succeeded. 'You can recover, but it takes time,' he says. 'It's much easier for a destination to control its growth rather than repair it afterwards.' 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Mid East Info
a day ago
- Mid East Info
Plan B receives highest honour from the President of Seychelles for organising FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2025 in Seychelles
Dubai-based branding, marketing, advertisement and event management conglomerate Plan B Group has received a State Award from the President of Seychelles for successfully organising the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2025 held in Seychelles in May. Wavel Ramkalawan, President of Seychelles, honoured Mr Harmeek Singh, a serial entrepreneur and Chairman of Plan B Group for his leadership in organising such a high-profile global sporting tournament as FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2025, by handing over the award at his office. With this, Plan B, an award winning events and marketing agency delivering world-class events and experiential campaigns for some of the world's best known brands, becomes the first UAE organisation to achieve such a great honour. Plan B Group was selected to deliver the full operational setup for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2025 in Seychelles – the first FIFA event hosted in the country, after Plan B's success in organising the same event in Dubai in 2024. Its scope of work included the design, build, and management of the beach stadium, including modular grandstands, athlete facilities, broadcast infrastructure, and hospitality zones. Despite the logistical complexities of operating on an island, Plan B ensured FIFA-standard quality across every layer — from sand treatment and seating layouts to LED integration and ceremonial areas. It also supported the Local Organising Committee (LOC) with operational planning, signage, and fan area management. This landmark project showcased its ability to work in new geographies while upholding global event excellence. The tournament was praised for its delivery and the legacy it left for sport tourism and youth development in Seychelles. Plan B Group had earlier played a pivotal role in organising the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2024 in Dubai – an event that solidified the UAE's reputation for hosting elite tournaments. It spearheaded the construction and operation of a unique beachfront stadium at Dubai Design District (d3), creating a custom sand arena in just 25 days. The venue featured a massive LED screen for close-up action replays, a plush VIP hospitality area, and a fully equipped media center, al built to FIFA's international standards. 'I am writing this letter to recommend the services for Plan B Events LLC as a sports events organiser and management company based on their critical and invaluable support provided during the hosting of the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2025 held in Seychelles from the 1st to 11th May 2025,' Billy Rangasamy, Seychelles Minister of Land and Housing, said in a letter. 'Plan B Events LLC is one of our key partners providing both direct and indirect support across the tournament from infrastructure requirements, to entertainment management as well as the branding and marketing of the event. Their dedicated teams of professionals were critical in ensuring that new records were set for attendance, merchandising revenue and worldwide viewership for a FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup.' Led by multiple award-winning entrepreneur Harmeek Singh, Plan B offers 360 degree marketing and operations solutions to clients so that they can focus to their main business – while Plan B can offer them total marketing, branding, advertisement, and digital media solution. Plan B Group is an award winning events and marketing agency with over 20 years of experience, delivering world-class events and experiential campaigns for some of the world's best known brands. Headquartered in Dubai, with offices in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UK, India, Singapore, etc., it offers end-to-end in-house capabilities – from creative design to production – ensuring seamless, high-quality delivery across all projects. 'We pride ourselves on crafting original, memorable experiences. Our track record spans major sporting events (FIFA, AFC, UCI, OCR, etc.), fan engagement activations, and community initiatives, making us an ideal partner to bring the vision to life,' Harmeek Singh, Founder Chairman of Plan B Group, says. Over a decade of unwavering commitment, bold ideas, and groundbreaking accomplishments defines the journey of Harmeek Singh. With innovation at the core and collaboration as his approach, he has built a legacy that transcends business. His determination and relentless work ethic laid the foundation for what is now the eight-entity Plan B Group – an influential force across events, strategy, and experiential branding. He became the first expatriate to represent the UAE in the sports world, appointed as Global Marketing and Strategy Director for a national sports body. Known for his humility and dedication to the greater good, Harmeek has earned deep respect from peers and communities alike. He is guided by values over popularity, remaining true to his principles even when challenged. 'This is not only a matter of great honour and pride for me; it is also a matter of honour of the UAE and its people. When I came to the UAE, more than two decades ago, I was nothing. However, this great land of opportunity – the UAE – has created an eco-system for people to grow and fulfill their dreams,' Harmeek Singh says. 'It is in this great country that I was able to build up something that made me proud and feel good. I thank the UAE's Rulers, especially to HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum for making our dreams come true.' Every year, Harmeek continues to lead the Plan B team in crafting bespoke campaigns, building strategic alliances, and delivering powerful experiences that consistently raise industry standards. His forward looking approach has enabled him to forge strong partnerships for clients both locally and internationally, always guided by a belief in complementing, not competing. Yet his vision has never been limited to business alone. Plan B's professional approach makes them the best player in the Middle East's branding, marketing, and event management space and helps the clients to focus on their operations and sales operation. Billy Rangasamy concluded, adding, 'Aside from the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup 2025, based on our experiences and relationship with Plan B Events LLC, we are exploring other avenues of collaboration in the sphere of sports infrastructure management and marketing.' About Plan B Group: Plan B Group is an award winning events and marketing agency with over 20 years of experience, delivering world-class events and experiential campaigns for some of the world's best known brands. Headquartered in Dubai, with offices in UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, UK, India, Singapore, etc., It offers end-to-end in-house capabilities – from creative design to production – ensuring seamless, high-quality delivery across all projects. Starting out as a small agency, Plan B was founded by entrepreneur Harmeek Singh in 2004. Today it is regarded as one of the UAE's finest marketing and events companies – with an award-winning reputation for successfully delivering complex events especially for government and semi-government entities. With offices in Abu Dhabi, Delhi and London, Plan B is headquartered in Dubai and serves clients around the world. It is an ISO 9001:2008 certified group and employ highly experienced professionals across diverse creative and technical disciplines.
