Palace Es Saadi Marrakech ★★★★★

I felt the magic in the air as soon as I stepped off the plane. Night had already fallen and the stars were shimmering over the Atlas Mountains. I hurried out of the airport and towards the Hivernage district in Marrakech. This posh part of the city is favoured by the jetset, situated close to Jemaa el Fna and housing the most sumptuous hotels. I couldn’t wait to see mine: the Palace Es Saadi Marrakech.

The Palace Es Saadi is a family affair that dates back to the fifties, when Jean Bauchet, owner of the mythical Moulin Rouge and Casino de Paris, decided to invest in the Ochre City. Two generations later, his daughter Elisabeth Bauchet-Bouhlal and his grandson Jean Alexandre now look after this elegant establishment with the same ceaseless passion and extraordinary dedication. The Palace Es Saadi is now a true institution.

Our car came to a halt before the beautiful building and the discreet, attentive members of staff quickly dealt with the check-in. In the lobby, I admired the beautiful people around us and began to soak up the unique, sumptuous atmosphere that fills the air in this hotel. Looking forward to seeing our suite, we decided to save any trip outside for the following day. I gazed up at the high dome in the hall, almost like a cathedral: seventeen metres high and twelve across. The talented architect Aziz Lamghari has really excelled himself here. There are 92 suites spread over several floors. They are all individually decorated, in different styles and colours. Ours was a model of oriental luxury, I was captivated. Stepping out onto the private terrace, I admired the hotel gardens until the muezzin reminded us that it was time to go to bed.

The following morning, under a wonderful blue sky, we explored the enchanting hotel gardens. Palms, banana trees, bougainvillea and olive trees envelope you with their heady perfumes, and the luxurious swimming pool beckoned me into its refreshing, warm water. I was in heaven, and we quickly settled on our schedule for the day. We would get some sun beside the swimming pool and treat ourselves to lunch beside the water at the Lagon & Jardin, where you’ll find a menu featuring lovely fresh salads, grilled meat and burgers. And for the evening, we booked a table in the excellent restaurant on the top floor of the hotel, where the views over the hotel gardens and on across the city are just breathtaking. It feels like you have been plunged into one of the exotic tales from One Thousand and One Nights.

In between swimming and feasting, we went to pamper ourselves at the hotel spa. An exceptional space, it has been exquisitely designed to leave you feeling beautiful and entirely relaxed. Which is the perfect way to start your adventures in Marrakech, the majestic city that lies waiting for you outside the walls of this sumptuous Moroccan palace.