Whether you want to experience a traditional hammam or signature massage with Moroccan oils, Marrakech spas aren’t just a sanctuary of zen, but truly something to write home about – especially in contrast to the hectic pace of the souks.
From uber-modern to jaw-dropping traditional beauty, each Marrakech spa has its own unique personality that’s dictated by the hotel’s history and surroundings. Take a break from your shopping, turn off your Instagram updates and zone out, Marrakech-style (mint spa tea in hand).
Here, the Citizen Femme team share their favourite – tried and tested – Marrakech spas.
Le Farnatchi
Unsuspectingly hidden behind a simple doorway in one of Marrakech’s characteristically narrow streets lies the calming Le Farnatchi Spa. Follow the subtle scent of orange trees in one of the riad’s two courtyards towards the black-and-white tiled, intimate spa where you’ll find the afternoon antidote to a long morning of souk shopping. As a smaller scale spa, privacy and personalisation is centered here. Each massage room and hammam comes with a private ensuite shower and every element can be tailored to your time and treatment preferences.
The signature treatment
Must-trys are the specialist massages including ‘Tension Relief’ and ‘Head, Neck and Shoulders’ using Nectarome’s healing products and the new revitalising facial using local Marrakech brand Botanika’s natural ingredients. Le Farnatchi also offers a dedicated manicure and pedicure room for luxury pampering before heading back out into the colourful city for an evening of delicious cuisine. One thing is for sure, you’ll feel well looked after. Ella Mansell.
Amanjana
A true oasis of calm; you can hardly believe how close Amanjena is to the medina – so cocooned you feel within the rose-hued buildings that rise almost like a mirage out of its surroundings. A haven for honeymooners, if you can bear to draw yourself away from the refreshing pool that takes centre stage throughout the complex (and make time away from the tennis courts and nearby golf course too), you can discover a small but indulgent spa to match, complete with the most luxurious Aman amenities. With treatments focusing on cleansing and brightening your skin from head-to-toe, a hammam experience includes an incredibly diverse range of local ingredients, including argan oil, natural mineral clay from the Atlas Mountains and black soap from Moroccan olives.
The signature treatment
Not content with just offering one-off treatments, the spa at Amanjena has half day, full day and even a three-day spa journey (prices on request). On these, you can experience full head-to-toe pampering, including a vigorous body scrub and wrap using traditional Moroccan techniques, a full body massage that’s designed to soothe out even the most stubborn of knots, and a rejuvenating facial to have you looking and feeling years younger. Another highlight is the two-hour-long body cleansing hammam experience, Moroccan Bloom. Becki Murray.
Fairmont Royal Palm
Although only a short twenty minute drive from Marrakech’s medina, the whole of Fairmont Royal Palm Marrakech feels like a hidden haven where moments of peace are very easy to come by, especially in their state-of-the-art Le Spa. As soon as you enter, the soft, healing smells of locally-grown argan oils, rose, and orange meets your nose from partners Maison d’ASA and Natura Bissé’s organic products. To the left of the pool, a candlelit corridor guides you towards the hammam treatment rooms, where there are thirteen cabins including four doubles for romantic massage sessions.
The signature treatment
The signature Hammam Dada where, after 90 minutes of exfoliation, oiling and musk clay masks, you’ll feel like a totally different human. After your treatment, a cleansing Moroccan mint tea and an assortment of traditional delicacies await for you by the magnificent pool or in the surrounding gardens. And, if you’re looking to gently move your body after a relaxing afternoon, OM Yoga offers a range of classes on the first floor where you can downward dog looking over the hazy silhouette of the Atlas mountains in the horizon. Ella Mansell.
La Sultana
A spa with wow factor: from the decadent interiors (your body might be relaxing but your eyes won’t stop wandering), to the mind-blowing hammam (there are two hammams here, but they get booked out fast), treatments go beyond your average spa menu. Think the ‘Four Hands Massage’ with a quartet of magic hands working in unison, and the ‘Candle Massage’ that combines argan oil, prickly pear oil and shea butter.
The signature treatment
Royal Hammam – everything you’d expect from a traditional Moroccan hammam experience and then some. Be prepared for the revitalising exfoliating black soap rubdown. Lisa Haynes.
Royal Mansour
The equivalent of a spa fairy-tale in Marrakech, complete with birdsong and water fountains as the soothing IRL soundtrack. Its ornate, white design and glasswork makes for a light, bright mecca that mirror the Palace’s majestic vibe. Think big – Spa Royal Mansour is spread over three floors, with 18 treatment rooms and three private spa suites. What spa dreams are made of.
The signature treatment
Hammam Evasion – the most luxurious of traditional hammams using marocMaroc products. Expect an ultra-purifying exfoliation that uses the traditional kessa massage glove and detoxifying body mask, followed up by a soothing soaping using orange flower water. Lisa Haynes.
Four Seasons
Make this your first pit-stop if you’re a solo female traveller – the spa is divided into separate male and female spas (though there is a couple’s suite with outdoor bath tub for the romantics or honeymooners). As you might expect from Four Seasons, the spa is slick and modern with plenty of gloss. If you’re more of an al fresco person *puts hands up*, the spa gardens are beautiful so take a post-treatment relaxation dip in the serene adults-only pool.
The signature treatment
Argania Massage – this massage fuses Middle Eastern and Western techniques and incorporates stretching and pressure point manipulation (caution: you may ooh and ahh a bit). Dictate your vacation mood with your choice of oil: rosemary (uplifting), verbena (refreshing), or orange blossom (relaxing). Lisa Haynes.
El Fenn
We defy you to not lose yourself in the magical, low-lit spa corners of El Fenn’s intimate spa. Unlike other spas in Marrakech, this recently became a guest-only spa making it even more exclusive if you’re lucky enough to stay here, aka like Madonna did for her 60th birthday bash (yep, really). We don’t have confirmation Madge relaxed in the spa afterwards, but if she did, we’d like to think she went for the ‘Escape’ massage for some party recovery.
The signature treatment
Ultimate Moroccan Experience – a hammam steam for a body scrub and polish, followed by a revitalising rhassoul clay body wrap and hydrating massage – it’s like the all-you-can-eat of spa treatments that ticks everything off. Lisa Haynes.
La Mamounia
If Instagram could design a Marrakech spa, it would probably look like La Mamounia’s. With deep blues, blacks and whites, the Instagrammable design combines traditional zellige tilework, tadelakt plaster and wooden panelling, which you’d probably take many more photos of if you weren’t almost immediately in a little zen bubble of relaxation. With marocMaroc and Valmont on the treatment menu, you can expect pure luxury throughout your experience, and for your skin to feel utterly rejuvenated – from head-to-toe.
The signature treatment
La Mamounia Body Ritual – looking for a body treatment that’s exfoliating but still relaxing? Tick, tick. This uses argan oil and traditional Moroccan extracts, like almond powder, sesame and white clay, to leave sun-parched skin feeling nourished again. Lisa Haynes.
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