Morocco, and Marrakech in particular, has a constantly evolving scene of cool places to stay. Many are situated between the city and the Atlas Mountains and offer spacious gardens in which you can best take advantage of the 300+ days of sunshine a year that bless Marrakech. Read on for some of our best new suggestions and feel free to contact us to give you the inside track on new and exciting openings. 

Hotels in this category normally have a particular concept and ambience. Music and spa are the theme of one such retreat situated on the road to the Atlas Mountains. Set in a luxuriant garden, each room pays homage to a different musical artist (in their decor) and the pool area is used for concerts and jam sessions. It’s also a place that offers a wide range of relaxing spa treatments so if you are looking for an escape from the bustle of the city, but with easy access to get in and out of the medina, this could present the perfect balance for you.

Merging seamlessly into the first foothills of the High Atlas Mountains, and on the edge of the Agafay Desert, this adobe-brick retreat is a contemporary and cool take on the traditional architecture scene of Morocco. Build with traditional materials, decorated with the best in local artisan products, and focusing on home-cooked local cuisine, this hidden oasis puts an emphasis on harmony with the surrounding environment and the result is a supremely relaxing product. 

The Agafay Desert is a stone desert on the doorstep of Marrakech – a land of open spaces and sweeping mountain views. This oasis of fixed tents, a couple of pools, and an impressive organic vegetable garden invites guests into another world and provides contrast and respite from the city. Its beauty lies in its space, but also in its open and inviting outdoor bar and restaurant areas, making it an ideal place to relax, hang out, and enjoy the views. 

There are also places that can be termed curiosities. This 70-room arts hotel has a giant pool, rambling gardens and a staggering array of objets d’art in the rooms. It doesn’t stop there, as there is a UNESCO community library on site which is used by villagers, a sunken boxing ring, a farm, and even a old-style barber’s shop on the premises! Home to music and film festivals and endless possibilities for lounging…..