Le Pavillon de la Kasbah, Marrakech

At the gateway to the medina, this brand new boutique hotel with a contemporary decor offers ten rooms and suites, a restaurant and a spa.

Isabelle Faisant Leray, the founder of the Pavillon de La Kasbah, has a long history with Morocco. It is therefore quite natural that this event management professional decided to move to Marrakech with her family in 2019 and to create a place conducive to a break. Opened in the spring in the peaceful Kasbah district, south of the medina, Le Pavillon de la Kasbah was imagined as a totally atypical “elsewhere”, anti-riad and true boutique-hotel. No chicane entrance, you go directly from the street to a large atrium topped by a glass roof bathed in light, which is at once a lobby, a restaurant, an herbal tea room, a lounge… The spirit is contemporary, with blond wood, shades of blue, rounded shapes punctuated with Moroccan touches, and the space is designed as a convivial place to share during leisure or professional stays.

In the Kasbah district, south of the medina, the building was built ex-nihilo in a quiet alley accessible by cab (convenient for nightlife and people with reduced mobility), 2 minutes walk from a parking lot. It is the area of the old royal palace, very quiet and secure, a little off the beaten track from the souks, easily reached by cab or on foot.

Interior design: Contemporary and daring, a bias, but in osmosis with the local culture. Everything, from the door frames to the furniture and the objects, of a beautiful inventiveness, was designed by the owner and realized on the spot by craftsmen of the district. Spaces all in transparency to let the light of Marrakech flow freely, light colors highlighted by variations of blue, including a signature duck blue … The decor is against the usual codes of the Red City that it reinterprets with subtle variations around traditional materials: headboards and closet doors made of tataoui (traditional wooden wattle and daub), chairs dressed in twisted black leather, cement tile floors, rattan canes, prints inspired by zelliges, etc. The whole place is full of nods to its origins, such as these pretty frescoes signed by Marie Bastide Studio, sketching scenes of life and landscapes on the staircase leading to the first floor and the rooftop.

The five rooms and five suites (eight on the first floor and two on the first floor) are all different in their materials, colors and sizes. No large volumes: the surface area varies between 15 m2 for the smallest room and 26 m2 for the largest suite. Ours, the Zaafran (saffron), a 23 m2 suite, can form a small apartment with the neighboring suite (21.5 m2), is on the first floor. The walnut headboard matches the closets, with a double door that cleverly opens onto the bathroom, small armchairs and a safe/bench, a fresco in the entrance, and stylized drawings adorning the small wooden closet that hides the TV… We find here a taste for beautiful materials and attention to detail. Optimal comfort: blackout shutters, small double-glazed window (no noise from the medina!), silent air conditioning (individually adjustable), king-size bed with MyBed mattress (and sheet in addition to the comforter, judicious for summer).
In the bathroom with Italian shower (five rooms and suites with bathtub), we appreciate the towel dryer, the beautiful embroidered linen (honeycomb bathrobes) and the Hendiya welcome products, a local brand of cosmetics based on Ecocert certified ingredients, notably prickly pear seed oil. There is no electric kettle for those who like their tea at bedtime (coming in September), nor an espresso machine, but capsules for the two self-service machines. For families, another room (15m2) has a common entrance with a suite (21m2), forming an apartment. Two rooms of 18m2 and 19m2 are equipped for people with reduced mobility on the first floor, with adapted bathrooms.

A planted rooftop crowns the hotel, with a section designed for relaxation: a beautiful six-by-three-meter blue zellige pool heated in winter (with a Jacuzzi), deckchairs and umbrellas. Curtains of kiria (thick linen) off-white protect the intimacy, with views in the distance on gardens and partial Atlas. In the basement, with direct access from the rooms by elevator, the Spa by LPK has a small hammam and a room that can be divided into 4 treatment rooms by simple powder pink curtains. The idea is to enjoy a treatment alone or to share it with two, with friends, with a tribe (or during a seminar). At the time of our stay, the spa did not have its own staff (currently being recruited).

In the meantime, treatments are provided by very professional therapists (excellent touch) upon reservation. In the basement, there are two meeting rooms that can be complemented by the “Atelier”, a privatized glass room in the lobby/lounge. Concierge service available. All the common areas can be air-conditioned (or heated), an unusual but appreciable comfort, just like the elevator.

The restaurant area is concentrated on the rooftop, but it is possible to have meals in the lobby/lounge where there is a nice dining area. Very Mediterranean, the terrace invites you to take a break with its pergola whose patterns are reflected on the tiles according to the play of light and shadow. A hearty breakfast is served in the morning, with fresh fruit juice and salad, Moroccan pancakes, jams, eggs on demand… Everything is fresh and home-made. Dinner, in the form of a menu (36 €), is based on a menu with Moroccan and Mediterranean influences. Careful cooking with notably an excellent goat’s cheese terrine with grilled vegetables.
No alcohol for the moment while waiting for the license (in progress). The terrace is the only place to have a cigarette, the rest of the hotel is non-smoking. In the lobby, a tea corner will delight tea lovers, the Pavillon de La Kasbah, partner of the house Wright Tea 1856, historical importer in Morocco, has created a delicious tea “signature” to be tasted in addition, the tea-time served every afternoon is based on traditional mint tea.

From €180 for a double room, including breakfast and tea-time (Moroccan tea with pastries of the day), €230 for a suite. This is an introductory price, very competitive considering the comfort and services. Transfers are included in the rate for direct reservations of at least two nights.

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