best hotels morocco
Some of Morocco’s most extraordinary kasbahs, ksars, dars and riads have been converted into decadent hotels and holiday house rentals.
I had to do a double-take when first glimpsing a scene from The Forgiven, in which a decadent Moroccan ksar – or ksour, “castle” – provides the backdrop for the emotional unravelling of various (pretty vile) characters at a house party on the fringes of the Sahara Desert. Had I stayed in that villa? Then I did a triple-take when the lead roles had a catastrophic car crash in that same desert – I, too, had a serious car accident on a long, lonely road in Morocco 15 years ago. The fallout from my crash was not as devastating as in The Forgiven (released in Australia in July) but, as you can imagine, Morocco and I have a deep, personal connection. I’ve visited this spectacular country many times, even after the accident; I can’t think of any other destination as beautiful, as beguiling or as starkly unfamiliar that can be reached so easily from Britain and southern Europe.
Ralph Fiennes, who plays The Forgiven’s lead, David Henninger, feels the same: “To have that light and that desert background, real sand and the mountains and rocky escarpments, was wonderful.”
The film, directed and written by John Michael McDonagh, is based on the 2012 novel by Lawrence Osborne and its locations are careful matches, adds the producer Elizabeth Eves: “It was a struggle to film in these places, but authenticity was crucial. John wanted to do a faithful adaptation of the book, so we were always going to shoot in the actual places where the story is set. The specific part of Morocco in which we shot becomes an important character in the story.”
So, had I stayed in that actual ksar, as seen on screen? Filming for The Forgiven took place in Tangier, and around Erg Chebbi and Erfoud in the desert, so it was very possible. But no, the stylish party pad was pieced together specifically, and temporarily, for the film; it isn’t possible to stay there. That’s not to say you can’t experience the magic of a Moroccan ksar yourself. Many kasbahs, ksars, dars and riads have been converted into hotels and holiday house rentals. Over the course of my travels, these are some of the most extraordinary that I – and The Forgiven cast – have checked into.
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El Fenn, Marrakesh
This intimate riad hotel makes the cut because it is El Fenn’s designer who is responsible for the exquisite interiors of the ksar, owned by Richard (Matt Smith) and Dally (Caleb Landry Jones) in The Forgiven. As McDonagh explains: “El Fenn is this really beautiful ‘Instagram hotel’ in Marrakesh. I said, ‘Boy, this is how Richard and Dally would design their villa … Who could we get to replicate it?’ And then we thought, ‘Why not get the guy who designed it – Willem Smit?’” In turn, guests of El Fenn hotel will notice a true house party feel to the place, probably because the riad was originally bought as a private home, and later converted by a clutch of owners who include a gallerist, painter and textile artist. Every handpainted green mosaic tile, scarlet-striped tufted Berber rug and canary-yellow pool lounger has been chosen with the care and attention of a loving homeowner.
Details: B&B doubles from £242 ($414).
Palais Masandoia, Erfoud
Also known as the “gateway to the Sahara”, the vibrant town of Erfoud might spark recognition, since it has been a location for many other films including Spectre, The Mummy and Prince of Persia. In The Forgiven, not only Erfoud’s market but its fossil quarries and ancient Maadid fort put in a star turn – as well as the 15-room Palais Masandoia where the cast stayed and some scenes were shot. Fun fact: the crew found Bisou, a stray puppy, while filming locally and he now lives in the five-star hotel, raised by the managers Mohammed and Saadia. The interiors of this red-stone palace aren’t on El Fenn’s level, but its authentic mosaic bathrooms and tiled hammam spa are captivating.
Details: B&B doubles from £190.
Kanz Erremal, Erg Chebbi
Erg Chebbi – an incredible sea of sand dunes, some reaching 150m high – plays a starring role in The Forgiven. Problem is, like Erfoud, such remote beauty isn’t easy to access. The converted kasbah Kanz Erremal is nine hours’ drive from Marrakesh (seven from Fez), but it’s right on the dune fringes, with an astonishing pool that creates the illusion of swimming in the Sahara. Stone archways, potted palms, mirrored rugs and traditional kasbah architecture make this budget stay feel much more special than the price tag suggests.
Details: B&B doubles from £29.
Dar Ahlam, Ouarzazate
Were the wealthy David and his wife, Jo (played by Jessica Chastain), to have driven to their friend’s opulent ksar from Marrakesh, not Tangier, they’d have saved themselves hours behind the wheel, and been able to check into Dar Ahlam – the second-loveliest hotel I’ve stayed at in Morocco (the first follows next). In an oasis of palms and almond trees, with an emerald-coloured pool, this 200-year-old kasbah has just 14 rooms yet 100-plus staff; it’s not a hotel so much as an escape from real life. The expert team can take you trekking into the Valley of Roses, exploring among the pomegranate trees of a nearby palmeraie, or drive you to the hilltop ruins of a 12th-century Berber village for a traditional tea ceremony at dusk.
Details: Full board doubles from £453, excluding alcoholic drinks and activities.
Palais Namaskar, Marrakesh
Not a star in the movie but in its own right, Palais Namaskar legend has it (as do the staff) that Mick Jagger checked in and treated guests to a piano singalong one night. Expect rock’n’roll luxury: rather than one grand villa hotel, many villas are dotted among tropical gardens, where fountains tinkle and paths of lanterns lead you from spa to roof terrace to swimming pool (some villas have a private one too). Go in late spring when Marrakesh is warm enough to produce oranges for your morning juice but you can still see snow on the Atlas Mountains from your breakfast table.
Details: B&B doubles from £376.
Hotel Nord Pinus, Tangier
David and Jo’s fateful car journey begins in Tangier but they do not stay overnight. Of course cast and crew did stay, at the gorgeous Hotel Nord Pinus, with breathtaking views of Spain, the Med and the Atlantic. Rooms are thoughtfully but not gimmicky “Moroccan”, with wrought-iron four-poster beds, filigree work and wooden shutters. Still, it’s the roof terrace that’s the star, with windswept outdoor and glass-covered indoor terraces to drink in that panorama along with a mint tea.
Details: B&B doubles from £180.
Villa Palmeraie, Marrakesh
To replicate the extravagant house party scenes in The Forgiven fully, one must have a house. Which is where Oliver’s Travels steps in: a villa agency with dozens of private Moroccan homes on its books, from three-bedroom dars in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains to sprawling mansions that could sleep a cast and crew – much like Richard and Dally’s shindig. Villa Palmeraie sleeps up to 22, but with its beds spread across various cottages separated by leafy pathways, everybody gets privacy to sleep off one too many Casablanca beers. There is a clay tennis court, plus countless terraces and pools, and you’re only minutes from Marrakesh for a market mooch.
Details: Two nights’ self-catering for 14 from £2871 – further guests up to 22 people from £68 per night.
Kasbah Hotel Xaluca, Erfoud
Last but not least, we return to Erfoud, where The Forgiven crew stayed and relied upon the services of the staff member Rachid Sagaoui, who can make anything happen, be it dune trekking or private yoga. The modern “kasbah” is a wonder – the best rooms being the private bungalows with hand-dyed fabric ceilings and Berber rugs – but this Moroccan-owned hotel group also offers desert camping, which is bucket list stuff. Here, Xaluca comes into its own, enabling guests to sleep at Erg Chebbi in camel-hair “haima” tents and experience local food and music under the stars.
Details: Half-board double tents at Bivouacs Xaluca from £105 per night.
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