La Mamounia — Hotel in Marrakesh Prefecture

The Mamounia Hotel in Marrakech is one of the most renowned luxury hotels in Morocco, celebrated for its rich history, grand architecture, and opulent atmosphere. Here is a detailed review covering various aspects:

1. History and Location The Mamounia Hotel, often referred to simply as "La Mamounia," opened its doors in 1923 and has since become a symbol of Moroccan hospitality and grandeur. It is located just outside the medina (old town) walls, making it an ideal place for guests who want to be near the bustling souks of Marrakech while enjoying a peaceful, secluded retreat.

The hotel was originally a gift from Sultan Mohammed ben Abdallah to his son, Mamoun, who used the grounds for his own personal gardens. The hotel’s name is derived from these historic gardens, known as the "Jardins de la Mamounia."

2. Architecture and Design The hotel's design beautifully blends traditional Moroccan architecture with Art Deco influences, offering an authentic yet contemporary ambiance. The interiors are richly decorated with hand-carved woodwork, intricate zellij (mosaic tilework), ornate metal lanterns, and plush textiles, creating a warm and luxurious environment.

The hotel's lobby is particularly stunning, with grand columns, a fountain, and stunning Moroccan chandeliers. The entire space evokes a sense of exoticism and grandeur, transporting guests to another time and place.

3. Rooms and Suites Mamounia offers a variety of rooms, suites, and private riads. The rooms are spacious and beautifully designed with a blend of modern amenities and traditional Moroccan touches. The use of bold colors, intricate patterns, and luxurious materials makes each room feel like a retreat.

The suites, especially the Grand Suites, offer additional living space, private terraces, and stunning views of either the Atlas Mountains, the city’s medina, or the lush gardens. The private riads (standalone villas) are perfect for those seeking more privacy and come with their own plunge pools and personal butler service.

4. Gardens One of the most iconic features of La Mamounia is its lush, expansive gardens. Spanning over 20 acres, these gardens are a haven of tranquility, with olive trees, date palms, rose bushes, and fragrant orange blossoms. The walkways are serene and offer a peaceful retreat from the busy city life just outside the hotel’s walls. The gardens are a perfect setting for a morning stroll or an afternoon tea.

5. Dining La Mamounia is home to several world-class restaurants, offering a range of culinary experiences: Le Marocain: Serving traditional Moroccan cuisine in a stunning setting, complete with intricate zellij tilework and low seating, it’s one of the most authentic dining experiences in Marrakech. L'Italien: A sophisticated Italian restaurant offering fine dining in a more contemporary setting. Le Français: Offering French cuisine with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients. Le Pavillon de la Piscine: A casual dining option near the pool, offering Mediterranean-inspired cuisine in a relaxed, airy environment. Bars and Lounges: The hotel also has several bars and lounges, each with its unique ambiance. The Churchill Bar, named after Winston Churchill, who was a frequent guest of the hotel, is particularly popular for evening drinks in a stylish and historic setting.

6. Amenities and Services Spa and Wellness: The Mamounia Spa is an oasis of relaxation. It offers traditional Moroccan hammams (steam baths), as well as a wide range of treatments using local ingredients like argan oil, rose, and ghassoul clay. The spa also includes an indoor pool, jacuzzi, sauna, and fitness center. Outdoor Pool: The outdoor pool is one of the most picturesque in Marrakech, surrounded by palm trees and offering views of the gardens. It’s a great place to relax and soak up the Moroccan sun. Fitness Center and Tennis Courts: For more active guests, the hotel offers a state-of-the-art...

Avoid La Mamounia. Overpriced with the occasional temperamental staff member.

I had a bad experience at the hotel's L'Italien restaurant that, frankly, ruined my experience at La Mamounia. This was my second trip to Morocco. I planned this trip to show my girlfriend the country - her first time to North Africa. The last time I went was 10 years ago and I dreamed since my first visit to come back and stay at La Mamounia. We stayed here for our first day in Morocco, and then we came back for our last day in Morocco (i.e., I stayed there and gave them my business twice in one trip) I WILL NEVER, EVER COME BACK TO LA MAMOUNIA.

What Happened: I was completely disrespected by the wait staff that was serving my section at L'Italien. There was something wrong that day that did not represent the rest of my experience and the high level of service the rest of the staff at other parts of the hotel exhibited.

-First: The hostess told me I had the wrong shoes (I was wearing sandals) for the restaurant - fine, not a big deal. Until I observed there were other male patrons wearing sandals. I thought that was very unfair and it was unclear why they were picking on me. And the hostess had the audacity to go out of her way to look me up and down when I came back. I thought the up and down look was very rude. I went all the way back to my room, it was a long walk, it's not like I'm trying to fool you.

-Second: The bus boy set up my silverware completely backwards. It was really weird and noticeable --- Ok, fine, whatever.

-Third: The waiter then completely ignored me with his back turned to me while serving us. --- Now I'm getting annoyed.

-Fourth: Come dessert, my girlfriend didn't want anything and I just ordered for myself. She and I were being playful, I was teasing her with the sweets, and this a$$hole waiter decides to butt into our time together and gave her dessert because he thought I was excluding her. --- We're both so confused why this is happening to us.

-Fifth - Last straw - I ask for the check and the waiter comes, looks at me, and then hands the check to my girlfriend. Now THIS is very strange, especially in this part of the world. The reservation is under my name, every staff member has handed me a bill, and now this?!?

I regretfully did not say anything and decided that I would write a hand written letter and give it to the management.

The next day when we were checking out I handed the letter the front desk staff. I explained to the manager on duty that I left a letter for him. I had to catch a flight and didn't want to delay going into the experience above. I was hoping to get some acknowledgment from the management, I spent a long time writing my letter to them....NO RESPONSE.

Why I'm so bothered by this: -I just couldn't believe how I could be so disrespected by staff at such an expensive and famous hotel. I've stayed at all sorts of hotels over the years, from hostels to opulent hotels. I've never had this experience at any hotel before, so that's particularly why it's shocking to me.

-I also had been looking forward to staying at La Mamounia for over 10 years. And to have had this experience really disappointed me. The next time I go to Morocco could be over a decade, I have no reason to go back for a third time. Candidly, I never want to go back anyway, the country has become too touristic. So it's really a bummer to have had the last experience I may have there be a negative one.

-Frankly, La Mamounia is WAAAAAY overpriced, and it's that way by design. They want to attract a certain kind of traveler that doesn't mind paying $15 USD for a single scoop of ice cream. So to have paid handsomely to stay there and be disrespected is UNACCEPTABLE.

So to anyone who has made it so far, here are my recommendations for accommodations in Marrakesh: -Either stay at a Riad in the souk -Or stay at one of the other 5-star hotels in Marrakesh where you may not be so disrespected...

Come for the beauty & history, stay for the service. Prior to arrival I was starting to panick at all the negative reviews and it took less than an hour of being at La Mamounia that all my worries disappeared. We had the most warm and caring service from everyone here.

Rooms - Beautiful design, nice layout and spectacular views of the garden. We had amazing sleep here with their blackout blinds + curtains and nicely regulated AC. The washroom was a bit on the tiny side, but, the layout was good.

The facilities - Every corner of the property has something new and unique to offer, stunning Moroccan tile work, chandeliers & water features. Unfortunately during our stay the tennis court and main gym was under maintenance but the alternate gym at the spa was decent and the overall impact was minimal. The building is old and not very impressive from the outside but the small details inside make this place spectacular.

The Pool - Plenty of loungers with attentive service and great cocktails. Try the Coco Lush (my new fav poolside). The in house made ice creams were delicious. We never saw many guests at the pool area so perhaps this helped matters but there were a plethora of loungers to choose from and service was prompt.

The Spa - Massages were nice and relaxing and the facilities were good. Great service by the staff here as well.

Food - Breakfast was delicious with a decent buffet spread and some ala carte options for eggs, pancakes etc. We never had lunch, but, the all day menu at Majorelle was delicious (we got the best service from the staff here they were great). The evening Jazz music with cocktails was class. Speaking of cocktails, I tried a variety at the pool, Majorelle, Churchill bar and they were all good.

The reason for 4 stars (more like 4.5) as opposed to 5 was our dinner at L'Italien. Good wine list, good service, but, the food was frankly pretty bad. We tried 4 different dishes and none were great and a couple were quite bad. We only had the one meal at the hotel after that experience, this could and should be improved given how important a role food plays for a destination hotel such as La Mamounia.

Alot of the negative reviews seem to come from either overly sensitive guests, or day visitors who feel they weren't treated right. To that I'll say that I did see instances of security asking visitors to not go to certain areas or walk a different way than the one they even came through etc.

As a feedback to management, if you want to allow people in, maybe let them enjoy the grounds freely with a "guide" to give them the tour of the hotel and gardens. One tour at the start of the hour between 11 to 5 (maybe even a fee if you want). Paying guests to the spa or restaurants should be allowed to walk around the public area of the property freely for say 15 to 30 minutes after their reservation. If exclusivity for hotel guests (I appreciated this aspect as well) is of that much importance then don't allow visitors.

All in all, I went in scared based on the reviews, but, had a wonderful time. I even shared this sentiment with the management team prior...