Renowned public figures are regularly tempted by the world-renowned charm of this mythical hotel in Marrakech. #Nomad invites you to dive back into the past of this historic palace in the ocher city.
At the mere mention of the Mamounia, the face of the interlocutor splits into a smile. Her eyes, amazed at the beauty of the palace, sparkle with envy. This is because the hotel, since its opening in 1925, has established itself as an ode to luxury and refinement where it is good to come… and be seen. It is not the All-Paris which will contradict us.
An enclosed oasis initially sat inside the ramparts of the ocher city. It was Caliph Abdelmoumen, of the Almohad dynasty, who first shaped the place. The story of this architectural jewel truly begins in the 18th century, when the Alaouite sultan Ben Abdellah perpetuated the tradition by offering the vast estate as a wedding gift to his son Mamoune. Its name will thus inspire the now famous name “Mamounia”.
“The day will undoubtedly come when we will see a palace here in a large garden, with trees and palm trees and flowers”, predicted the historian Henry Dugard in 1917, six years before the start, in 1923, of the work on the palace. by the architects Henri Prost and Marchisio, on behalf of the National Railways Office (ONCF), then the contracting authority.
Nearly a century later, the elite are scrambling to stay at La Mamounia. From Winston Churchill, inspired, who painted in his spare time looking towards the snowy peaks of the Atlas, to Edith Piaf, Orson Wells, Paul Valery, François Mitterrand, Bill Clinton, Jacques Chirac, Dominique Strauss-Kahn and Anne Sinclair , Nelson Mandela and Hillary Clinton, to name a few.
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A glimpse of the Mamounia. / Ph. Troy House/Corbis
120 million euros of renovation
Over the years, the hotel grew. Towards the end of the 1930s, the palace housed less than 50 rooms. It now has 136 rooms, 71 suites and three private riads. The renovation work, completed in 2009, was spread over three years and required a budget of 120 million euros (1.32 billion dirhams). The facelift was carried out by Jacques Garcia, who previously had the privilege of renovating the prestigious Parisian hotels Royal Monceau and Hôtel Costes.
“120 million euros to convince a wealthy and upscale clientele and face competition from other establishments in the category”, wrote Archyde.com when the Mamounia reopens.
The palace garden is spread over eight hectares, which are home to a multitude of trees and plants that perfume the dry air of the place. “The land is planted with centuries-old olive trees, palm trees, orange trees, lemon trees, fig trees. In addition to this gourmet and flowery green setting, there are mulberry trees, pines, tipuanatipu (…) but also 2,500 plants such as ginger, delphinium, cosmos”, we read in an article by Slate. This is without counting the vegetable garden with 30 species of vegetables: lettuce, tomatoes, aromatic plants and other peach trees. “Some residents who choose this historic hotel if only to study the tasty gifts of the gardens”, continues the same source.
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The Spa of Mamounia. / Ph. DR
Inside the walls of the Mamounia, visitors are surprised at the contrast between the light outside and the subdued atmosphere of the place. “The visitor needs a few seconds to tame the sober lines of the interior (…) which contrasts with the blinding light of the exterior”, relates Archyde.com once more.
Special mention to the palace staff who know how to be discreet. The 800 people who work there “walk through a kind of underground city: miles of corridors and clean rooms connect the restaurants, the swimming pool and the private riads”, wrote for his part. The Point in 2011.
This place will undoubtedly remain a reference in Marrakech, a real oasis for lounging and dreaming of ever more generous tomorrows.