scented

The Medina is about 20 minutes from the Fairmont. But I wouldn't know of a bad location in Marrakech, just different experiences. People in resorts outside the Medina tend to spend most time there and venture inside the Medina if they feel like. Transportation is easy and not expensive, you can just get a cab or if you want something more comfortable and don't feel like bargaining, most resorts offer transportation packages which include several hours limousine at your disposal.

I really like staying at a resort and doing day trips into the Medina or to some other spot, having lunch in a Riad for example and heading back in the afternoon for some pool or spa time and then dinner at the hotel.

If you cannot stay at Amanjena, I would have one dinner there, as it is the epitome of 1001 nights.

FlyerEC

FlyingDoctorwu

What is the plan for the refurbished spa? does that mean that they aren't building a new one? how are the villa plans shaping up?

FDW

scented

Moroccan pace, for now... if not today, then tomorrow. I've been wondering about plans for a while, will report in spring during my next Marrakech sojourn.

Interestingly, M Avenue is coming along quickly now, with projected opening in 2019 already -- including FS Condos and a variety of clinics, restaurants and a 4* hotel.

beachfan

Thanks for the tips. If it was just the two of us, we’d be there at Amanjena for sure. But we’re hoping to be all together, and there are a few of us, none poor, but we are more of a 4* crowd.

the dinner recommendation is great. I’ll need 3 places for dinner, so any thoughts on a second place? Looking for someplace elegant, Moroccan and understand vegetarians. (My wife is one).

I could do two plsaces in Marrakech but that means giving up Fez and Meknes, so not sure it’s worth it

Thanks for the tips on the Fairmont as that price is more likely agreeable to orhers. I’ve done a lot of third world traveling, and I know I want to spend part of the day in the real Morocco, but be able to retreat into a peaceful soothing enclave.

By the way, that great Amanjena rate is also combinable with the Citi Prestige 4th night free. Great find, thanks again!

scented

You can either have Moroccan fare or an excellent Japanese dinner at Jena, both excellent (especially the Sushi) -- and interestingly it does work with the atmosphere somehow. If you're looking for Moroccan-inspried cuisine with Turkish and Lebanese influences -- Inara at Four Seasons just launched a new menu, sitting on their terrace with the most caring and heartfelt service in Morocco is just priceless. They also have Quattro downstairs, which is Italian/Sicilian. I would avoid the Italian restaurant at La Mamounia. All restaurants at Royal Mansour are worth going to, though I prefer the French restaurant over their Moroccan -- both rather pricey though, so if you have to watch a budget probably pass. I haven't been back at Mandarin Oriental since they changed the concept of Mes'Lalla, it used to be really good, you can try. Ling'Ling at MO is quite accomplished, especially if you like cocktails -- they have an award-winning mixologist there. I haven't been to Villa des Orangers lately, but always liked the food there!

There is also a small café and garden restaurant in the Medina, which is called Le Jardin. It is difficult to find, so I would ask the hotel to help you with that, but it is a favorite spot of mine for a casual lunch. The food is nothing special, but I adore the atmosphere. Green and black tiles, lush vegetation, resident turtles and birds and lots of flowers... could sit there for hours! Prices are very reasonable, too. https://lejardinmarrakech.com

Kagehitokiri

isnt it that FS entry rooms are showing as sold out, not €800 ? but many reports here of getting avail on request, and FS can have unpublished min stay on certain (not all) categories, including lowest, in terms of online reservation system

beachfan

Thanks! I had been looking at Royal Mansour, prices are high but if it delivers, I'm ok with it. We will be in the Cote d'Azur the prior week, so I'm wondering whether it would compare favorably to some of the Michelin places we'll be hitting up then.

scented

Indeed... could ask agent to get in touch with them or email DOSM.

MacMyDay

It definitely will not. My girlfriend and I stayed in Morocco for 4 nights in November and thought the food was pitiful; Amanjena for atmosphere and quality, Royal Mansour for value for money, although at least it was decent. In Amanjena we ended up receiving comped meals as they were so bad, and I half-suspect at the ease of which they gave them to us, they knew it themselves.

Although I would not stay there, the best meal we had was in La Mamounia.

beachfan

Well, dinner seems to be a controversial point - Amanjena gets both raves and razzes, La Mamounia gets props and dislikes (although Mamounia;s dislike might be limited to the Italian restaurant). Royal Mansour seems to be uniform on the higher than average quality but at Paris high end prices.

Le Jardin for lunch seems good. So far, no complaints on the food at the Four Seasons that I've heard. Anyone not like La Mamounia's traditional restaurant. Other suggestions? (One night I am going to Al Fassia for a traditonal meal, which is our preference). How about La Maison Arabe.

MichelinMan

Am I the only one who (much) preferred Mandarin to Jena? I love Nick dearly, and do think Jena has that ´special´ aspect, but found Mandarin had the edge in many areas, such as:

1. Room product

Jena´s ceilings were too high making heating and cooling hard and inefficient. I know many love the dramatic backdrop, but it just wasn´t working for me. Room layout was nice but not functional, especially if you needed to work, use the desk, hang out in the room for long periods of time, etc. Bathroom - like many ´older´ Amans - could use a bit of an update...especially the showers and sinks. A few other nit picking ideas but those are the bigger ones. Oh, and didn´t love the furniture!

Conversely, Mandarin´s room layout (pool villa) was maybe one of the top 10 rooms I´ve ever stayed in, period.

2. Pools

Jena´s pool was constantly cold, and no amount of calling the butler/staff/front desk changed that. They tried to tweak it multiple times and it was always unusuable.

MO´s pool was perfect temperature 24 7. The villa also had a jacuzzi, which you could access just by jumping out of bed and walking two steps forward

3. Staff - basically a lot more discreet but available at MO vs. Jena. Wait times for simple things were longer w- Jena. Maybe it was a one off experience? (Staff was great at Jena, don´t get me wrong...just felt they were more ´obviously there´ whereas at MO they were not seen/not heard unless you needed something.

4. Food - preferred the breakfast at Jena, but for lunch and dinner, preferred MO.

Many other spots. Liked Jena but loved MO.

PS, the above ´review´ is based on staying in a pool villa at both locations quite recently.

PSS, I recommend staying outside the Medina...another point where I may be in the minority...then again, I´m one of those who would rather be outside the fray (with the ability to go in at leisure) vs the reverse)

scented

Wonder when your stay was, as I much preferred Jena over MO lately. The first 1.5 years after opening MO was virtually the best, but things have changed. Jena's product obviously is different and older, but especially since you mention the bathrooms, they were updated with the last renovation closure.

MichelinMan

March 2017

Room product vs. room product (ignoring all soft product entirely), would you rather Jena´s pool villa or MO´s pool villa? JUST talking accommodations here...

FlyingDoctorwu