Sahara Palace Marrakech

Indian and Moroccan style merges in American architect Stuart Church’s design of Sahara Palace. A domed Palace and four riads hold the hotel’s rooms, suites, restaurants, lounges, and spa. At the center of the 131-acre property is an enormous green marble pool with surrounding grounds impeccably landscaped with towering palm trees, groves of olive trees, cascading hot-pink bougainvillea, and intersecting paths lined with Moroccan lamps.

The hotel’s scene is both dreamy and elegantly grand. Guests come to Sahara Palace to relax and luxuriate, spending time lounging on day beds within their rooms or around the pool. The hotel is a 30-minute trip from the haggling buzz of the medina’s souks and historic tourist attractions but travelers checking in at Sahara Palace typically don’t mind trading the convenience of location for the retreat-like, away-from-it-all scene.

The oversized rooms and suites were designed for relishing, finished with rich colors, plenty of seating for reading and working, tubs ideal for leisurely soaks, and floor-to-ceiling walls of glass that open to private terraces with inviting day beds. Two opulent restaurants, a casual pool bar with evening an hookah menu, and three lounges (including one with a billiards table) keep guests occupied. Additional pampering can be found at the palatial spa.

The hotel is located in the upscale Palmeraie region, a 30-minute drive from the city center. The immediate area is quiet, surrounded by other resorts with no shopping, sights, or restaurants within walking distance.

• Six-minute drive to Palmeraie Golf Club
• 10-minute drive to Garden Majorelle
• 12-minute drive to Bahia Palace
• 12-minute drive to Koutoubia Mosque
• 15-minute drive to the Royal Golf Club
• 20-minute drive to Menara Gardens
• 20-minute drive to the Marrakech Menara Airport
• 2-hour, 15-minute drive to Casablanca
• 2-hour, 15-minute drive to Essaouria

The hotel's 161 guest rooms and suites are located within the four riads or in the main Palace of the hotel. They feature views of the Atlas Mountains, the desert landscape, or the pool and gardens. The rooms (860 square feet), suites, grand salon suites, and the 5,382-square-foot Royal Suite (featured in "Sex in the City 2") are some of the largest in Marrakech. They feature large balconies or terraces with oversized day beds, keyhole doors, floral patterned coffered ceilings, fireplaces, mauve walls, and richly appointed furnishings such as tufted purple velvet benches, rose-colored Moroccan carpets, and accents of fuchsia red, and emerald green. Modern amenities include espresso makers, well-stocked minibars, and flat-screen TVs. Bathrooms are equally luxurious, finished with white marble tiles, separate tubs, walk-in showers, vanities with gold sinks, and lots of gold fixtures.

The expansive Jiva Grande Spa features 14 treatment rooms, two large hammams, a menu of ayurvedic treatments, an indoor pool, and a state of the art fitness center staffed by a team of personal trainers. The hotel also offers a yoga temple, a jogging track, and biking trails. Golfers will find three courses within a 15-minute drive.

The hotel offers several dining choices including an elegant Moroccan restaurant, a Pan-Asian restaurant with an open kitchen, and poolside dining (with a hookah-pipe menu in the evenings). The elaborate jade-colored lobby lounge with its soaring ceilings and multi-tiered crystal chandeliers serves high tea and cocktails while the clubby Bombay bar offers small bites, cigars, and billiards. For those with a sweeter palette, the hotel also has a patisserie that specializes in cakes and assorted baked treats.