I had never been to Morocco. Not out of choice; the opportunity had simply never presented itself. But with my wife pregnant with our first child, I was given the task of finding us a truly restful break before sleep and sanity became luxuries. I eventually narrowed it down to Marrakech, or more specifically the Royal Mansour , because, in truth, we weren't planning on being intrepid tourists. Instead, we envisioned a week of lie-ins, spa trips and room service.
The holiday, however, was nearly over before it had even begun. When we got to the gate, I was informed my points meant an upgrade to business class while my pregnant wife was slumming it with the plebs. Even the joke that 'rules are rules' was met with a death stare. So, naturally, we swapped seats and got the holiday back on track.
We arrived the day after the AFCON final, which saw hosts Morocco lose to Senegal. In other words, the city was in mourning. It was like walking into a house party the next day; the hangovers and anxiety were real and nobody wanted to talk about the night before. I tried engaging our taxi driver, who looked at me in a manner similar to my wife just hours earlier. The subtext: don't start.
So I didn't.
After arriving at the hotel, we were seated in the atrium while our riad was prepared. This was where the trip really began. Like most of us, the idea of switching off, for me, is just that – an idea. Not something I actually do. On the flight over, I was thinking about the work I'd left behind, as well as the fatherly duties waiting for me down the line. Hardly the foundation for a restful break.
But as I sat drinking mint tea, birds chirping above my head, my eyes lost in the sea of detail across the walls and ceiling, I realised that, for once, my mind was completely blank.
Described as a palatial oasis (they're not lying), the Royal Mansour has been crafted by more than 1,500 artisans. The result is a space that sparkles with elegance, where attention to detail is unrivalled. Intricate craftsmanship covers almost every inch of the property, complemented by thoughtfully designed facilities and a stunning four-acre garden. And this is before we've even reached the riad or the spa, which are the hotel's real showstoppers.
Let's start with the riad. Spread across three floors, with a rooftop overlooking Marrakech towards the Atlas Mountains, it was far removed from the typical hotel experience. It felt more like a stunning Airbnb – completely private and personalised – except someone else does the cleaning and cooking.
As with all Royal Mansour properties, the riad is defined by an elegant blend of traditional architecture and modern design flourishes: the retractable glass roof protecting the central patio from the elements, the intricately patterned tiles covering almost every surface, and the palatial marble bathroom sitting comfortably alongside ornate woodwork and rich fabrics in the bedroom.
Perhaps more unique still is the hotel's design, which allows guests to enjoy complete privacy – not just from other guests, but from staff too.
Each floor has its own discreet staff entrance, meaning room service appears almost as if by magic. Employees even travel around the property using a network of underground tunnels, leaving guests free to wander around as though they own the place. (All well and good until you forget your keys after a trip to the sauna and there are no staff around to let you back in. But I think it's fair to chalk that up as a 'me problem'.)
Dinner on our first night was at Italian restaurant Sesamo, run by three-Michelin-starred chef Massimiliano Alajmo – the youngest chef ever to earn three Michelin stars, no less.
Straight out of the gate, night one was a standout. Ten courses of exceptional Italian cooking, including Cappuccino Majorelle – a fish mousse with squid ink and potato purée – and the raviolo. Like the hotel itself, Sesamo ranks among the very best, earning a place on the World's 50 Best Restaurants list as one of only a handful of restaurants from the Middle East and North Africa to do so.
As for the drinks menu, I was perfectly content joining my wife on the sober train until the sommelier arrived and explained everything I'd be missing. Dutifully, I obliged. When in Rome, and all that.
The following morning began with steady laps of the pool for my wife while I headed to the surprisingly well-equipped gym. A full-body strength session was followed by a visit to the spa – the undisputed star attraction.
Upon entering, intricately laced iron walls – a nod to Western Mediterranean Moorish design – usher you into a space that feels entirely removed from the outside world. Hushed whispers and breathtaking architecture set the tone before I was led downstairs for a hammam.
A traditional North African and Middle Eastern bathing ritual, a hammam is a deeply immersive experience in which you surrender yourself to the therapist, who lathers you in soap before scrubbing away every impurity from head to toe. It's far more than a spa treatment; it's a humbling, grounding ritual rooted in more than a thousand years of tradition. Skip it at your peril.
The rest of our stay settled into a blissful rotation of spa visits, outstanding meals and the occasional trip into the city to experience the charm and chaos of Marrakech.
The souks provide the perfect place to explore – a sprawling network of markets where soft fabrics are sold alongside snake charmers, spices and almost anything else you can imagine. We eventually found ourselves at Souk Cherifia, creating our own bespoke fragrance from hundreds of different scents.
On another trip, we would have spent far more time getting lost among the souks and experiencing the beautiful chaos of Morocco's cultural capital. But this holiday wasn't about seeing everything. It was about doing very little.
And there are few places better suited to such hedonistic relaxation than the Royal Mansour.
In many ways, there's something nostalgic about it – a reminder of what great hotels used to be: genuine refuges from the outside world, hidden within the bustle of a city. Whether you want to disappear into complete tranquillity or indulge in every luxury imaginable, the Royal Mansour lets you do exactly that.
You won't regret it.
Visit royalmansour.com/marrakech
Rates start from 18,000 MAD (currently approximately £1,440) per night for two people sharing a one-bedroom riad on a B&B basis, including airport transfers and Fast Track immigration at Marrakech Airport.
British Airways Holidays offers seven nights at the five-star Royal Mansour Marrakech from £5,499pp (including the 350 MAD per person tourism tax, payable locally), travelling on selected dates between 1 August and 31 August 2026. The price includes return economy (Euro Traveller) flights from London Gatwick, one checked bag per person and accommodation with breakfast. For reservations, visit britishairways.com/marrakech
