Kech Boutique Hôtel & Spa ★★★★

We’ve done the Mediterranean, with its golden beaches stretching along rugged coasts. We’ve ventured over to Eastern Europe, visited museums and wandered through old towns. But now it was time for something completely different – sun-scorched Morocco, the land of rustic red buildings, colour and spices. As much as I love being amid the hustle and bustle, the chaotic centre of Marrakech is sometimes too much, even for me; so the location of the Kech Boutique and Spa **** in the Agdal neighbourhood, overlooking the Oukaimeden mountains, was perfect.

On arriving at the hotel, slightly hot and bothered, we were welcomed with a reassuring warm smile and shown to our luxuriously spacious room, with a guaranteed free upgrade from VeryChic. Completely modernised, the room was decorated in a contemporary style, although the essence of Marrakech still shined through in warm orange tones. After slumping for a few minutes on the soft king-sized bed in the sweet relief of the air conditioning, we were relieved to make use of all the up-to-date services, including a satellite TV and Wi-Fi, before setting about planning our days.

Before we set off on any real escapades, we caved in to an afternoon of R&R. The Kech Boutique Hotel boasts an outdoor swimming pool as well as hammam and spa facilities; I felt simply divine after a soothing facial and a relaxing massage and what’s more enjoyed 10% off! Suitably refreshed and revitalised, we thought it was about time we experienced a dose of real Morocco, so headed to the nearest souks. I’d heard a lot about these traditional markets, but there truly was a magical air about it; a dizzying amount of brightly-coloured stalls lined the passageways, and we jostled through the crowd for hours, marvelling at the selection of spices and admiring the beautifully hand-made crafts.

Of course, all this adventuring can’t be done without adequate refreshment, and thankfully the dining facilities at the hotel were exquisite; we ate like kings each night in the on-site restaurant, savouring the rich flavours of the mouth-watering local recipes, topping it all off with a delicious cocktail from the bar. Our stay in the magical land of Morocco was the perfect balance between modernity and authenticity, and one that we will be talking about for years to come!