A lovely blend of tradition and modernity
By Thierry Piolatto
La Mamounia is one of the jewels of Marrakech, voted “World’s Best Hotel” on several occasions. We stepped into this luxury palace and found ourselves not wanting to ever leave. With its 135 bedrooms, 71 suites and 3 riads, 8 hectares of grounds, 700m2 pool, spa, restaurants and latest-generation gym, there is plenty to do without ever leaving the grounds!
In 2023, La Mamounia celebrated its centenary, and the company overhaul in 2020 brought out the true essence of the venue, which has always been inspired by the marriage between tradition and modernity. This renaissance – orchestrated by Patrick Jouin and Sanjit Manku – breathed new life into Le Churchill bar and Pierre Hermé tea room, while the French restaurant was transformed into L’Italien by Jean Georges, the pool pavilion was revamped, a formal reception room was created (the guest book and celebrity photos look great alongside the legendary camel sculpture) and a small museum was set up in the former entrance.
The spaces were opened up to make the most of the views, with an entrance that houses a vast lobby where the monumental Centenary Chandelier is displayed. Through the hall is the Bar Majorelle (formerly the Italian bar), which is used as a gallery and opens out onto the gardens, with its décor centred around a fresco by Jacques Majorelle.
“Our customers really appreciate the renovations we have carried out, particularly the Centenary Chandelier. We wanted to give ‘La Grande Dame‘ this gift, which features an outer chandelier with 649 solid silver pendants produced by local silversmiths and an inner chandelier made using glass beads with different textures. This light sculpture invites guests to explore La Mamounia’s gallery, where they can learn about the culture of Morocco. It leads into the Winston Churchill bar, which was renovated in 2020 to look like a luxury train wagon, a tribute to the Office National des Chemins de Fer, the very first owner of La Mamounia. Further along, the tea room, also renovated in 2020, serves Pierre Hermé pastries, a collaboration that dates back to 2017 and which, along with La Majorelle restaurant, gives a touch of French brasserie chic. For the centenary celebrations, the famous pastry chef created a pièce montée that was four metres long and three metres tall and depicted La Mamounia’s historic doorway. The tea room leads to the indoor pool, an architectural masterpiece and definitely the most ‘Instagrammable’ room in the establishment. The spa entrance is a gateway to relaxation, with a carpet that looks like running water and a desk decorated with waterfalls. Retrace your steps and head to Jean-Georges Vongerichten’s Italian restaurant (he also relaunched the Asian restaurant), a deluxe trattoria that feels like a winter garden. Outside, the 700m2 pool is one of the most popular parts of the establishment. Guests come here to enjoy breakfast or Sunday brunch. The Majorelle esplanade, named after Jacques Majorelle, who painted the famous fresco on the ceiling, is popular with guests thanks to its view of the beautiful 8-hectare gardens and 600-year-old olive trees. It is worth the detour to admire the stunning black and white patio.
All of these new features enhance the establishment’s beauty and anchor it in luxury Moroccan hospitality for the long term.
This wellness offer combines timeless expertise with innovative techniques. The spa menu blends tradition with modernity, a recurring theme that is symbolised by the hammam. Spa and leisure director Marie Cazaux explains this approach: “We focused on tradition in the hammams, offering body treatments coupled with massage. This is the signature of La Mamounia! Here in Morocco, people have a very special vision of massage: powerful, highly intuitive and very technical. The massages we offer are tailored to the guest, but all our staff are trained in a very special protocol that leaves room for personalisation and intuition depending on the moment, the person and their requirements. It’s all in the details!”
Choose between the Hammam “La Mamounia”, a traditional ritual that involves the application of black soap with neroli and eucalyptus, followed by an intense exfoliating treatment using a kessa glove to rejuvenate the skin; the Hammam “Evasion“ marocMaroc that includes an ultra-purifying amber honey exfoliation; or the signature Hammam “Royal”. We recommend the body wraps with ghassoul, a purifying and stimulating powder that offers an intense feeling of lightness.
Three effective brands
The partner brands are chosen according to their prestige (this is the world of luxury, after all!) and their efficacy. Marie Cazaux explains, “For the last few years, we have worked with Maison Valmont for their facials and Swiss expertise, with Augustinus Bader for their technical prowess, and with marocMaroc, whose ingredients and protocols are born from Moroccan tradition (try the “better aging” signature treatment). With Valmont, we have created an exceptional treatment, Sun Radiance Regeneration, which has become one of La Mamounia’s signatures. It is an exclusive treatment that is well suited to the climate in Marrakech, as after sun exposure, the skin needs hydrating and regenerating. For anti-aging, the Augustinus Bader brand boasts the TFC8 complex, an exclusive cell renewal technology that is clinically proven to support the body’s natural regeneration process, repairing the skin and giving it a fresh and healthy boost from the inside. To mark La Mamounia’s centenary, we developed a specific face and body treatment. It combines the authenticity and beauty of Moroccan techniques with the Swiss expertise in Valmont’s Élixir des Glaciers range. It starts with a foot exfoliation followed by a signature foot massage then a 60-minute nourishing and sculpting Elixir des Glaciers facial, which includes a shoulder, neck and scalp massage after the mask has been applied.”
Well established rituals for loyal customers
“We have many regular guests who book a stay in the hotel coupled with spa treatments: it’s a real ritual. There is a demand for anti-aging treatments and skincare after sun exposure, to maintain their tan and fight against the effects of skin aging. We also offer assessments and coaching coupled with gym sessions. More than 30 people work in our wellness area: it covers 2,500m2 and houses a heated indoor swimming pool, a jacuzzi, 10 treatment booths (three of which are double), a private spa with a private hammam, a massage room and a hair salon. We are continuing to update our menu this year to include anti-aging treatments and devices to increase the treatments’ efficacy. Our aim is to help our guests age well and, though we are anchored in tradition, we are also very forward-thinking! In the future, we will offer ever more comprehensive treatments with continuous staff training to maintain a high level of service.”
Adress: Avenue Bad Jdid 40040 Marrakech-Medina Maroc
More informations: La Mamounia
