Selman Marrakech

If any hotel in Marrakech truly lives up to its billing as an oasis in the city, it’s the Selman. Spread across some fifteen acres to the south of the medina, it’s a splash of green amidst the arid desert landscape, its grounds dotted with sparkling pools and fountains — and as if it didn’t already seem like something of a mirage, there’s even a family of thoroughbred Arabian horses leading lives of extraordinary leisure as they roam the hotel’s pastures. Generally we pass lightly over the question of accommodation for a hotel’s non-human inhabitants, but when the horses sleep in stables designed by Jacques Garcia to resemble Indian and Andalusian palaces, as they do at the Selman, we have to assume it reflects well on the prospects for the bipedal guests.

And it does. Garcia has suffused the interiors with equal parts Art Nouveau glitz and high Berber romance, which makes it sound much more old-fashioned than it really is. The Selman is a new build, with all the functionality and comfort of a modern high-end resort; it’s just done in a spare-no-expense style that harkens back to luxury hotels of another era. It helps that all the high technology in the guest rooms is hidden discreetly out of sight, leaving the intricate woodwork and zellige-tile mosaics and luxurious marble bathrooms to shine on their own. It’s got all the character of the best riads in the medina, but here there’s far more room to spread out, and nothing antique about the comfort level.

Outside the guest rooms, too, an air of glamour seems to hover over everything. Garcia has a knack for designing public spaces that combine intimate little nooks and buzzing social scenes. The six bars and restaurants range from poolside cocktails to full-on fine dining, and each one exudes an undeniable sexiness.

An extravagantly well-equipped Henri Chenot spa rounds out the experience, offering everything from high-tech aesthetic treatments to ancient Chinese medicine. Suffice it to say they’re up to the task of rubbing any residual tension out of your muscles. Then again, after a day or two of drawn-out meals and languorous days by the pool, you won’t likely be in knots to begin with.

How to get there:
Selman Marrakech is located 3 miles from Marrakech-Menara Airport (RAK).