La Maison Arabe

La Maison Arabe is one of the finest hotels in Marrakech, not only due to the five star luxury in every element of its presentation and service, but because of its history and authenticity. It is an Escher painting maze of steps and corridors, with stunning rugs, furniture and a seamless combination of Moorish and Islamic architecture. Upon arrival, Hakim ushered us down terracotta brick stairs to the patio where we were treated to a cool mint, pineapple juice and ginger welcome drink ??? refreshing and consumed in an instant! The patio has a central water feature of azure tiles and a flower-filled marble bowl providing a subtle gurgle and splash of water. Cushioned sofas and chairs for guests??? leisure furnish each corner, and is where afternoon tea is enjoyed while a musician plucks a gimbri (a lute-like instrument also known as a sintir or hajhuj). Before being shown to our room, we were given a tour of the riad by Hakim, whose calm demeanour and ability to pre-empt our needs would become a valued and familiar component of our stay. Due to the nature of the creation of this property (with additional rooms being added through the purchase of neighbouring buildings), there is a blend of intimacy and grandeur that I???d not experienced before in a hotel. Downstairs is a hammam and spa offering a full range of traditional and contemporary treatments, and a small but well-equipped gym. Via the reception and another flight of stairs there is Le Restaurant (one of the best in the city) and a pool that is part of the courtyard that houses the restaurant (at the time of visit, Trois Saveurs was undergoing renovation). There is also a piano jazz bar that has live music from 7pm each evening and excellent cocktails and Asian inspired tapas. I particularly like the ???morojito,??? unique to the hotel ??? choice of gin or vodka or rum (I went with rum), with mint, ginger, lime and pineapple juice. Hakim???s tour culminated in the opening of the door to our junior suite with patio view, a serendipitous upgrade. The small but fine entry hall flowed into the living area, a long room with a wall of panelled glass and double doors onto the private balcony that looked down into the central patio area. There was an historical tiled fireplace in the corner, but it was hard to imagine it being used when visiting in summer! Our king sized bed stood in the wood and leather panelled room, on thick red woollen rugs covering the Mudejar brick floors. The green and white marble ensuite contained a full bath and shower, twin basins and bidet and toilet. Voluminous, heavy red and white tapestry-like drapes gathered into folds held in place by gigantic silky white tassels that blocked out the morning light for those wishing to sleep in. Both rooms had airconditioning, which is much needed in a Moroccan summer (although the temperatures were pleasant during our stay in June). The king bed was super comfortable and the soft white bedding was embroidered in gold with the logo of the hotel ??? ???La Maison Arabe??? written in balletic, beautiful Arabic. Fresh roses adorned the room, deep, velvety red, just beginning to open, thickly bunched in a bulbous, black vase; their scent was intoxicating. The floral theme of the classic rose was evident throughout the hotel; graceful, generous, long-stemmed white bunches in tall vases in the hallway, perfectly lit as though they were priceless works of art, with the warm carved wood behind them, a shadowed and textured backdrop for their beauty. A sumptuous buffet breakfast was provided each morning. The extensive display included many vegetable and salad offerings for the vegetarians, as well as the usual array of hot food, soups, cheeses, meats, pastries and cereals. There were two stations set up on the terrace by the pool ??? one for traditional Moroccan crepes and another for any egg dish you could want. The staff at these stations cheerfully touted their tasty offerings, enthusing guests and making a decision difficult. Luckily we were staying for three breakfasts and would be able to sample it all! This hotel is authentic, providing a singular, luxurious and memorable experience for all guests, but it was the delightful staff that fulfilled all of our needs with charm and care that made us feel at home. I loved observing their moments of connection with each other, a clear sign of people happy in the workplace ??? the chat at the breakfast omelette and crepe stations, the giggles between girls cleaning the stairs. Such joy is infectious, and a tonic to travellers in search of rejuvenation! It was surprisingly difficult to farewell Hakim, a prince of a concierge who had taken care of us from the moment we arrived, ensuring each day that we had all that we desired and providing excellent suggestions for how to spend our time, including arranging an outstanding guide for a tour of the city. Hakim even filled out our airport departure cards for us, and presented us with a copy of the glossy recipe book for sale in the hotel???s homewares store. Blessed with gifts, experiences of a lifetime and basking in Moroccan hospitality we reluctantly left our riad for the next leg of our journey, determined to return to Marrakech to continue our love affair with one of the most charismatic cities of our travels. BONTAKS TRAVELS

From the moment we arrived at the hotel, we were very impressed with the stunning facilities. The rooms are beautiful, the pool is heated and the restaurant is spacious and elegant. The staff are particularly helpful and friendly and their recommendations are excellent. I was sorry to leave and I think many other guests were too!