Sitting out under the moonlit sky surrounded by the twinkle of Moroccan lanterns, snuggled under a blanket overlooking the gardens of the Four Seasons Marrakech, I breathed in the evening air and felt my real world stresses melt away.
It was our first night in Morocco and arriving late, we checked into the Four Seasons Marrkech and headed straight into the hotel's Inara restaurant on the first floor balcony, overlooking the pool and fountains below.
Serving a mix of Moroccan and Mediterranean favourites, we ordered a traditional chicken tagine, full of tangy preserved lemon flavours and buttery soft chicken, and a herb-laden tabbouleh that we devoured with heaps of warm breads and hummus and baba ghanoush dips. We later agreed this was one of our favourite Moroccan dinners from our entire trip. A delicious holiday starter!
Marrakech has long been one of my favourite travel destinations. It is a city I have visited many times, but it never loses its allure. Maybe it the warm sunny days that call for relaxation in the sun, or the cool evenings lit by lantern light, it always feels magical. Only a four-hour flight from the UK, it is an easy getaway for a long weekend, yet once immersed in this beautiful culture you feel a world away.
The Four Seasons is just a ten-minute drive from the airport, so we were in our room and settled in not long after landing. It's also only ten minutes by cab into the Medina, the old walled city of Marrakech. We found it the perfect spot to enjoy some rest and relaxation, away from the hustle and bustle of city life, but also close enough to dip in and out, and experience all the city and surrounding countryside has to offer whenever we fancied.
The vibe of the hotel is understated, modern Moroccan luxury; the recently refurbed rooms in warm tones of clay, sand and and terracotta make for a relaxing atmosphere, and strike a difference to the traditionally more ornate Moroccan interiors of many hotels in the city.
We had a beautiful patio suite at garden level with a private heated plunge pool – a handy garden gate also lead out towards the main pool, and allowed us to happily pop in and out from a sunbed and back into our own private space.
After a busy stint at work, I was ready to relax, so we woke late on our first day and spent a relaxed hour on the sunny restaurant veranda feasting on the breakfast buffet (handily open until 11) – serving everything from pancakes and omelettes to yoghurt, fruit and our favourite Moroccan speciality Shakshuka.
We spent the rest of the day lazily hanging out by the pool and soaking up the Autumn sunshine. There’s two pools to choose from, a family-friendly one and a quieter adult one where you’ll remain undisturbed if you want to nap on your sun bed or swim laps.
If you want more activity, on site there's a fully-equipped gym, tennis courts and for younger travellers there's also an activity space with a playstation, pool table and basketball hoop. Also worth visiting is the beautiful spa. And when in Morocco, I always love to book in for the traditional Hamman treatment – a full body cleanse with black soap, followed by a deep scrub exfoliation and wash down in warm water – there's nothing like it to leave skin super smooth and the body feeling light and refreshed.
Or for the more adventurous, the hotel can arrange trips out to the Agafay desert, where you can experience the rocky landscape by camel or quad bike.
On our second day we pulled ourselves from the sunbeds and headed into town. By taxi we found most destinations came in around 80- 100 Dirhams (approx £7). Our first stop was the Jardin Majorelle, the beautiful gardens that were once home to designer Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Bergé.
It’s easy to spend a pleasant morning here strolling through the cacti, and we got carried away capturing plentiful selfies with the backdrop of the brightly-hued villas. We then headed next door to the YSL Museum that houses temporary exhibitions and a selection of YSL’s fashion sketches and fashion collections. The crowds grow throughout the day – so go early if you can, and book tickets in advance online.
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You also cannot visit Marrakesh without a trip to the Medina – to wonder through the souk and experience the evening entertainment and street food in the main Jemaa el-Fnaa square. I love to weave my way through the narrow shop-lined lanes, marvelling at the beautiful crafts from leather to rugs to fabrics and lanterns, and enjoying the friendly encounters. There's always something I can't resist taking home, so leaving extra room in my suitcase is always essential!
For a coffee break, head to the Bacha Coffee Room, nestled in the courtyard of the Musee Des Confluences, which is well worth a visit. It's my favourite coffee house on the planet. There’s often a queue, so head early and put your name on the list and wander back later on. A coffee sommelier will help you find your perfect brew and the signature lemon creme pastry confection is not to missed.
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After an afternoon of shopping, we watched the sunset from the rooftop bar and restaurant Kabana with a view of the Koutoubia Mosque tower. Then, it was time to tumble into a taxi and back to our luxury abode at the Four Seasons.
For dinner we headed into the Quattro, the hotel's Italian restaurant, for a bowl of delicious pasta, before retreating to our very large and very comfy bed, ready to wake and repeat more of the same the following day.
With the best of both worlds of relaxation and city sights on offer here, we left after three nights with our stomachs and hearts full, from new experiences and memories made.
