Sofitel Marrakech Lounge & Spa

The compromise position between the densely packed medina and the wide-open, suburban Palmeraïe is the Hivernage district; it’s less crowded than the old town, but closer to the center of it all than the sprawling out-of-town resorts. And there are a few very worthy hotel options in the Hivernage, among them the Sofitel Marrakech Lounge & Spa.

You could make a case that if any international chain can get to the essence of Morocco, it would be a French one. If it’s boutique (or riad) intimacy you’re after, this might not be the place — with just this side of 350 rooms and suites, the Sofitel Marrakech Lounge & Spa is not a small hotel. But it’s a five-floor complex, rather than a tower, which means a more human scale, and the pure physical luxuries of the place go a long way towards making any guest feel at times like pretty much the only guest.

Chief among them is the spa, a major piece of the Imperial puzzle, and an area where the Sofitel has an advantage over most of the in-town competition. Add a healthy dose of sophisticated Paris-via-Morocco modern interior design and you’ve got a stylish luxury hotel that’s solid in all areas.