PHOTOS: Marrakech's Hotel Boom (original) (raw)
Marrakech, Morocco Sees Hotel Boom (PHOTOS)
Marrakech has been having a moment (in the travel press, at least) since the famous La Mamounia reopened to much fanfare in 2009.
Since then, Marrakech has been joined by a panoply of mostly luxurious options. It's a simple case of supply and demand: Marrakech is the most popular destination in Morocco, tourism officials say. And while, in 2010, the city already had one third of all hotel beds in the country, the boom isn't done yet. In addition to newly opened properties, more new hotels are scheduled to welcome guests this fall and in 2013.
Morocco as a whole plans to double the number of hotel rooms in the country by 2020, officials promise. Interestingly, more than half of all properties open now fall into the four- or five-star categories.
Heading that way? Here's a look at a few of the new properties worth a night or two in Marrakech.
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Riad Joya
Opened: 2011 The Riad Joya hotel joins a host of other bed-and-breakfast-style riads in Marrakech, but this one "tones down the gaudiest of Moroccan clichés without sacrificing a sense of place," Conde Nast Traveler reports.
Four Seasons Marrakech
Opened: June 2011 The Four Seasons Marrakech rates as an old soul of the city's scene, having celebrated its first birthday in June.
Palais Namaskar
Opened: April 2012 The grounds of the Palais Namaskar are dotted with stunning water features.
Selman Marrakech
Opened: May 2012 The Selman Marrakech is one of 19 new hotels planned for the city by the end of this year.
Delano Marrakech
Opening: September 2012 Coming soon from the ritzy Morgans Hotel Group, the Delano will soon add another luxury gem to the city's hotel scene.