Moroccan Magic
It’s time to check in with Marrakech, a city undergoing a cultural renaissance as it reassets itself as the evocative epicentre of a design revolution
Once frequented by Jimi Hendrix and Cat Stevens, Morocco’s coastal city of Essaouira has long been thought of as catnip for creatives, pulling in everyone from musical nomads and artists to daydreamers and sun-seekers to its magical shores. A short two hour’s drive away, Marrakech – more commonly regarded as the country’s tourism capital complete with pretty much every standard luxury hotel name under the sun – however, has been having something of a design-forward revolution as of late, with a wave of new stylish hotels and riads recently opening their doors. In its heyday, Marrakech was a fountain of inspiration for the 20th century’s style set, including Jane Birkin and Yves Saint Laurent, the latter of which one famously said that “before Marrakech, everything was black”. Now these smart new boltholes are attracting the same crowd once more, something which is desperately needed after last year’s 6.8 magnitude earthquake caused devastation in the city and the Atlas Mountains. In other words, there’s no better time to visit.
Having welcomed its first guests at the tail end of 2023, Izza should be your first port of call. Eight years in the making and hidden away within the bustling medina, this 14-room riad is much bigger in size than most – it is a warren of seven interconnected riads – yet still manages to retain an intimate atmosphere. Fun fact: one of the buildings is the former home of famed American interior designer Bill Willis who is credited as creating some of the jet set’s most fabulous interiors, is just a five-minute walk away and owned by the same company. As such, guests will stumble across a slew of his old letters with Saint Laurent, Mick Jagger and Grace Jones which adorn the walls.
What really makes Izza stand out from the crowd, however, is its impressive art collection, which is worth over Dhs23 million. There is craftwork everywhere. The coffee boutique, for example, showcases work from Moroccan artist Hassan Hajjaj, while in the lobby you’ll find photographs spotlighting Franco-Moroccan Leila Alaoui. Among the non-local artists on show are Ethiopian digital collective Yatreda and Brazilian black and white documentary master Sebastião Salgado. Elsewhere expect to see plenty of pieces from the likes of William Mapan, Dmitri Cherniak, Matt DesLauriers, Refik Anadol, Tyler Hobbs and Dandelion Wist. And if that wasn’t enough to keep you stimulated, there’s also a significant exhibition of physical NFT artworks.
In and around Izza, guests can peruse its three tranquil courtyards, three pools and individually designed rooms. While you won’t be disappointed with any, we suggest booking the palatial, pinkish suite that nods towards the 1970s work of Yves Saint Laurent. It’s also home to an intimate spa complete with hammam perfect to recharge main, body and soul. Talking of recharging, nutritious food takes centre stage, and meals are best enjoyed on the roof terrace where you can indulge in traditional dishes boasting a regional twist. Think Moroccan crushed avocado on sourdough with harissa egg for breakfast, monkfish tagine for lunch and whole grilled seabass stuffed with spiced couscous and langoustine bisque for dinner.
While you could spend all day gazing at art, getting pampered and feasting to your heart’s content, it would be remiss to visit Marrakech and not explore its bustling centre. Whether you opt for a guided tour, or go solo, carve out at least half a day to navigate Djemaa el Fna, the city’s main square where storytellers, snake charmers and acrobats are all part of the daily routine. Be sure to also check out Gueliz, also referred to as the New Town of Marrakech, full of leafy parks, cafe culture, a thriving art scene and the best bars and restaurants in town.
Need a break from the hustle of the city centre? Hidden around 18 miles from the Medina – it’s worth booking a private transfer with the hotel is you don’t want to end up getting lost in the middle of the desert – make a beeline for the newly opened Farasha Farmhouse. The brainchild of Rosena and Fred Charmoy, the husband-and-wife duo behind Morocco’s luxury event planning firm Boutique Souk (who were responsible for producing Poppy Delevingne’s wedding as well as destination fashion shows for the likes of Chanel, Dior and more), is the definition of cool.
It is also the perfect place to spend a few days disconnecting from the world with nourishing food, wellness activities and days spent relaxing around its 50m pool. “We had originally planned for the pool to be 20m but as soon as we drew it out it looked ridiculous,” Rosena tells us. “So we went to 30m and then 40m. At that point we figured we may as well make it fully Olympic-sized, and it’s definitely been proving popular among guests.” Lined with alleys of olive trees and plush day beds, it’s not hard to see why.
Sitting between two mountain ranges, Farasha Farmhouse is a truly magical place. Reminiscent of a Balearic bolthole, the interiors look as if they’ve been plucked direct from a luxury design magazine complete with rugs from Beni Rugs, an orange juice stand painted by Laurence Leenaert, a book collection donated from the estate of Diana Vreeland and several sculptures from Moroccan contemporary artist Amine El Gotaibi.
Currently with just four keys – the Charmoys are working on expanding to ten in the near future – a stay here promises an intimate experience with community at heart. Case in point? Meals are all enjoyed in a dreamy courtyard with plenty of long tables for those looking to socialise, with farm-to-table set menus utilising only the freshest ingredients, most of them coming directly from the grounds. Be sure to arrange your stay to fall over a weekend so you can enjoy the epic Sunday lunch. Think roast aubergine and kale Caesar salad with slow-cooked lamb shoulder and fries – while we were also treated to mozzarella goujons, seabass with pea puree and a perfectly cooked Chateaubriand during our stay.
More than 50 years after Yves Saint Laurent fell in love with Marrakech, he’d be relieved to see it’s again become a magnet for artists helping to keep the Ochre City’s creative spirit alive, and we can’t see wait to see where they lead us next.
For more information visit izza.com, farashafarmhouse.com
From Harper’s Bazaar Arabia’s July/August 2024 issue.