Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Mamounia Hotel
One of the world's great old hotels, since opening
in 1923 the Mamounia has been welcoming the
rich and famous; Winston Churchill was one of the
most celebrated guests to have frequented this
hotel. It was originally built in the 19th century as
the palace of the crown prince of Morocco, but in
1923 the French turned it into a hotel for the
Moroccan railways. It is set within 7 hectares (17
acres) of delightful gardens surrounded by the
city's 12th-century red ochre ramparts.
Top 10 Features
1 The rooms
2 The gardens
3 Guestbook
4 The suites
5 Majorelle Ceiling
6 Winston Churchill
7 Churchill's paintings
8 The architects
9 The Man Who Knew
Too Much
0 The birds
Restaurant interior
Non-guests wishing
to visit the
Mamounia should
dress smartly -
people wearing
shorts and T-shirts
are generally not
allowed to enter.
!
The rooms
The rooms look as
they did when the hotel
first opened, with
Hermès orange leather
trim and art nouveau
painted panels.
@
The gardens
The hotel boasts
several bars and
restaurants but
perhaps the most
pleasurable
experience can be
had at the lunchtime
buffet served beside
the swimming pool
in the gardens.
The acres of formal
European-style gardens
predate the hotel and were
laid out for the prince. Well-
manicured paths lead
between ponds and flower-
beds to a central pavilion.
Mamounia Hotel
#
Guestbook
Sean Connery and
Catherine Deneuve, Bill
Clinton, plus scribbles
from Kate Winslet and Will
Smith: Mamounia's
livre
d'or
must be among the
starriest guestbooks.
• Map H5
• Avenue Bab Jedid,
Medina
• 0524 38 86 00
• The gardens: Open 24
hours; Non-guests
allowed
• resa@mamounia.com
• www.mamounia.com
28
Extensive renovations to the hotel were behind schedule at the
time of going to press; call ahead to check if it has reopened.
