Driving through the gates of the Mazagan after a few hot and heavy days in Marrakech, Morocco feels like entering a different, particularly verdant world.
Countless numbers of gardeners and gallons of water have turned 250 acres of coastland into an oasis of lush greenery, centred around an 18-hole golf course, a stretch of fine sanded beach and the hotel itself.
The 492-room metropolis of a resort offers real luxury from its smallest and cheapest garden facing rooms to the suitably named royal suite which once played home to the king of Saudi Arabia for 40 days.
The beds are massive and covered in crisp white linen, while the rooms are filled with solid wood furniture and marble-topped tables.
Desert yellow walls, blue mosaic fountains and a central pool that dominates the internal courtyard seem to fuse classic Moroccan architecture and the opulence of the Mazagan’s sister hotel, the Palm in Dubai.
Vibe
There’s a relaxed atmosphere in the Mazagan, with multi-generational families enjoying pots of tea, sweet desserts and the occasional cocktail together late into the night. Brits, Germans and French guests are joined by visitors from across the Middle East and US, giving the Mazagan a multicultural feel.
Families play together in the huge central pool and on the beachfront in the day, before the buzzing restaurants and enormous casino take over at night.
When it comes to five-star service, the resort’s staff are flawless, but not the kind that leaves you with a sinking feeling that the person you’re talking to is playing a part or doesn’t like their job.
Instead, the Mazagan’s staff seemed to have been picked from across the country and high-end hotels in France to ply their exceptional trade.
Food and drink
The Mazagan has two enormous restaurants that open up in the morning to treat guests to extensive breakfast buffets made up of fruit, cereals, salads, breads and all the cooked ingredients to make a Moroccan version of a full English.
If you’ve somehow any room for lunch, then the Buddha Beach Bar and Beach Barbecue let guests sit just above the sand watching the powerful Atlantic waves smashing into the few people brave enough to plunge in.
A sunglasses-wearing DJ provides a backdrop of eerie beach vibes from his white circular booth as guests tuck into a selection of sushi on ice, barbecued meats and dishes of Moroccan’s second, adopted cuisine – pizza and pasta.
In the evenings, the resort really comes into its own, providing delicious Middle Eastern fare in one restaurant, freshly caught seafood in another, and a plant-based menu of real gastronomic quality that offered a welcome break after five days in a country which has an intense love affair with lamb.
Activities
Riding on horseback along the resort’s beach, Atlantic waves lapping at the hooves as a thick late-afternoon mist begins to form, is an unmissable experience.
Along with the well-stocked stables, Mazagan has a paintball course, trampolines, a gym, quad bikes and many other on-site activities to keep guests busy.
A big draw for golfers is the Gary Player-designed course and the comfortable clubhouse where you can enjoy a beer and a snack after a round.
After a day spent indulging all these other wonderful activities, an hour’s obscenely relaxing couple’s massage is the perfect way to transition to dinner.
Book the holiday
Rooms at the Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort in Morocco start at around £146 a night B&B. mazaganbeachresort.com
You can also find more information at visitmorocco.com.
