• A secluded haven away from Marrakech’s frenetic but colourful medina.
• Very spacious, elegantly designed dwellings.
• Amanjena offers a hammam each for men and women, within their Health and Beauty Centre
• The swimming pool is a dream with its breathtaking view of the mountains
• The stunning High Atlas Mountains are just a 45 minutes drive away.
- This summer stay 3 nights in a Pavilion or Pavillion Bassin and receive complimentary Full Board (kick back with all your meals paid for!) plus a room upgrade to the Pavilion Bassin or Pool Pavilion (subject to availability on arrival). Valid for travel dates up to 30th September.
The Whole Story
Of all the Aman resorts in the world, this one had the longest build-up. For almost a decade the news that Marrakech was to get an Aman intrigued travellers and locals alike. At times it seemed more like a rumour – a strategic bit of goodwill propaganda by Moroccan tourism officials, as if to say 'this city is now important enough to be the first and only place in Africa worthy of the very faithful and affluent Aman junkies. No one knew where it was to be, much less what it would look like or what it would offer in terms of travel experience. There were sceptics aplenty. But if anything, the only mistake Amanjena made was to open too soon. If they had just waited a few months until the young but very enthusiastic staff had been properly trained, and until the newly planted palms had been allowed to mature a bit, it would have been obvious from the start that Amanjena is the best hotel in Marrakech. Why? Let's begin with the architecture. Some critics have called Ed Tuttle's design monotone, sombre, lacking in vibrancy. I call it elegant, restrained and subtle. More importantly, it is in keeping with the design heritage of southern Morocco. Amanjena's forms echo those of Marrakech’s famous Menara gardens. The Arabic emphasis on water was a great influence. The buildings are arranged around a huge square reflecting basin on one side and along tiled avenues of fountains and pools on the other. Tuttle also captures the mystery of Morocco with a myriad of tall arched spaces that dissolve one into the next. Whereas La Mamounia – the Dorchester of Marrakech – offers traditional Western hotel architecture with a Moroccan twist, Amanjena's approach was to create Moroccan architecture toned down by a Western twist. All the elements are here – the mud texture, the arches, the hidden courtyards, the tiled roofs, the mosaic zillij – but they have been executed in a manner that values subtlety over impact. Black tajine earthenware dishes combined with black, green and beige mosaic offer a modern take on a traditional art form.
But it's not just authenticity and style that make Amanjena the best hotel in Marrakech; there is also its unashamed devotion to luxury. Each guest is cocooned within a magnificent circular space complete with domed ceiling and fireplace. The en suite bathroom alone is the size of a Paris apartment, and each maison opens onto a private courtyard furnished as an outdoor living area in Moroccan style, complete with fountain and minzah or gazebo.
The entire setup is so stylishly seductive and luxuriously comfortable that it is tempting not to leave one's private compound. That would be a shame. Amanjena is minutes away from the medina of Marrakech, one of the few intact medieval cities in the world. You should drag yourself away from Aman's hedonistic clutches and experience the intoxicating sights, smells and sounds of one of the most exotic cities on the planet. With streets and passages often no wider than two motorbikes or one fat donkey, the walled inner city of Marrakech gives a taste of medieval urban life: exhilarating, cramped, dark, smelly, noisy, claustrophobic ... in a word, fascinating. First-timers will be drawn to the vivid spectacle of Jemma al Fna, the vast open square at the gateway to the medina that features a daily circus of snake charmers, acrobats, pipe players, water vendors, and row upon row of market vendors. For shoppers, the souks of Marrakech are alive with bargaining and deal-making over the ubiquitous glass of mint tea. And when the intensity of the Marrakech experience all gets too much, you can retreat to the luxurious haven of Aman perfection.
The Rooms
Amanjena's has thirty-two Pavilions, eight with private pools, all with multi-faceted high domes and wood-burning sunken fires. The terraces have pillared gazebos with cushioned seating areas and candle lanterns creating a secluded area to chill or dine.
Pavilions
The resort's eighteen air-conditioned pavilions include a bedroom-living room and spacious bathroom and dressing area. The living area consists of a high, domed ceiling, a king-size bed and an open fireplace. Brass lanterns and Berber carpets reinforce the Moroccan theme. Furnishings include a daybed, table and chair. The suites have a minibar, CD player and TV/DVD. Bathrooms feature a bath of green Moroccan marble highlights, double vanities, twin dressing areas and a shower. Each pavilion has its own private courtyard along with a pillared minzah (gazebo) and a fountain.
Pavilions Bassin
Six pavilions are located around the central bassin and are of the same design as the pavilions.
Pavilions Piscine
Eight pavilions, also of the same design, each have their own 25m² heated pool and an extended private garden.
Maisons
Four two-storey Maisons are a variation of the Moroccan townhouse, with second-floor windows looking inward, as if to a courtyard. The living area, located on the main floor, features a fireplace, a zellij wall fountain and a small bathroom. The guest bedroom, with its queen-size bed, bathroom with separate shower and toilet, change area and separate courtyard entrance, is also located on the entry level. Upstairs, the bathroom has marble columns, shower and a green-marble tub. The bedroom comes has a king-size bed and divan. The Maisons also offer a private 25m² swimming pool, a garden and minzah.
Maisons Jardin
Two Maisons Jardin have garden courtyards and feature a floor fountain, a minzah, an outdoor fireplace and butler service and a pantry.
Al-Hamra Maison
The largest accommodation is the Al-Hamra Maison, which comprises two pavilions, a large and separate living and dining area with an open fire place and its own private butler service. Al-Hamra Maison also enjoys a private 36m2 heated pool and two minzah for dining and lounging. Total floorspace of Al-Hamra is over 750m².