Scott Dunn: ANYTHING ELSE IS JUST A HOLIDAY

Description

The Villa Des Orangers is a gorgeous boutique hotel located within a few hundred yards of the Djemaa el Fna. A long standing favourite, Villa Des Orangers provides guests with an authentic Moroccan environment and luxury world class service.

The 27 individually designed luxurious rooms and suites, many of which come with private terraces, are all carefully planned around the spaces they occupy. Some are duplex covering two floors of the riad and all have quirky individualistic features as well as international standards of comfort and facilities. For the ultimate in privacy, there is a 2 bedroom riad with small pool.

The riad's gastronomic kitchen serves delicious French, Mediterranean and local cuisine which can be eaten wherever you like, highlights being breakfast on the roof terrace, lunch around the pool and dinner under the stars.

There are a variety of lounge areas and verdant patios and the main sitting rooms have fireplaces as Marrakech can be chilly in the evenings. These are complemented by a large sun terrace which overlooks the High Atlas Mountains and the Koutoubia Mosque. Here there is a pool and an open bar where complimentary non-alcoholic drinks, refreshing mint tea and Moroccan pastries are served. A second heated swimming pool can be found in the garden. Villa De Orangers also has a boutique, cigar cellar, Moorish hammam and can offer a range of rejuvenating massage and beauty treatments.

Guide price £1,245 Per person

£1,245 per person for 7 nights, based on 2 people sharing a Deluxe Room on a half board basis (breakfast and light lunch), including international flights and transfers.

Accommodation

Villa Des Orangers has 21 Suites, 6 Deluxe Rooms and a separate 2 bedroom riad. The Deluxe Rooms are Moroccan in style with rich colours and dark wooden furnishings and some have lovely private roof terraces. Junior Suites are more spacious with larger sitting areas (some are duplex) and some have private rooftop terraces which overlook the medina or the Atlas Mountains. The Master Suite is spread over two floors with a sitting room with desk and fireplace downstairs and a spacious bedroom and bathroom with balcony overlooking the pool and garden upstairs. There is also a private 2 bedroom riad with a winter lounge and small pool. Rooms are all fully equipped with air conditioning and heating, TVs, ipod docking stations, safes, minibars and DVD players can be supplied on request.

Childcare

Children from 12 years old are warmly welcomed at Villa Des Orangers but please note the hotel does not offer any specific facilities. No doubt children will be well looked after by the attentive staff and the will love the swimming pools. Babysitting can be arranged on request.

Facilities

Gourmet Moroccan, French and Mediterranean cuisine is served at Villa Des Orangers in the lovely dining room or at one of the riad's salons or terraces. There are three swimming pools (18m one in the garden, one on the rooftop and one in the private riad), a beautiful hammam with therapeutic and beauty treatments available, cigar cellar and three salons with fireplaces.

Activities

Swimming, massage and beauty treatments are all wonderfully indulgent ways to spend your time at Villa Des Orangers but the riad can also organise a guide for negotiating the souks and showing you some of the city's attractions. Outside Marrakech just a short drive away there are plenty of excursions to be enjoyed from golf, horse riding and quad biking to trekking and hot air balloon trips.

When to travel

Location and directions

Marrakech, Morocco

Villa des Orangers is a 400 meters walk from the Jemaa El Fna Square and the Koutoubia mosque, just outside the medina.

How to get there

3.5 hour direct flight to Marrakesh. A local transfer (from and to Marrakech airport / station) in a Mercedes taxi takes 20 minutes.