Eat, Stay, Explore: A 24-hour Culture-Lover’s Guide To Marrakech
DP’s new feature unravels the city’s hottest dining experiences, a modern riad meets art gallery, and explores an otherworldly escape into the desert of Agafay.
Marrakech is experiencing a cultural resurgence. This September, the city will host ‘Oasis,’ a vibrant dance and music festival drawing North Africa’s budding creators and tastemakers. There is a fresh swell of boutique riads that seamlessly blend a unique sense of comfort with spaces replete with art and design. Alongside Michelin-Star fine dines housed in the city’s luxury hotels, vibrant-hip dining experiences have emerged, moving towards a bastion for an avant-garde community by showcasing a creative blend of flavours. On the outskirts of the city, lies a fascinating wild landscape of unspoiled desert, and craggy mountains that kindle slow travel through the desert’s golden hours.
With some planning, one can experience the bohemian charm of the native nomads offered in the most luxurious of settings, alongside exquisite culinary and art-filled experiences– all in one trip. We at DP have curated a culture lover’s guide to the newest and most fascinating things to explore in the city that go beyond the ordinary offering a glimpse into the new Marrakech.
Also read: Definitive Guide To The Top 5 Luxury Hotels Of Marrakech That Capture The Essence Of Modern Luxury
1. Eat At The Pétanque Social Club For The Chic Commune Life
Away from the ancient medina walls, a vibrant new dining area flourished in the modern neighbourhood of Gueliz. Dubbed the French quarter of Marrakech, Gueliz is home to the Pétanque Social Club or PSC. Previously a member-only club dating back to the 1930s Marrakech, frequented by the French colonials who played pétanque, this new avatar is open to all. Earlier this year, the Ibiza-based architecture studio Diego & Alexeja restored the space while preserving the art déco legacy. The restaurateur behind PSC, Kamal Laftimi, recreates the dining scene with modern Moroccan fare blending international flavours. The heart of the Pétanque Social Club lies in the courtyard garden. It is the ideal spot to enjoy a cocktail under the scent of flowering trees, Sunday lunches with live DJs with house favourites like pasta al forno Verde, pizzas, and garden salads. Post dinner, opt for an espresso martini to kick-start the nightlong party.
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The indoor space includes the bar and the art déco-inspired library, ideal for an intimate group dinner. The library features chic repurposed furniture and walls decked out in frames of the club’s original members, juxtaposed to the new custom-painted mural by the local artist Yassine Balbzioui. Day long and late into the night, travellers, artists, musicians, and locals gather at Pétanque Social Club to enjoy food and drinks, making it the city’s hottest hangout.
#DPloves the indoor space bedecked with art déco opulence of refurbished furnishings bringing sophistication and style to the space.
2. Stay At El Fenn To Get A Peek Into The Dynamic Art Scene of Marrakech
El Fenn breaks away from shades of beige that plague luxury hotels. In its place, splashes of bold hues of watermelon pink, rust orange and mustard yellows frame an eclectic collection of visual art. The co-founder Vanessa Branson, an art collector and founder of the Marrakech Biennale, with her business partner Howell James, started El Fenn out as a six-room hotel that has now evolved into a wondrous labyrinth of 13 interconnected buildings, featuring three pools, and 41 bedrooms in various sizes and colours– no two rooms are alike. The revamped hotel comes with ten ‘Colonel House’, a newly expanded spa, a private dining room, and a heated rooftop pool with views of the Atlas Mountains. While some of the rooms are lined with tadelakt walls, others are layered with glazed titles or hand-stitched camel leather floors. Some rooms open to the common courtyards, and others are more intimate. The underlying theme however is a play of textures and vibrant colours that feel like mid-century and vintage sanctuaries– intact with period soaking tubs.
Art and culture are the core of El Fenn’s design DNA From creating a bath to luxuriate to escaping into a reading nook to sit, the design at the El Fenn is spectacular. (Image Credit: El Fenn)
The rooftop terrace comes alive every evening to the beats of electronic dance music, while the more quiet courtyard spaces call for a casual dinner around a Pétanque lawn. Staying true to its commitment to the arts, El Fenn regularly hosts exhibitions of captivating photography, intricate sculptures, and stunning paintings that reflect the diverse talents of Moroccan visual artists.
#DPloves the new art installation behind the bar by Moroccan artist Hassan Hajja featuring a wall of recycled food tins and glass bottles in multihued pastels.
3. Explore Caravan Agafay While Embracing The Nomad Traditions of The Berbers With Boho-Chic Elegance
Any trip to Morocco is incomplete, without a desert safari into the sandy dunes. With sweeping views of the Sahara desert and surrounding Atlas Mountains, this a night well spent. Guests can stay in the rustic explorer tents, which offer outdoor pools, bars, and lounging areas studded in the desert oasis. Caravan Agafay is a minimalist, sustainable, eco-glamping retreat founded by Habitas Group. The design and decor of the luxury glamping retreat stand out with concepts of play, imagination, and connection with the natural world of the Agafay desert.
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The desert retreat features 40 Berber-inspired tents and lodges, draped in wooden floors, Berber carpets, and vibrant hand-woven furnishing which speak of Moroccan craftsmanship. For those looking to slow down after a day-long excursion, the blend of Middle Eastern and classic Moroccan fare at ‘Olivar’ is an ideal way to wind down. Visitors can take a few refreshing laps at the pools that gaze out at the desert or book a spa treatment infused with local ingredients and time-tested holistic traditions. Other amenities include is a stable for horses, Habitas’ special communal gathering place and a wellness centre These luxe desert glamps buzz with world travellers who come to catch the golden hour in the open-air lounge and bar where nature stirs creates an unforgettable ambience.
#DPloves the glamping en-suite rooms that open to an outdoor Berber lounging adorned with Berber carpets and handcrafted furnishings.
The private floor lounging of the ‘desert lodge’ suites is an ideal spot to enjoy the Moroccan tea ritual.
(Image Credit: Caravan Agafay)
