Morocco
Restaurant
Azar
Last Full Day in Morocco
We woke up to another beautiful Sahara desert sunrise on our last full day in Morocco. Breakfast was ready for us in the dining tent.
As we were eager to get back to more milder climates and modern plumbing, we asked our driver to minimize stops on the way back. The drive back started with an amazing drive through the desert. and then a drive through a former lake that is now drained of all water…
Restaurant
La Grande Table
Fit for (and built by) a king; the best hotel I have ever been to
The Royal Mansour was commissioned by the King of Morocco without any budget, and it shows. Every inch of the place is stunning. No surface is left unadorned or undecorated. The first thing you will notice upon entry is the beautiful lobby.
After check in we were given a small tour of the hotel and then shown to our “room”. Room is a misnomer because every “room” in this hotel is actually a riad…
Restaurant
Dar Zellij
Beautiful Roof, Great Service, Meh Food
Dar Zellij is a highly rated restaurant in Marrakech. Upon arrival, we were given the option to start with a drink on the roof. If you ever eat here, and are given that option, you should definitely take it. There is a Moroccan tent on the roof and its just gorgeous.
After our drinks, we headed downstairs for dinner. The tent and service were the highlights of the night. I think the atmosphere was pretty good too. The food was just ok however. We started with Moroccan spring rolls or biouat…
Restaurant
Ang Sana Si Said
Passion is always necessary for success; another good meal in Marrakech, Morocco
Passion is a necessary condition for success in any venture. With food, even more so. For one of our lunches in Marrakech, I discovered a place called Angsana Si Said. What drew me to the place were the high reviews, and obvious passion they had for their food. It came through on the website as they focused a lot on their suppliers. The restaurant is situated in the courtyard of a beautiful Riad by the same name…
Restaurant
Le Bistro Arabe
The Best Food I had in Morocco
I was excited to try two things in Morocco: a tajine dish and mint tea. A tajine is a unique cooking vessel found in this part of the world:
Our first dinner in Morocco was also the best. This was at Le Bistro Arabe. It is located off the main square and was a bit hard to find. I found that Google Maps was not entirely accurate in navigating the intricate areas of Marrakech. It did bring us to the general area and then some friendly locals guided us to the exact location…
Hotels
Sofitel – Lounge & Spa
Last Full Day in Morocco
We woke up to another beautiful Sahara desert sunrise on our last full day in Morocco. Breakfast was ready for us in the dining tent.
As we were eager to get back to more milder climates and modern plumbing, we asked our driver to minimize stops on the way back. The drive back started with an amazing drive through the desert. and then a drive through a former lake that is now drained of all water. Our driver also stopped to show us some fossils…
Hotels
Royal Mansour (amazing)
Fit for (and built by) a king; the best hotel I have ever been to
The Royal Mansour was commissioned by the King of Morocco without any budget, and it shows. Every inch of the place is stunning. No surface is left unadorned or undecorated. The first thing you will notice upon entry is the beautiful lobby.
After check in we were given a small tour of the hotel and then shown to our “room”. Room is a misnomer because every “room” in this hotel is actually a riad (a Moroccan home with courtyard and indoor garden, usually fully enclosed)…
Hotels
Amanjena
The worst Aman experience yet?
I am a fan of Aman properties. They are set in beautiful and unique locations, the properties are beautiful and unique too, and the service is usually amazing. Recently, on a trip to Marrakech, I stayed at the Amanjena resort. I will review the experience, especially compared to the other Amans I have been to. The hotel booked us, and we paid for, “Fast Track” arrival services. Basically, they will meet you off the plane and escort you through immigration. I think its worth paying for as we never had to wait in line on arrival. I can’t say the same for the departure “Fast Track”…
Ait Benhaddou
Day 1
Journey to the Sahara
The one thing we realized we had to do when we were planning our Morocco trip was to visit, and sleep a couple of nights, in the Sahara Desert. After doing some research, we went with Top Desert. More on this later.
We started Day 1 with the driver picking us up at the Royal Mansour. Along the way, he stopped at various vistas and points of interest. On Day 1, we would be stopping for an overnight stay at Ait Benhaddou. The site of numerous films including Lawrence of Arabia and the Gladiator…
Sahara Desert
Day 2
Arrival at the Sahara Desert Top Desert Camp
I woke up on Day 2 of our journey to the Sahara and had an unremarkable buffet breakfast at the hotel before departing for the desert. Along the way, our driver showed us a movie studio where a lot of movies set in the desert are produced.
We also stopped by this area with great views of date palm trees. After this we stopped at a cafe beside this amazing castle for a restroom break. Then it was on to the last town (Mhamid) before the desert for some lunch. Lunch was just ok…
Sahara Desert
Day 3
The most incredible thing I have seen in travel – foodwise
Day 3 of our trip to the Sahara Desert started with this incredible sunrise:
And then breakfast – shakshouka in a tagine which I had requested the night before; the Moroccan pancakes at the camp were amazing too. After breakfast it was time for a camel ride through the desert. Mohammed and his assistant also packed an amazing picnic for us…