Visiting and experiencing hotels around the world is a norm in my line of work, and my travels are always full of amazing people and wonderful things every day. My latest trip to Marrakech was no exception.
Located just outside the city walls and immersed between lush palm groves, blue skies, and beautiful views of the Atlas mountains, Selman Marrakech is a place like no other.
The hotel is a family-owned palace of distinct, alluring charm, timeless elegance and harmony where the love for hospitality and the passion for Arabian horse breeding run deep in the veins. Owners Saida and Abdeslam Bennani Smires fulfilled their grandfather’s dream of creating a successful business in his hometown.
Selman Marrakech, bears the prestigious signature of French architect Jacques Garcia. Here, intricate Arabian craftsmanship meets Second Empire opulence. The hotel makes a bold statement with its lofty public spaces and lavish interior design featuring velvet and silk sofas; mosaics; Venetian chandeliers; ornate wood carvings and dramatic color scheme mixing imperial purple, fuchsia pink and peppermint green.
Bedrooms and suites are generously sized and intimate at the same time. They feature comfortable sitting areas, a large leather-covered desk and a deep terrace overlooking the pool, silk carpets, and well-appointed bathrooms beautifully finished in miniature zellij tiling and dark marble.
Selman’s riads are arguably the best rooms in Marrakech. Located in one corner of the vast estate the five riads offer a glamorous ambiance and unparalled sense of privacy. Extravagant in size, each has a private garden, a 15-metre pool, and come with fast-track airport transfers and private butler-service personalized to every guests’ requirements.
A WELLNESS SANCTUARY
Developed by Henri Chenot, Selman Marrakech Spa covers an area of 1200m2 and features seven treatment rooms, four hydrotherapy rooms, a hydro-massage pool, two heated outdoor pools, two heated
outdoor pools, two hammams a gym and a boutique for essentials.
Along with the traditional beauty rituals, such as the classic black-soap scrub with the local-style Hammam, and the detoxing Rhassoul natural mineral clay wrap, Chenot Spa brings together the best of Chinese and Western medicine with a special focus on body cleansing. This programme comes with a complimentary fitness programme and various treatments, such as hydro-aromatherapy and massages that release energy blockages.
DINING
The three restaurants and two bars are places of elegance where you can enjoy a variety of exquisite dishes from authentic local gastronomy to a fine and refined cuisine. The menu is created to meet everyone’s individual dietary requirements,health régimes, and moods.
Breakfast and brunch can be enjoyed out in the “plein air” close to the paddocks where the purebred Arabian horses parade on the green. If you prefer going straight into lunch, there is the terrace overlooking the property and the pool, or the pool-side menu for lighter options.
THE PUREBREDS
Selman Marrakech is unlike any other luxury hotel. The palace is home to the most staggeringly beautiful race of horses in the world: the Arabian thoroughbred. A true and living symbol of distinction and heritage of Morocco.
Guests can enjoy the opportunity to ride the horses across the property or spend time with them in various ways. While some just like to see the horses roaming in the paddocks, others prefer to enjoy the shows, which take place on Friday evenings in front of the Moroccan restaurant, Assyl, and every Sunday during brunch. An experience offered by no other hotel in Morocco.
Be it a long or short stay, this is a unique place that you never want to leave. The beauty of the gardens and the purebreads, the magnificence of the Moorish architecture, the superb service and facilities, its location and unlimited outdoor spaces, all makeup an exceptional offering when it comes to living a quintessentially Moroccan experience, and this is what lifestyle at the Selman Marrakech is all about.
If you are planning your next vacation or company trip , don’t leave anything to chance. Contact a travel designer for a custom itinerary planning, expert advice on the best venues and destinations, insider access and more.