Private riads and fine dining: What to expect at world's most welcoming hotel in Morocco

Inside Royal Mansour Marrakech, which is owned by the king and recently won the World's 50 Best hospitality award

The entrance of the grand riad at the Royal Mansour Marrakech. All photos: The Leading Hotels of the World

The five-star hotel has been awarded for its hospitaility

The oplulent lobby of the Royal Mansour Marrakech

The grand riad is one of the room categories offered by the hotel

The bathroom in the grand riad.

The swimming pool at the Royal Mansour Marrakech

The Royal Mansour Marrakech is the most welcoming resort on the planet, according to the World’s 50 Best Hotels.

The five-star property, which Morocco’s King Mohammed VI owns, won the Art of Hospitality award, which honours the “single-best hospitality experience”.

It is set within 2.5 hectares of lush gardens and doesn’t have regular rooms, but rather 53 palatial three-storey riads. Each has its own courtyard, plunge pool and roof terrace, as well as a 24/7 personal butler, who can do everything from co-ordinating dinner reservations to arranging tours to the bustling medina nearby.

To determine the winner, 600 anonymous industry experts from around the globe were asked to name the property where they’d received the “single-best hospitality experience” within an 18-month voting period. They were told to pay particular attention to the ambience, delivery of “unique experiential elements” and the overall warmth of the hospitality and environment.

“At Royal Mansour Marrakech, a sense of hospitality and discretion is deeply rooted in our DNA and it reflects the natural warmth of Moroccan culture,” said Jean-Claude Messant, general manager of the Royal Mansour. “Achieving this level of service is not a challenge for us; it comes instinctively.”

He added: “Each team member takes immense pride in sharing the country’s culture and traditions with guests from around the world. We view ourselves as ambassadors of the kingdom of Morocco. This role signifies that we are a cornerstone of preserving and promoting the country’s heritage.”

What to expect at the hotel

One of the hotel's most unique features is its extensive network of underground tunnels that span more than 1km in length. This makes it easy for staff to pass through the property discreetly and allows for uninterrupted service when accessing the riads.

Each riad also comes with a secret service door, allowing the butler team to come and go without intrusion.

Guests can be picked up from the airport in a Bentley and treated to Moroccan tea and pastries while waiting in the opulent lobby. The resort also has a 2,500-square-metre spa spread across three floors.

The four restaurants are overseen by two of the world’s most renowned chefs, Yannick Alleno from France and Italy’s Massimiliano Alajmo. They include La Grande Table Marocaine (the best restaurant in Morocco in 2023) led by Helene Darroze (named Best Female Chef at the World's 50 Best Restaurants in 2015) and Sesamo (no 45 on Mena’s 50 Best Restaurants 2024 list).

The Royal Mansour, which opened in 2010, pays homage to Moroccan craftsmanship as its riads showcase traditional architectural style, crafted by more than 1,500 local artisans. The decor is a lavish display of texture, colour and pattern. Shaded spots under date palms, courtyards and floral borders lead to mosaicked fountains that help create a secluded sanctuary in the heart of the city.

This is the first of two special awards to be announced before the World's 50 Best Hotels main ceremony on September 17 in London, which will reveal its annual list. Last year, Dubai's Atlantis the Royal ranked 44th, while Royal Mansour was 23rd and fellow Moroccan hotel La Mamounia ranked sixth. Passalacqua, which overlooks Italy's Lake Como, was voted number one.