Hospitality Design - March 2012 - 53

places: marrakech

perspectives
By Neena Dhillon

marrakech on the move
Rich in culture, history, and creativity, Marrakech, the rose-hued city nestled at the base of the Atlas Mountains, remains an undisputed jewel in the crown of Morocco’s tourist industry. While other North African countries suffered dispiriting downturns in visitor numbers last year (a result of the Arab Spring), Morocco emerged relatively unscathed, registering a three percent rise in overseas tourists in the ﬁrst nine months of 2011 compared to the previous year. A modest increase, perhaps, but not when the ﬁgure is compared to the 30-40 percent falls endured by its North African counterparts. This also builds on an upward curve that has seen visitor numbers grow almost year-by-year since 2000, reaching 9.3 million in 2010, a landmark that stopped just short of the Moroccan Government’s aim of 10 million as set out in its Vision 2010 strategy. The country’s ruler, King Mohammed VI, has since unveiled Vision 2020, a successor initiative that calls for sustainable investment in Morocco’s tourism infrastructure, enabling it to become a top 20 destination worldwide (it currently ranks 25), with the power to attract 18 million visitors by 2020. Perret predicts the luxury chains will end up competing for the same client base—as there is a limit to the number of travelers who will pay signiﬁcantly higher room charges—but she recognizes the importance of carving a position in a market that promises much in the medium to long term: “It’s a race to plant a ﬂag in the ground.”

Luxe Accommodations
Following a six-year construction period, summer 2011 saw the opening of Four Seasons’ 40-acre walled resort besides Menara Gardens. Developed predominantly by Kingdom Hotel Investments, the extensive low-rise

From left: The lobby and façade of the Four Seasons Resort Marrakech, which was designed as a “modern interpretation of a south Moroccan village.”
Such conditions have made Marrakech a target for hotel investment, with luxury brands seemingly unable to ignore the pull of the popular Moroccan city. Bolstering the current supply of 14,440 hotel rooms, STR Global estimates there are a further 2,459 in development. Sophie Perret, associate director at HVS, acknowledges that Marrakech’s pipeline has been booming for the past two years although she sounds a note of caution: “For every hotel opening, there are more that are on hold, delayed, or not one hundred percent conﬁrmed. I think Marrakech will face challenges in the short term—partly due to the indirect fallout from political turmoil in the region and because the Euro disaster is having an impact on what Europeans [the city’s major source of tourists] are spending.” Marrakech has steadily been evolving its 5-Star product, with most new entrants combining resort facilities with blue-chip residences. complex is described by Didier Lefort, principal architect of DL2A, as “a modern interpretation of a south Moroccan village” comprising warmly toned pavilions, lush Moorish landscaping, water pools, arcades, and pathways. Designed by Lefort to integrate into the environment, Four Seasons Hotel Marrakech achieves elegance without monotony by incorporating local touches into architectural detailing. Flooring consists of Moroccan stone or ﬁrebricks, adorned with simpliﬁed versions of traditional patterns; water pools are constructed with handmade ceramic tiles; cedar moucharabieh latticework doubles as balustrades for terraces and balconies; and external plasterwork is rendered in an uneven ﬁnish. This contemporary take on traditional Moroccan architecture is followed through into the interiors where GA Design International studied riads (a traditional Moroccan house with a courtyard) as well as the local arts and crafts scene for inspiration. Associate Caroline Cundall

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