La Maison des Oliviers

Once past the half-finished buildings and occasional stray that line the road to La Maison des Oliviers, visitors are met with a bold kasbah-style arched entrance leading to a series of pretty spacious courtyards and finally to the hotel reception. Like most of this traditionally styled property, the lobby is bright and colorful with plush Moroccan furnishings, pretty patterned tiling, and Arabian hanging lanterns. Built in 2005, the resort has five towers set in three and a half hectares of pleasantly landscaped gardens full of rose bushes, palm trees, and sculpted shrubbery abuzz with dragonflies and African swallows. The vibe is upscale and tranquil, appealing to both couples and families with kids looking for secluded and relaxing lodgings away from the bustle of the city. 

The hotel is located in the Agdal district to the south of Marrakech -- an up-and-coming area still with plenty of construction work going on. While not the easiest place to find (off the main road and down a dirt track) this adds to the feeling of seclusion once in the resort, though it also means nothing at all is within walking distance. The Agdal Gardens set in the grounds of the Royal Palace are under 10 minutes' drive away and the attractions of the medina (old city) are about 20 minutes' drive away. While the shuttle service is not free of charge, it's reasonably priced and will drop off and pick up when and where required -- including Marrakech Menara Airport just 10 minutes away. 

The hotel has 30 air-conditioned rooms, most of which are suites with separate furnished lounge areas. Decor in the Standard Rooms is surprisingly sedate, even bordering on sparse. The suites however, while not lavish, are more dressed up with Moroccan touches such as drapes and traditional rugs. Suites on the ground floor also overlook a garden and semi-private swimming pool while those on the upper floor open to balconies -- some with views of the Atlas Mountains. While rooms do have flat-screen TVs with satellite channels, they lack amenities you might expect at this level such as minibars, Wi-Fi, and robes. 

The highlight of La Maison des Oliviers is its lovely and relatively large heated swimming pool, kept at a pleasant 28 degrees Celsius (82 degrees Farenheit) and lined with plenty of shaded loungers and comfy canopied double daybeds -- though the peace can be spoilt a tad by piped music. The restaurant also extends to a poolside terrace and serves a free morning breakfast and a menu of both Moroccan and international food for lunch and dinner. The on-site hammam also provides a steam bath with body scrub and the usual Moroccan massage treatments.