Marrakech, Morocco - La Mamounia (The Food)

La Mamounia has four distinct restaurants: Le Marocain, Le Pavillion de la Piscine, Le Francais and L'Italien by Don Alfonso (the last two are Michelin starred), meaning you are spoiled for choice and going hungry is a nonstarter. I experienced two of them on my recent visit to the property and was truly wowed by both meals.

At La Mamounia's Moroccan restaurant, Le Marocain, I had dinner overlooking the Atlas Mountains whilst being serenaded by live Andalusian music in a breathtaking three floor Riad accessed by a gravel path that cuts through beautiful gardens. Discreet alcoves, sumptuous couches, 'everyone looks divine' candle glow lighting and five star service ensures that you are quite possibly in the most romantic dining spot known to man (certainly in North Africa). 

We started the meal with a light and crisp local rose wine ... 

Various spices and Moroccan argan oil for the homemade bread ... 

The Andalusian musical trio serenading us at our table ... 

Here's what we ate:

Lobster pastilla, red bell pepper coulis and argan oil

Crispy chicken rolls with fresh ginger and honey, mint sorbet with black pepper:

Chicken tagine with olives and lemon preserve ... 

Vegetable cous cous ...

Mamounia mix meat grill with traditional condiments, minted lamb, cumin scented “kefta”, saffron and coriander chicken, and spicy merguez sausage

Stuffed and satisfied, we thoroughly enjoyed both the setting and dining on these wonderful dishes, which really exemplified Moroccan cooking techniques, spices and flavors.

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I awoke the next morning (in the comfiest of beds) to the haunting and ethereal pre dawn song of the first call to prayer from the minaret of the local mosque. Not being Muslim, I was afforded the pleasure of a further lay in, but a few hours later the African sunshine streaming through my window beckoned, and I dressed and headed to the pool for breakfast at the Pavillion de la Piscine.

Breakfast at La Mamounia is an extravagance fit for royalty. There is an entire room filled with food; I think I counted ten different stations. I had to do several laps just to take in all the offerings before I could even begin to choose what to sample. This is the breakfast buffet of all breakfast buffets, and the poolside setting in the morning sun is just divine. (They also serve a buffet lunch here, which I hear is equally as fantastic).

Two of my roughly 15 rounds at the buffet: 

My first visit to the African continent was a truly remarkable one. I will never forget the hospitality of the staff at La Mamounia and the truly omni-sensory experience I enjoyed there. 

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Marrakech, Morocco - La Mamounia

There are those hotels you check into and out of and never give another thought to again. And then there is La Mamounia; a place whose service, ambience and scent even (a perfume of dates, roses and sandalwood) leave an indelible mark on your memory. This property has been on my radar for a few years now and I finally decided to make a visit this year. It was a visit I will never forget.

La Mamounia staff met us the minute we stepped foot into the airport, whisked us to a private room for passport control, and then into a sumptuous chauffeur driven garnet colored Jaguar for the quick ride to the hotel. We were greeted with traditional dates and almond milk in the beautiful lobby (below):

We were accompanied to our Executive Suite overlooking the Atlas Mountains and the gardens below, and shown all of the amenities of the room. We had two bathrooms, one with separate shower and bathtub, a spacious bedroom, a large sitting room and a double balcony. 

The craftsmanship and level of detail in our suite was, well frankly, incomprehensible. I will let the pictures speak for themselves, but suffice it to say that designer Jacques Garcia (also of Hotel Costes fame) and his team of roughly 1,000 local artisans really pulled out all the stops on this three year renovation project. 

With so many secluded and peaceful common areas of La Mamounia, complete with intricate patterns and arabesques based on Berber and Arab-Andalusian traditions, you are really spoiled for choice on beautiful spots where to go and relax. 

There are 24 acres of historic gardens to be strolled, four restaurants (two of which have Michelin stars), five bars (the leopard printed Churchill Bar is named after Winston because he spent so much time at the property) a 27,000-square-foot spa with extravagant interior pool areas, jacuzzi, two Hammams, a large fitness center, a new outdoor pool pavilion (where the pool is heated year-round and the bottom is covered in Venetian glass tile), and two clay tennis courts.  

And once darkness falls, La Mamounia, with its lantern lit pathways and illuminated facades, takes on a whole other-worldly level of amber glow seductiveness ... prepare to be entranced.

More to come on Monday about the food at La Mamounia ... 

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