01-05-2025
Laid-Back Luxury of Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech
We arrive, my friend and I, just as the sun is about to set on a Friday evening during Ramadan. Maghrib, the prayer time. Our driver, Jamal, is sunny and chatty as we take off for the hotel. The car makes it down the seemingly endless rust coloured drive lined with olive trees just in time for Iftar. A welcoming committee of smiling staff peel away quickly to join their colleagues upstairs for an evening meal.
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A new, twice-weekly easyJet flight between Glasgow and Marrakech has made a weekend getaway possible (the flight time is just three and a half hours). But as soon as we're shown to our room, it's clear that neither of us will want to leave on Monday. The resort has 135 luxurious rooms, suites, and villas, each with a view over the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. The elegant interiors of the hotel were all envisioned by French designer Marilin Spataro.
Junior Suite (Image: Alan Keohane alan@ Junior Suite (Image: Alan Keohane alan@ (Image: Alan Keohane alan@ Our Junior Suite is exquisite, decorated in creams, rich red hues and deep brown accents. The bathroom décor in Morocco typically leaves my jaw on the floor and ours is no exception. Through the spacious wardrobe we find ourselves in what could only be considered a private spa. Espresso coloured Zellij tiles line the walls and the enormous bathtub big enough for two. Its white porcelain basin makes it look like a gigantic pint of Guiness. The floors and countertops are a warm brown marble, the traditional Tadelakt plaster a polished buttercream. In the morning the sunlight will stream in through the wooden shutters and make a dazzling mosaic of light across the floors and walls. Le Labo Rose 31 toiletries mean the delicate floral scent will forever transport me back here.
Back inside the main building we dine on Moroccan and Lebanese specialities at Al Aïn. Fresh lemon bread dipped in nutty argan oil is followed by mama ghannouj, fattouch, Royal couscous with beef, chicken and merguez, chicken tagine with saffron, preserved lemon and green olives. Beneath the lanterns and the hand painted ceiling diners stand and clap as the wait staff take turns dancing to the rhythmic music of a two-man band.
In the morning, we explore the hotel's expansive grounds. It feels like we have the place all to ourselves as we weave amongst the orange trees and salmon-coloured buildings. In the typical architectural style of Morocco, the resort blends effortlessly into the surrounding landscape. Natural materials and organic shapes mixed with modern touches create a divine sense of calm. Tranquillity. Inside and outside blend seamlessly in the grand lobby. Each space is inspired by the country's famous ksars and riads. During our stay the hotel is at 30 per cent capacity, we learn, which is common during Ramadan.
Fairmont Spa (Image: David Olkarny) The resort boasts an 18-hole golf course, a 1500 sqm fitness centre with four clay tennis courts and two padel courts, and a kids club. None of these amenities will be on our agenda. We are on a wellness break – the spa, the food, and some retail therapy weaving around Jemaa el-Fna square make up the itinerary for the weekend.
After breakfasting on avocado toast, acai bowls and endless glasses of freshly squeezed orange juice, we visit the Fairmont Spa. Natural light bathes the clean white interior of the spa's main atrium, inspired by a modern riad. Massages, facials, and of course, traditional hammam ritual make for a divine and rejuvenating afternoon. Just remember to apply sunscreen liberally if you intend to spend any time beneath the sun's rays. Post-hammam scrubbed skin burns fast and deep.
One afternoon, we venture out to explore the medina, getting lost and found in the maze of market stalls. Haggling is part of the culture and we soon find ourselves weighed down with ceramics, argan oils, Berber ottoman covers, and mint tea leaves to take home. With the minaret tower of the Koutoubia Mosque as a guide, we manage to avoid getting lost.
Over the course of the weekend, we spend our afternoons eating lobster rolls and nicoise salads with fries at L'Olivier, the Mediterranean restaurant overlooking the hotel's main pool. I find out later that this 100-meter-long oasis lined with palm trees is the largest pool in Marrakech (the hotel also has two semi-Olympic pools, an indoor relaxation pool and a kids swimming area). In the evenings at Le Bar, we indulge in delicious, oaky glasses of the Fairmont Royal Palm's signature Baja Red made from grapes grown on the terroir of plateau Zaër.
Capricci, located on the ground floor of the grand lobby building, serves up incredible Italian cuisine. Other venues, Le Sabra and The Legends Bar, are nestled amidst the hotel's Country Club overlooking the golf course.
When it's time to leave, I do not want to go. We are, in fact, about 20 minutes behind in checking out. Waving goodbye to our gracious hosts and heaving our now-overflowing suitcases into the trunk of the hotel car, once again, I promise myself, I will return. Morocco is a magical place to visit at any time of year. An enchanting, ochre paradise filled with both ancient and modern charm.
The Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech, Km 12 Route D'Amizmiz, Marrakech 40000, Morocco. Deluxe rooms start at £477/night.
Marissa MacWhirter is a columnist and feature writer at The Herald, and the editor of The Glasgow Wrap. The newsletter is curated between 5-7am each morning, bringing the best of local news to your inbox each morning without ads, clickbait, or hyperbole. Oh, and it's free. She can be found on X @marissaamayy1
