La Mamounia

Unabashed Moroccan decadence. No statement better describes Marrakech’s fabled La Mamounia hotel. To set foot inside La Mamounia’s gates is to surrender to a total sensory experience, and to spend a night at the hotel is to live a twenty-first century rendition of Arabian Nights. Upon arrival in the cool, dim, cedar-scented lobby, staff dressed in traditional Moorish garb proffer fragrant, moist towelettes, sweet, cold almond milk and the freshest dates that you will ever taste. The lobby is centered around the “Statue of the Camel,” a stucco sculpture which dates to 1907 and depicts a fierce African warrior astride his camel about to plunge a spear into a snarling, lunging leopard. Soft lighting and flowing fountains create a serene atmosphere, and the sensory experience is further enhanced by the lobby’s pleasing aroma of cedar and rosewood–a custom blend created by the famed French perfumer Olivia Giacobetti. Then, there are the rooms. Covered in sumptuous fabrics (an eye-popping 80,000 yards of fabric was used to dress up the hotel), intricately-carved plaster moldings, and colorful terracotta mosaics, it is a wonder that anybody actually ever leaves these bastions of Moorish style. Of course, you would be crazy to stay in your room the whole time–with one of the most famous spas in the world, a 2,600 square foot pool, 17 acres of gardens, constant art exhibitions, and two Michelin-starred restaurants, La Mamounia is truly a traveler’s delight. After a stressful day of relaxing in paradise, follow in the footsteps of Sir Winston Churchill and grab a cocktail at Le Bar Churchill. La Mamounia is one of the finest hotels on the planet, and truly a destination in and of itself.