Sofitel Marrakech Palais Imperial & Spa — Hotel in Marrakesh Prefecture

I am leaving this review a little late because I wanted to digest my experience at Sofitel and compare it to other hotels across Morocco. My husband and I arrived at Sofitel on October 5, 2024 for 4 nights. We arrived at 1:30PM and were told to wait until 3pm. The check-in time rolled around & the room still wasn't ready. Around 345 I proceeded to go to the front and ask why everyone else who arrived after us had received room keys and we hadn't? The woman said my room was ready & gave me the key.No hotel info given only the breakfast and the pool. She was extremely annoyed and condescending. Our room opened up onto the restaurant deck floor. You could take two steps out of the room and be on the restaurant deck. It had zero privacy. We called the front desk multiple times and first the woman pretended not to know English and kept hanging up. She miraculously learned English after multiple calls and we were told the restaurant only hosts private events - the deck is never used. Around 5PM, the restaurant opened and the restaurant staff informed us the restaurant opens every night. The information given by the check-in staff was false and the restaurant staff apologised on behalf of the front desk. We called the front desk, again, who angrily agreed to change our room. However, they said we would lose our pool view (which was really non-existent since we were on the restaurant deck) and our new room view would be of the road. We took the second room because we had no choice. The second room was a old large room with electrical issues. At that point, we decided not to complain because clearly the staff was incompetent and we realised the hotel does not function as a 5 star. We had to walk past the concierge desk which was sometimes manned by the checkin staff. We were met with scowls and attitude. None of the non-colored guests were treated this way. I spoke to other guests and it just seems to be if you are not white. It was really disappointing because we are from Canada and we were treated like dirt. Requested wooden hangers for clothing and we got two sets of rusted silver hangers So Lounge is the worst overpriced lounge, I will leave a detailed review there Staff forgot the turn down service and we had to give reminders We tried the breakast and we were informed by the breakfast staff its not covered with our room. They told us to go to the checkin staff and rectify the error as other rooms who were lower than ours had breakfast covered at $0 charge. The checkin staff stated : "its simply not possible, pay the charge if you have money." The last day of our stay we attempted to speak to the manager. We spoke to the concierge who angrily kept asking "what do you want?". I felt silly for saying anything however i kept asking to speak to the manager out of principle at since the concierge was also being rude. Eventually a events or service employee came, she kept asking what we want. I was baffled/hurt/upset because I couldn't comprehend how a Sofitel was operating this way. She decided to give us a percentage off our bill (this didn't even cover the tax) &comp breakfast. At checkout, the checkout staff refused to honour it. The manager stood 2 feet away from us and refused to acknowledge our existence but wanted to be close enough to listen. The checkout employee kept running over to the manager because he did not have authority to honour the breakfast comp, percentage off, and refund our deposit. They initially wanted us to pay for the breakfast which we asked them to take out of the damage deposit. The checkout employee was then confused why we paid so much for the damage deposit. We got very worried and requested a refund immediately for the damage deposit because clearly errors had been made. Positives? Absolutely stunning property. The breakfast staff & the valet staff are lovely. The beds/robes/slippers are comfy. I would only stay here again if the management staff had a complete overhaul. This needs to start with the checkin staff since they are the first...

I recently stayed in a Junior Suite at the Sofitel Hotel in Marrakesh, and while the property has potential, several areas could be improved. My intention with this review is to highlight some issues other guests might want to be aware of.

• Noise Levels: Unfortunately, the rooms are not soundproofed, and the music from the on-site outdoor club was extremely disruptive. On one night, I couldn’t sleep until after 2:30 a.m. because the music was so loud, even with earplugs in. The club operates until 4 a.m. every night, and the noise really affected our experience. Loud music is also played by the pool during the daytime on the opposite side of the hotel, meaning it’s noisy no matter what side of the hotel you stay on. Guests sensitive to noise may want to consider this.

• Food Quality: The restaurants were disappointing, with inconsistent quality and limited options. We tried the Moroccan food by the pool, but the meat was overcooked and lacked flavor. The fries were random off cuts of potato. For a hotel of this caliber, the dining experience fell short. The no outside food policy made it even more frustrating during relaxing pool days when you’re limited to the available subpar food.

• Inconvenient Access to Information: The hotel uses QR codes for all information and menus, which was frustrating due to the unreliable Wi-Fi. I would have preferred paper copies to avoid constantly using my phone, especially since some menus were mislabeled between English and French.

• Housekeeping Issues: Housekeeping service was inconsistent. You need to have a “do not disturb” sign on the door whenever you’re in the room, as staff would enter without knocking, which was intrusive. One day, our room wasn’t cleaned until after 6 p.m., making it difficult for us to get ready for dinner. The turn-down service lacked the attention to detail expected from a luxury hotel. Additionally, charging for Nespresso machine use felt cheeky, as most hotels of this caliber offer it complimentary.

• Pool Area: Service by the pool needs improvement. Staff were not attentive, and the advertised number of pools was misleading—there are two main pools, not three. The third pool is reserved for members, but this is not made clear in promotional materials. A buzzer system for poolside service would be helpful, and water coolers, as offered in many five-star hotels, would be a nice touch for the price.

• Staff and Management: There seemed to be a lack of effective management. While there were many staff members, they often appeared disengaged and several were on their phones. On two occasions, I was asked to leave positive reviews with staff names included, which felt inappropriate. It seemed management incentivized this for career progression. Additionally, when I asked for simple taxi fare guidance, I received a rude and unhelpful response.

• Final Night Experience & Lack of Management Response: The most disappointing moment was on our final night when a restaurant reservation arranged by the hotel wasn’t honored. Despite checking multiple times with the concierge, we arrived at the restaurant to find no reservation had been made, and we were told there was a dress code, which the hotel had misinformed us about. The hotel’s handling of the situation was poor, with a receptionist laughing when we returned to the hotel to change and express our disappointment. Only after we became upset did they arrange a hotel car to take us back to the restaurant, but this didn’t make up for the stress or lost hours of our final evening. Despite multiple requests, I never got to speak to a manager, which made it feel like the hotel didn’t care about resolving the issue. This lack of responsiveness from management was particularly frustrating and ruined our last night in Marrakesh.

While the hotel has some appealing features, including its location and large pool area, these issues greatly impacted my stay. I believe significant improvements in management, service, and attention to detail are urgently needed. For the price, I would...

As someone who loves Morocco and travels to the country often, I have consistently been impressed by the high standards, genuine hospitality, and hard-working nature of the people. Unfortunately, my stay at Sofitel Marrakech from 22nd-24th September contradicted this positive experience in almost every way. It saddens me to think that first-time visitors to this beautiful country might leave with a tarnished impression due to the attitude and service at this hotel.

My stay at Sofitel Marrakech was deeply disappointing. Having experienced a variety of luxury hotels, I had basic expectations, but almost every aspect of my visit fell far short of them.

The dining experience was particularly appalling. We waited over an hour for our food, only to be served poor-quality dishes that in no way justified the exorbitant prices. To give an example, we were charged 100 MAD for a single bottle of water—a product that costs about 7 MAD outside the hotel for a larger bottle. This kind of pricing felt exploitative, as though the hotel was more interested in taking advantage of guests than providing a quality experience.

The sense of being overcharged continued with their outrageous quote of 500 MAD for an airport transfer that took less than 10 minutes. When we booked online with another provider, the cost was a mere 100 MAD. This blatant attempt to rip us off left us with a strong feeling of being unfairly treated throughout our stay.

The billing issues didn’t end there. At check-out, we were wrongly charged 172 MAD for items from the minibar, despite not having taken anything. This led to an awkward conversation that left us feeling uncomfortable and deceived. Such dishonesty, whether accidental or deliberate, only added to our negative experience.

Unfortunately, the behavior of the staff only worsened the situation. Soukaina, the reception manager, was particularly rude and condescending. When I voiced my concerns about the poor service, she not only brushed off my complaints but went so far as to snigger at me in public—a humiliating and unprofessional display that is entirely unbecoming of a hotel of this supposed caliber.

The most humiliating and uncomfortable moment occurred when I was treated like a criminal for bringing a bottle of water purchased outside the hotel. The water was confiscated due to a small, inconspicuous sign near the gate stating ‘no outside food and drink.’ This made us feel extremely unwelcome, especially considering the hotel’s outrageous pricing for basic items like water. In temperatures exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit and with guests being advised not to drink the tap water, this situation raised serious health and safety concerns. It felt like outright exploitation.

Additionally, the hotel itself was far from the five-star standard it advertises. Many areas were tired and worn, lacking the upkeep one would expect from a luxury establishment. What made it worse was the visible inaction of the management team. Instead of assisting their overworked staff, they seemed content to sit in an empty boardroom on the second floor, drinking tea, eating cake, and chatting, while guests were left unattended and service continued to deteriorate.

Overall, my stay at Sofitel Marrakech was marred by rude staff, exploitative pricing, dishonest billing, and a general lack of care. I cannot recommend this hotel and will certainly not be returning. For anyone considering staying here, I would strongly advise...