Nicest Hotel in Marrakech
#136
Can't put a number on it, but they replaced a lot of staff. These days, also a lot of new management positions filled from other resorts (think FS, MO). For example their current F&B director is a very nice gentleman who used to work at FS under Felix Murillo. He then switched to Jena after their renovation. Only a few handful remain from the old crew.
But... I hear something's up now, can't post much here sadly.
But... I hear something's up now, can't post much here sadly.
#138
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NJ/NYC
Programs: AA EXP/LT Plat, SPG Plat/LT Plat, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Plat, IHG Plat, MR Silver
Posts: 2,786
At at the end of the day, I lost the package and room type that I had booked at Amanjena and will end up paying way more at what I think will be a lesser property for a similar room type and package. It would have been nice if Amanjena helped coordinate a stay at another property with a similar room / package. I asked for this and was basically ignored.
#139
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,598
Bad form to ignore your request but I fear their hands were tied. Did you not communicate with Nicolas directly?
So do you end up going to FS now? Or did you cancel, if I may ask? I would gladly stay at FS over MO, but I am the minority here in this regard. Let me know if you need help with FS MRK.
A lot of frustration here due to this sad incident and you're not alone. Who would have thought!
So do you end up going to FS now? Or did you cancel, if I may ask? I would gladly stay at FS over MO, but I am the minority here in this regard. Let me know if you need help with FS MRK.
A lot of frustration here due to this sad incident and you're not alone. Who would have thought!
#140
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: NJ/NYC
Programs: AA EXP/LT Plat, SPG Plat/LT Plat, HHonors Gold, Hyatt Plat, IHG Plat, MR Silver
Posts: 2,786
Bad form to ignore your request but I fear their hands were tied. Did you not communicate with Nicolas directly?
So do you end up going to FS now? Or did you cancel, if I may ask? I would gladly stay at FS over MO, but I am the minority here in this regard. Let me know if you need help with FS MRK.
A lot of frustration here due to this sad incident and you're not alone. Who would have thought!
So do you end up going to FS now? Or did you cancel, if I may ask? I would gladly stay at FS over MO, but I am the minority here in this regard. Let me know if you need help with FS MRK.
A lot of frustration here due to this sad incident and you're not alone. Who would have thought!
Good to know you prefer FS over MO - that certainly counts for something!
#143
formerly known as deathscar
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: Virtuoso | Four Seasons Preferred Partner | Rosewood Elite | Hyatt Prive - and more
Posts: 2,096
#145
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,598
Monty is at Jena overseeing recruiting. Nicolas is back, too, along with support from a very young but enthusiastic team. Guess everything is back to normal. For those of you wondering about a potential stay there, contact them beforehand and wait for a while, as they are on minimal staff levels. They just had a huge Brazilian wedding there (another buy-out), but even with low-ish occupancy I wonder how they will cope. Thankfully summer is quite slow in Morocco -- at least at MO and Jena, while FS is as busy as they can be. Impressive.
Villa D'Orangers is still quite accomplished, with good service and passable food.
For those who PMed me about Palais Namaskar... yikes. May I recommend they hide their arrivals/departures list at reception when guests are around, even more so when there are only 2 guests staying in total. No security to speak of, minimal staff and maintenance a nightmare. I won't comment about design, as this has been discussed extensively here and my dislike for anything Monsieur Starck is known by now. But when you have this amount of ponds and water features maintenance is crucial and it appears the current owners just don't want to spend. What is their plan? Is there a plan? I don't believe there is. Anyone who tried to take responsibility in the past has long left (various GMs), now a Moroccan GM is in charge, or is he? The place smells like an old, moldy movie theatre and the few staff left aim to please but it is tough. I had a drink, to give them the chance to have a guest at least once in their lifetime, which was quite good. While I don't drink I made sure it was with Champagne as I wasn't quite trusting of something fresh...
Marrakech has had the best few months in a very long time and the winners are clear (FS amongst them), but as more people go and the Red City becomes more lively, I wonder if Palais Namaskar still has a market.
Villa D'Orangers is still quite accomplished, with good service and passable food.
For those who PMed me about Palais Namaskar... yikes. May I recommend they hide their arrivals/departures list at reception when guests are around, even more so when there are only 2 guests staying in total. No security to speak of, minimal staff and maintenance a nightmare. I won't comment about design, as this has been discussed extensively here and my dislike for anything Monsieur Starck is known by now. But when you have this amount of ponds and water features maintenance is crucial and it appears the current owners just don't want to spend. What is their plan? Is there a plan? I don't believe there is. Anyone who tried to take responsibility in the past has long left (various GMs), now a Moroccan GM is in charge, or is he? The place smells like an old, moldy movie theatre and the few staff left aim to please but it is tough. I had a drink, to give them the chance to have a guest at least once in their lifetime, which was quite good. While I don't drink I made sure it was with Champagne as I wasn't quite trusting of something fresh...
Marrakech has had the best few months in a very long time and the winners are clear (FS amongst them), but as more people go and the Red City becomes more lively, I wonder if Palais Namaskar still has a market.
Last edited by scented; Jun 27, 2017 at 12:11 pm
#146
Was sydakllon
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: Virtuoso, Rosewood Elite, FSPP, Bellini, Dorchester, MO Fan Club, Oetker Pearl, etc.
Posts: 709
Any recommendations for nice dinners in Marrakech? We have three nights mid-September at La Sultana.
Are the Moroccan restaurants at Aman/Royal Mansour/La Mamounia any good?
Are the Moroccan restaurants at Aman/Royal Mansour/La Mamounia any good?
#147
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,598
Nama at Amanjena
La Grande Table Française/Marocaine at Royal Mansour
Ling Ling at MO
All excellent... try to have lunch at Le Jardin at the Royal Mansour -- stunning! And don't forget Quattro at Four Seasons.
Regarding La Mamounia... frightful. We tried their Italian restaurant and it was a nightmare. It took them 45 minutes to bring the first course and over 30 minutes for the second course. Needless to say we skipped dessert and drove back to FS for dessert. Al Fresco dining is nice, especially as Moroccan summer evenings are quite mild and not as hot, but you sit outside on awful garden chairs and hear music from two sources simultaneously. Service is old school, almost cold. I asked for extra black truffle shavings on a dish, which was met with a blank "no". They wouldn't do it -- would have been a nice extra charge for them, but alas. The entire hotel was refashioned in 2009 and the interior designer managed to turn it into a resort that Sol Kerzner dreams about at night... just as I was saying it feels like a casino resort, we stepped outside and saw: their casino. I won't go back. Don't know what people like about it, aside from the garden?
In other news: At MO, Ling Ling just re-opened after a short break for various reasons (ahem) -- Mes'Lalla however is now closed and no longer a restaurant at MO, since Meryem is no longer a chef at MO...
The restaurant will be re-thought and opens sometime in fall with a new menu, new concept and new chef. A bit sad, since I loved her cuisine.
#148
Was sydakllon
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: SYD
Programs: Virtuoso, Rosewood Elite, FSPP, Bellini, Dorchester, MO Fan Club, Oetker Pearl, etc.
Posts: 709
Thanks for the tips. Was looking at the pool/lunch package at Royal Mansour so think will definitely do that.
Would seem a shame to be in Marrakech and eat Japanese/Chinese - love Middle Eastern / North African food.
Would seem a shame to be in Marrakech and eat Japanese/Chinese - love Middle Eastern / North African food.
#149
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,598
I see -- in this case my Tajines at Amanjena were the best in Morocco, even better than Royal Mansour. FS does amazing Mezze at Inara, although the menu there is now more International than Moroccan. Quality of produce and meat was not high at La Mamounia, so keep this in mind. Would also look at some Riads, as they often have amazing Moroccan food.
#150
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Europe
Posts: 2,598
So very happy Quattro at FS Marrakech finally opened its doors! Haven't had a chance to check it out just yet, but from what I gather it is exactly what I was hoping for.
Might drop by before winter settles into Morocco and see if they were able to get it right -- had a glimpse before opening and lighting was something they needed to look into but the pictures I saw do look stunning. Really good chef as well.
Now with all the other changes your next Moroccan sojourn awaits...
Might drop by before winter settles into Morocco and see if they were able to get it right -- had a glimpse before opening and lighting was something they needed to look into but the pictures I saw do look stunning. Really good chef as well.
Now with all the other changes your next Moroccan sojourn awaits...