Best Urban Hotels in Morocco

Located in the heart of Casablanca, the Four Seasons Hotel Casablanca features a luxurious spa centre and fitness centre. Guests are treated to full use of the outdoor pool and hammam while indulging in a meal at the restaurant followed by a drink at the bar are experiences that should not be missed. Each of the spacious guestrooms at this five-star hotel is air conditioned and fitted with a large flat-screen TV. Guests are sure to love the opportunity to unwind with a cup of coffee while gazing out at the ocean or garden. Special themed dining evenings are also arranged for food lovers to take part in.

With just seven suites, each uniquely furnished, this riad feels intimate and exclusive. Its French owners display a range of antiques and artwork throughout, depicting their African travels. The building itself had a former life as a harem in the 17th century, with a traditional marble fountain at its centre and a terrace on the roof. Now it has a restaurant, hammam, spa, lounge and library. Some of the bedrooms include sunken stone baths and secluded private terraces. Karawan Riad is ideal for a grown-up getaway – children under 12 are not permitted to stay – with its elegant and refined atmosphere.

This majestic property by Fairmont was originally built in the 1920s as a residence for the King’s advisor and has been restored and transformed into a luxurious hotel. Located on the stunning Moroccan Riviera, the hotel offers 133 rooms, suites and penthouses, each of which provides incomparable views and unparalleled luxury. All of the accommodations come with traditional Moroccan decor, featuring handcrafted Mousharabieh, Tadelakt and Zellige artwork from local artisans, as well as finely crafted textiles. There are seven different places to eat and drink in this palatial hotel, including Persian food at Parisa and seafood at Mediterranean Crudo. Curated experiences help guests to develop a deeper understanding of the region and you can book hammam rituals (among other therapies) in the spa or chill out by the pool which overlooks the city.

Celebrating its centenary in 2023, the Mamounia is a timeless and truly palatial property. Celebrating Moroccan craftsmanship, along with gleaming modern design, the hotel offers rooms, suites and riads. The facilities are exceptional; a games room has a pool table, pinball machines and table football, while the private cinema offers movie screenings and a Grand Casino provides 140 slot machines and 20 table games for those fancying a flutter. There are multiple tea rooms, bars, restaurants (L’Italien par Jean-Georges, Le Pavillon de la Piscine, L’Asiatique par Jean-Georges and Le Marocain), a wine cellar and eight hectares of awe-inspiring gardens.

Here’s a hotel dripping with luxury where you can enjoy the stunning La Jardin with its verdant olive and palm groves providing pleasant shade and seclusion in and around the pool area and bespoke pavilions. Guests may also enjoy exclusive spa treatments that promise to rejuvenate the skin and prepare it for an enviable tan under the Moroccan sun. Nighttime dining is a delight, too, and you have 3 restaurants from which to choose your gourmet dining experience. The Royal Mansour truly has a touch of oriental magic to it that you will not forget in a hurry.

Whether it’s enjoying the exquisite Quiet Pool and nearby poolside under shady palm trees or enjoying the delights of the Moroccan spa where you can bathe and enjoy the best exfoliating treatments and exotic oils, the Four Seasons is the perfect place to base yourself while exploring Marrakech and beyond. Rooms come with garden and pool views and offer the ultimate in relaxation, replete with Moroccan decor, delightful handcrafts and marble bathrooms. Rooms also offer a recessed balcony presenting the perfect way to unwind with a good book during the heat of the day. Others have large terraces enabling you to enjoy the ultimate in al fresco dining.

A luxurious romantic hideaway within a walled medina of Marrakech, La Sultana is moments away from the royal palaces, museums and souks of this magical city. This is a small, luxury hotel that knows how to spoil its guests, especially in the spa. From almonds to dates, prickly pears to Damask roses, the alchemist-like therapists make the most of Morocco’s natural treasures. There’s a Jacuzzi, two hammams and a sauna here too – not to mention candlelit pools. Each of La Sultana’s evocatively named Riad houses retains its own identity but shares attention to outstanding craftsmanship that is a celebration of Moroccan artisan creativity. Think intricately carved cedar wood ceilings and beams, ornamental plasterwork, striking tiles and extravagant lamps – but without the pastiche or cliché of themed interiors.

The ultimate home from home in Marrakech, the five-star Riad Farnatchi is a lovingly converted collection of private houses located in the heart of the oldest part of the Medina. International hoteliers Jonathan and James Wix have created a characterful, luxurious hideaway where ten exquisitely decorated bedroom suites sit alongside five-star service and facilities. Staff outnumber guests, service is slick and discreet, and the new spa in the hotel is worth booking in for. Riad Farnatchi will feel more like your home for a stay in the city than a hotel.

Situated just a two-minute stroll from the Medina, this impressive five-star hotel comes complete with two restaurants that are popular among guests as well as residents of Casablanca. While each and every room here is comfortable and fitted with modern amenities, guests will want to make sure that they secure one of the rooms on the upper floors. The views that are just waiting to be enjoyed from the large picture windows are simply stunning and include sweeping vistas of the Medina, the Great Mosque and the ocean. Sofitel Casablanca Tour Blanche is famous for its SO Spa, which is spread out over two floors and is the perfect place to unwind. Unforgettable panoramic views can also be enjoyed from the rooftop bar on the 24th floor, and this is the perfect place to unwind at the end of the day with a cocktail or two.

274 forms of accommodation range from chambers to three-bedroom residences at this ocean-side abode (including rooms adapted for people with reduced mobility). All come with La Bottega toiletries, 50-inch flat-screen HDTVs, Nespresso machines and twice-daily service. Decor has a Moroccan feel but with a modern design. The Fairmont caters ably for families (including four-legged friends) and has an immersive spa, as well as boutiques for a spot of retail therapy. Dining takes place at The Deck, The Foam and Dahlia, the latter specialising in contemporary Levantine cuisine. And La Verrière, with its apex glass ceiling, is a stunning spot for cocktails.

30 bedrooms at this Relais and Chateaux property, including a private Riad suite with its own swimming pool and patio. Villa des Orangers is a place to immerse in the finest of local culture. Take mint tea on the patio surrounded by plants and nightcaps in the cigar cellar; enjoy locally inspired treatments at the Nuxe beauty salon; get a taste of the terroir at the restaurant, with food by Chef Abdelilah Ighiri; and cool off in the rooftop pool (one of three swimming pools in the hotel) as you gaze across to the Koutoubia and Atlas mountains.

If you like to be at the heart of the action, this hotel in the heart of the Medina is for you. Les Jardins de La Koutoubia is a 13th-century building, close to Jemaâ el Fna Square. The traditional riad incorporates 108 rooms (30 Mini Suites, 22 Junior Suites and two Royal Suites). There are heated indoor and outdoor pools, a Spa by Carita, patios and gardens to unwind. Guests have several dining options; the panoramic Les Jardins de Bala, the Relais de Paris Restaurant, a snack bar and a piano bar for evening entertainment.