Unveiling the Best of Moroccan Opulence: A Comprehensive Review of The Oberoi Marrakech
Embark on a sensory journey through the heart of Morocco, where vibrant colors, rich culture, and unparalleled luxury converge at The Oberoi Marrakech. Nestled within acres of lush gardens against the backdrop of the Atlas Mountains, this oasis of tranquility invites guests to immerse themselves in the enchanting allure of Marrakech. From the moment you step foot onto the grounds, the scent of citrus and jasmine fills the air, and the warmth of a blend of both Moroccan hospitality with the Indian heritage of Oberoi Hotels & Resorts embraces you. Join us as we uncover the exquisite details, unparalleled service, and unforgettable experiences that define The Oberoi Marrakech.
The Oberoi Marrakech Grand Canal
Having recently stayed at The Oberoi Mauritius (and off the back of numerous stays at their luxurious properties in India itself) I was really interested to see how this stay would compare, and indeed what would be the highlight of our three-centre trip to Morocco this time. First up the Jasper Conran L’Hotel in Marrakech before travelling on to the Palais AMANI in Fez, and our last stop The Oberoi Marrakech for 4 nights before returning home. As you will find in this review, The Oberoi Marrakech was without a doubt the highlight of our trip, albeit I did enjoy our other stay in Marrakech and Fez too. I have lots of measures as to how exemplary a hotel will stay, but there are two which seem to set properties apart. One in particular ‘Mrs’ TPT thinks is a ridiculous one – the first you can assess at the start of a stay, and the other you only find out at the end. The first is whether the bathrobes already have the tie-cord already threaded into the robe (to my mind, a sign of quality and attention to detail). The second is whether your room or suite is serviced on the departure day if you’re staying beyond late morning. Not only was a late check-out offered to us without asking, when we came back from breakfast on the last day our villa had been immaculately restored to perfection as it had been on each of our days there.
Discover all you need to know about The Oberoi Marrakech in this comprehensive review. From its prime location to engaging local activities, tantalising dining options, and luxurious accommodations, we've got you covered. Dive into this detailed exploration before your next Marrakech adventure!
The Oberoi Marrakech Rivayat Restaurant View at Night
Why Book with Classic Travel and The Private Traveller
By booking through my affiliation with Classic Travel, I was able to secure a number of additional VIP benefits with their Virtuoso program.
These included:
$100 Resort Credit
Daily Continental breakfast two guest per room per stay, served in Hotel restaurant
Room upgrade based on availability at check-in.
Early check-in and late check-out, subject to availability
Complimentary wi-fi
Complimentary 50-minute massage for up to two guests, once during stay
The stunning main swimming pool lined by palm trees
Fast Facts for The Oberoi Marrakech, Morocco:
Address - The Oberoi, Marrakech, Route de Ouarzazate, 40 000 Marrakech, Morocco
Website - https://www.oberoihotels.com/hotels-in-morocco-marrakech
Group website - https://www.oberoihotels.com/
TripAdvisor ranking - #1 of 10 resorts in Marrakech
Contact - reservations.marrakech@oberoihotels.com
Instagram - @theoberoimarrakech @oberoihotels
Nearest airport - Marrakech’s Menara International Airport (RAK) - 18 km or 11 miles (about a 30 min drive, traffic dependent)
Opened - 2019
Number of rooms / suites - 84, including 72 villas with private pools, and just one each of the Royal Suite and Royal Villa
Number of floors – 2 levels in main building, with a basement level too
Bars - 1 (Vue main bar, Tamimt also has a small second bar)
Restaurants - 3 (Rivayat, Tamimt, & Azur)
Wellbeing - The Oberoi Spa, sunrise yoga, PT/cardio/circuit/cross training, tennis, indoor and outdoor pools
Visited - April 2024
One of the private dining locations over the Grand Canal - such an incredible dinner
The main hotel building of The Oberoi Marrakech
Hotel Accommodation: A stunning collection of predominantly luxury villas with private pools
Although the main building has only 5 deluxe rooms and the central Royal Suite (with its own swimming pool) all overlooking the gardens (and the ‘Grand Canal’ more on this later!) and Atlas Mountains to the rear, most of the property (and its vast believe me) has only villas with private pools and gardens. The property used to be an olive farm, and there are acres of grounds still left as an olive grove. It was such an incredible location, not only had the buildings been blended so carefully into the landscape, whilst still creating what is an architecturally stunning hotel resort.
“The Oberoi, Marrakech is located within 1,13,312 square metres of Mediterranean orchards with fragrant citrus trees and centuries old olive groves. Our 5 star hotel in Marrakech has beautifully landscaped gardens punctuated by water features. Its authentic architecture is inspired by palaces of ancient Morocco. The courtyard of the main building incorporates the design of the historic Medersa Ben Youssef, built in the 14th century; one of Marrakech’s most famous historic monuments. Our 5 star hotel in Marrakech offers picturesque views of the majestic snow-capped Atlas Mountains.”
Facilities & Service at The Oberoi Marrakech
There was absolutely everything you could need here within the hotel grounds, and apparently some guests come for maybe one to two weeks and never actually leave. As much as I’m a fan of exploring out and about in local areas, I can actually see why you might visit and not want to go elsewhere. Visiting in Morocco does often come with a lot of hassle, though we never found this intimidating, whereas at The Oberoi every wish or need is attended to so superbly with immaculate execution.
I’ve broken down the key facilities and services and shared my opinion on them below:
The Deluxe Villa with Private Pool
These were low level to blend into the natural environment and shaded in the magnificent Moroccan terracotta colour with an unassuming exterior but reflecting the local style, with an Arabic archway for the entrance. Once inside, you were greeted with a central lobby with a beautiful coloured tiled floor, with the bathroom to the right and the bedroom and living space to the left.
There was the huge bed stacked with colourful cushions and a traditional wooden fretwork headboard, an armoire housing the minibar, tea and coffee making etc.) with a sofa, occasional chair and separate dining table/workspace for two. There was a large LCD TV to one side (and Wi-Fi was great not only throughout the villa but the whole property), outside was the private pool (really decent size), a shaded terrace with another table and chairs, then two sun loungers and a large parasol for shade.
Levels of Comfort
I know I’ve mentioned the excellent service so often in this review, but it’s just something I cannot highlight how exceptional this was throughout. From welcome to departure, in the restaurants, bar, spa or reception; the staff all seemed to have the same principle of being innately friendly and welcoming, yet not over-bearing or false.
Our villa was exceptionally comfortable and restored to perfection twice a day with great housekeeping. The bed was huge and changed daily, super comfortable and although the standard pillows were just spot on for us already, there was a pillow menu if you wanted to choose something different or extra.
Bathroom
This Oberoi property was much newer than the Mauritius hotel, and it showed in the bathroom, which was huge. To one side was a dedicated dressing room (which could be closed off separately) then a vanity area in the middle before moving through to the bathroom itself. Although completely private with the walled garden surrounding the pool, there were electronic blinds on both the main bathroom window and the huge glass door from the super large walk-in shower, which was direct access out to the garden and pool area.
As well as a large soaking tub (which we never actually used) there were twin sinks on a large vanity console with loads of storage underneath (beautiful to look at Kohler special edition basin tops, albeit a bit ‘splashy’) and a separate WC with bidet. Toiletries were by Anne Semonine of Paris, the shampoo, conditioner, body wash, and body lotion being regularly replaced as required.
Breakfast
This was a sumptuous spread each morning, which we enjoyed on most days out on the terrace with the incredible hotel views. Only on one morning, when surprisingly it rained, did we enjoy it inside. There were various stations offering a whole array of fruits (fresh and dried), yoghurts, cereals, pastries and breads, honey and jams. As well as lots of Moroccan or international options to order from an inclusive menu, there were also egg, pancake, or waffle stations too with an array of topping or fillings. The omelettes were delicious!
Restaurant & Bars
I’ve detailed them all below, where there was the option of breakfast in either Tamimt or room service, Azul during the day for pool drinks, snacks, or lunch; lunch or dinner in Tamimt the International/Moroccan restaurant; or dinner in Rivayat, the Indian speciality restaurant open for dinner. The main bar, Vue, opened late afternoon and into the evening for drinks or light snacks.
Spa & Wellness
As you would expect, there was a fabulous spa only a short walk from our villa, or the hotel buggies could pick you up from anywhere. Our first introduction, when touring the hotel on our first day, to the spa was a great show round by one of the personal trainers and fitness instructors, and it was definitely a wow facility. We’d be back a few times to enjoy the Hammam, other thermal facilities, the gym, the yoga studio, treatments and maybe enjoy (not as much) the rather chilly indoor swimming pool!
Design & Architecture
Although a relatively new build (now open for just five years) this had been so traditionally designed to fit in so well to both the landscape as well as the Moroccan surroundings. The olive grove had been kept in as natural a state as possible, with the surrounding gardens feeling more dominant that the number of villas there actually was.
The central hotel area was absolutely stunning, with the design being inspired by the magnificent history of Moroccan architecture. The courtyard of the main building incorporates the design of the historic Medersa Ben Youssef, built in the 14th century and one of Marrakech’s most famous historic monuments. During the day the coloured tiles are set off magnificently to contrast with the white marble, at night subtle lighting and fire torches light up the space to perfection.
What about the Marrakech location?
Only about 30 minutes from the international airport (RAK) and even less if you want to visit the Medina (there is a daily shuttle which leaves at 10:30am to take you straight to the Ben Youssef Mosque, then only a very short walk across to the main Jemaa el-Fnaa square, returning later in the afternoon). We arrived by train from Fez and were expertly collected by the hotel with inclusive transfers, which was a slightly shorter drive, and then they took us back to the airport for our return flight. This was timed so that we would have a full two hours at the airport before departure – my recommendation would be to stick with this, and not think (as we often would) having checked in online and having Fast Track would allow for a shorter time. Although we didn’t have the massive queues like we had seen online during our stay there, it was a very slow and onerous process to depart. Absolutely nothing to do with the hotel, but there were so many passport checks and even the Fast Track queues seemed really disorganised. As it turned out, by the time we got through the various security and passport control checks, we didn’t even get any time in the lounge before boarding. That’s another story for my British Airways LHR-RAK-LHR flight review; such an incredibly disappointing first time experience of the (Royal Air Maroc) VIP lounge in the airport.
Some of the top activities I’d recommend doing at The Oberoi Marrakech are:
The Oberoi Spa
I’m a huge fan of spa treatments and therapies, from planning, research and trying new things, to then writing about my experience for either my own spa and wellness blogs, to articles for Travel & Spa magazine and the likes. There was a great selection here at The Oberoi (we had a couples’ The Sultans Ritual – a traditional [very definitely] luxury Hammam experience; then I followed this up another day with an excellent hour’s hot oil deep-tissue massage). I’d wanted to try the Signature Kasa Bowl Therapy, but unfortunately wasn’t able to get this longer treatment (75 minutes) booked in during our stay for a time that suited.
As well as all the treatments available (luxuriously appointed single and double treatment suites), there was a superbly appointed gym with yoga studio opposite, a sauna and steam room for any guests to use out with the Hammam experience (bookable) next door, an indoor swimming pool, and a retail outlet cum reception which sold a whole array of spa products, including my new favourite brand, Botanika Marrakech.
Sunrise Yoga
There were yoga classes a couple of times a week, or the hotel could organise private sessions. I joined one of the complimentary sunrise (well, a very respectable 8:30 in the morning time) and Lucy was an incredible teacher. The class, conducted in English, with perfect tuition, only had one other guest alongside myself (not a ‘Mrs.’ TPT thing). I did notice afterwards the large paddle boards by the spa pool, so I’m assuming there might have been (or is) a yoga class on paddle boards. Though I’m sure this is incredibly hard, it’s always something I’ve wanted to try.
Walk the grounds
A former olive grove, the grounds have been sympathetically restored yet with the addition of all the private villas there are still copious gardens and natural areas to explore and enjoy. There were numerous areas in between the villa entrances which had been designed and planted to reflect different types of garden – from grasses to cacti, succulents to rose gardens. ‘Mrs.’ TPT was in heaven.
Take the shuttle bus into the Medina, at least once
It was good to have the Medina experience whilst staying so close to it when we were at L’Hotel Marrakech, but it does come with a lot of hassle (no, we don’t want to go and get even more hassle and fleecing at the Tanneries, thanks). The Oberoi was the perfect blend where you could be whisked into the centre of town in less than 30 minutes by hotel provided shuttle, then brought back later in the afternoon. If it was to be a one-time experience, 4-5 hours there would probably be more than enough for you to take in the main sites, enjoy some shopping, and have lunch. I’d particularly recommend visiting The Secret Garden (Le Secret Jardin) which had two cafés, or indeed Les Jardins Du Lotus are a special place for lunch or dinner.
Use your complimentary daily hour on bikes to cycle around the property.
Although extensive, the grounds were easily experienced on foot (all flat and very clear well-defined pathways), by hotel buggy (on demand, to take you anywhere), or by bikes which you could hire for an hour each day.
Food and Drink at The Oberoi Marrakech
By the point at which we arrived at The Oberoi Marrakech, we’d been in Morocco for well over a week and despite an aborted (and disastrous) attempt at visiting an Italian restaurant whilst in Fez (another story, which you can read about in my Palais AMANI hotel review) we’d pretty much eaten Moroccan inspired food a lot (and other than two trips to the lovely Les Jardins Du Lotus in Marrakech which was very international). We had therefore been looking forward to trying Rivayat at the Oberoi, and it didn’t disappoint in any way – just exceptional, but then so too were all the other dining options as well.
Some of our favourite meals we encountered over the course of our stay at The Oberoi Marrakech were at:
Tamimt
Breakfast was served here each morning (and already included within our stay), as was a lunch and dinner option too. We only had dinner there one evening (excellent, as was everything) and lunch on our final day as an alternative to the poolside Azul restaurant, but what else can I say other than exemplary service, a great food and drink choice, and one heck of an amazing location overlooking the Grand Canal and the extensive grounds, with the appearing and disappearing (Atlas) mountain range to the rear depending on how clear the day was.
Azur
Yet another incredible location by the majestic swimming pool and extensive palm-fringed sun terraces (loved the subtle ‘nod’ to the Oberoi Indian heritage with the one-off Indian colourful parasol and the saffron-yellow pool towels). Like the GM, the Executive Chef always seemed on hand to check if everything was good (it wasn’t ever just good, it was always exceptional) and indeed we met him at numerous meals, at all different times. This all just added to a great experience throughout, in all areas of our stay.
Rivayat
With both a beautiful inside seating area (this was initially a traditional Moroccan restaurant on hotel opening, and recently converted to Indian fine-dining) as well as al fresco dining in the tiled courtyard, this was a dining experience to remember. Not only was the food choice exceptional (great for a vegetarian as you would expect), it was also a magical place to sit and see the transition from day to night through the open to the sky roof. As night began to fall, flaming torches were set off in the central pool, and you would begin to see the exquisite detailing of the fretwork of the alabaster plaster and wood walls come to light (literally) through very careful lighting details.
Vue
A beautiful bar indoors, but the highlight had to be the tables on the terrace outside to take in the majesty of the Grand Canal, the Atlas mountains behind, or to experience the onset of a Moroccan sunset. There was a food bar menu too, albeit we never ate here, the highlight being such a wonderful selection of cocktails and drinks. I was partial (no surprise) to trying the various gin options and gin-based cocktails, even ‘Mrs.’ TPT (aka Mr. Diet Coke) branched out into a mocktail or two.
Private Dinner on the ‘Grand Canal’
The hotel had suggested we have a private dinner in a special location, but after selecting a time for the Saturday night, we didn’t have to contribute to any of the planning of this, other than selecting the option of either a Moroccan or International inspired menu. Beforehand, we sat on the Vue (bar) terrace for a cocktail and could see that a table had been set up in the middle of the Grand Canal, and as it got slightly darker we began to notice what a wonderful set up this was. As you’ll see in the photos, it was a spectacular arrangement with candles, music, the amazing attentive service of Mustapha; not to mention the delicious (and extensive) selection of courses all chosen (for us) to perfection. Absolutely every dietary requirement (and likes/dislikes) had been taken into account, and yet another example where this property exuded attention to details.
There wasn’t one ingredient that we didn’t like, nor find anything of the entire experience which was not magical; after having two starters and a first main course, we had to ask for a hold on the second main course (which would have been duck breast for ‘Mrs’ TPT) for the only reason that we were quite full and enjoyed our meal so much and wanted to leave some space for the dessert that we knew was yet to come. Champagne was free-flowing and it’s another of the Oberoi (Marrakech) experiences that will live with me for a lifetime. Apparently it’s a common location for proposals, with the staff watching from the (distant) balconies with interest to see whether it’s a positive or negative response. No proposal for us this time (that having already happened some years ago), but if you were thinking of popping the question, you wouldn’t need to look any further than here for a proposal of a lifetime.
Highlights of our stay
There were so many highlights of the stay at the but here are just a few of the key points, which I hope you find a useful summary. When you get a property as special as this, it’s hard to distil the experience down to only a few points.
Location – being relatively so near the central Marrakech area and the Medina (and the airport) yet also feeling a lifetime away in this fabulous enclave.
Our arrival experience – being welcomed by the GM himself and being shown to such a magnificent villa.
The Spa – I suspect considering the attention to detail in other areas, that our being located near to the spa wasn’t by accident. As a huge spa fan, and a spa writer for Travel & Spa Magazine, it’s always great when a hotel or resort has an amazing spa, and the Oberoi Marrakech fell right into this category. The staff at the spa couldn’t be more helpful, and it was such a lovely, relaxing environment.
Food and beverage generally. I feel bad for not remembering all the staff names, but the Management in all the restaurants (and bar) were excellent and so attentive. Also, the Executive Chef who we met on several occasions (and when he came out to the Grand Canal location to check all was good with the food selection) all made our trip.
The Grand Canal dining experience: what to say other than WOW! From the preparation and organisation to the presentation and food/champagne, this was a meal to remember. Mustapha, our personal butler for the evening, was so engaging and personable, as well as being super-efficient and exemplary in the experience’s execution.
The buildings and grounds – so expertly created from both an architectural and execution point of view, just stunning in such a natural location surrounded by an olive grove.
Housekeeping – our villa was so beautifully presented on our arrival, with champagne, personal welcome, with various snacks and treats (the Fez hat container was fun); but every day (twice a day actually) it was restored to that same walk-in immaculate condition. I don’t think we’re particularly messy guests, but it was restored to perfection each time regardless.
The attention to detail – from having left my laptop screen open (and it did need a clean) we came back one night to find a personal note from the housekeeping team with a container of screen wipes. Another night, a toothpaste tube being low, we came back to another personal note with a new tube for us.
Being surrounded by the olive trees – and on check in, being advised that the hotel pressed their own olives and that we would be presented with a bottle on leaving. This was kindly brought to our villa the evening before we left (and a large bottle too, which we will definitely use at home) so that this could be packed away in our luggage for the flight home.
A tip from the GM – even if you’re not staying in the main hotel building suites themselves, take the elevator up to the first floor (you’re allowed!) to experience the exquisite handiwork inside the green tiled dome.
The signature hotel fragrance, Hivernage (black) by Botanika Marrakech. Despite having completely lost my sense of smell since Covid, and it only ever partially returning, I could definitely smell this incredible fragrance. During our time in Marrakech shopping, even before we came to the Oberoi, I had already spotted the local fragrance company and bought some diffusers which I love. We had to add to the collection though with the additional Hivernage (hotel) fragrance and the spa team were wonderful at trying to source additional sizes for us.
Having the two donkeys on the property, Sugar and Brownie. They looked so very well looked after, and it was nice to come across them when walking the (spacious and extensive) grounds.
The Library – off the main courtyard, this was yet again another incredible space within the hotel. With a mezzanine level too, there was a wonderful collection of books for you to peruse during your stay.
The gin trolley of Rivayat – any of my regular readers will know I’m a bit of a G&T fan, so this amazing collection of gins on the trolley, with complementary tonics and accoutrements was exceptional.
I really could go on and on here, but I’ll finish with the breakfast buffet and service – sitting on the outside terrace of Tamimt with that spectacular view, not to mention pretty much every type of breakfast food you could want. I loved the fresh honeycomb and other flavoured honeys available each morning – so many delicious flavours to choose from.
Areas for improvement
Wherever we stay, I do always like to look at the positives on any property we stay in, and airlines we fly with etc. but sometimes you can’t help but notice things that (for me, but I realise this is always personal) might have made for a better stay.
Everything was so good here and it’s hard to isolate any negatives, other than wishing we had stayed longer.
The only thing I would say, as it was so inconsistent with all other staff member experiences, was one isolated incident at their incredible Rivayat fine-dining Indian restaurant, in the majestic central tiled courtyard. Having had such a special experience on our first night there, we booked again for our final night (the Saturday we were there it was closed for a group booking). The Manager had been excellent in recommending dishes for us, and when we asked to book again he suggested one of the best (front tables) for the Sunday night. When we got there on Sunday (early, with only a few diners already there and all the front tables empty), our server seated us at the back corner in front of the speakers. Having lost my hearing in one ear (ironically at The Oberoi Mauritius at Christmas, though totally unrelated) it can be a bit overwhelming in loud environments, hence the reason we asked her if we could be moved to the front away from the noise and the speakers directly overhead. She said all the other tables were booked, and we couldn’t be moved. ‘Mrs’ TPT also found the noise a bit overpowering (it was atmospheric being a few tables away, as the other night, but just not directly below with hearing issues). When we asked the male Manager, who (like pretty much every other staff member, was absolutely amazing) if we couldn’t move to any other table, he asked us to pick any, as it was clear no tables were specifically ‘booked’).
Although it didn’t impact our stay at all, as we didn’t really have a need for it; we never did get the contact for WhatsApp - my mobile number was taken at check-in so that we would be connected in this way for any queries, but it never happened. As I say it didn’t detract from the stay in any way, but I do find it’s such a great way to communicate in a hotel.
I didn’t find it too bad, but I was probably expecting the temperature of the (spa) swimming pool to be slightly warmer. ‘Mrs.’ TPT found it very cold with a toe dip and wasn’t going to venture in, but did eventually after a bit of persuasion, though did find it exceptionally cold and had to go outside into the sun to warm up.
Would I stay here again?
Yes, definitely any time. It’s one of the hotel experiences that will live with us for a lifetime – such a perfect location, a wonderful blend of accommodations and service that felt like Oberoi of India yet also so Moroccan (which we loved), and it was very clear that the General Manager had the guest experience absolutely nailed. If I maintained a top 10 list of worldwide destinations from an experiential point of view (which I don’t, yet, other than in my head; the Oberoi Marrakech would be right up there as a contender for the top spot).
The Vue Bar for sunset cocktails with outside terrace
My final thoughts on The Oberoi Marrakech
On booking this hotel, I had highly suspected that it would be an amazing experience of what I knew of the property online (and prior Oberoi experience), and indeed it not only met those high expectations, but way exceeded them. It’s usually, I find, when a GM is omnipresent around a hotel or resort that the service delivered is exceptional, and in this case with Rohan Ogale it was no different. From personally escorting us to our villa and fixing (effortlessly) a slight glitch I’d had with an online advance spa booking, to arranging an ultra special dining experience, the stay was so memorable. You would see him around the hotel at all times of day, interacting with staff and guests alike, and always so knowledgeable about the Oberoi history, local Moroccan and Marrakech customs and highlights; as well as seemingly effortlessly in control of such a large and magnificent property, and also being a delight to engage with. As I said in one of my Instagram stories when there, Mr. Oberoi you have definitely found yourself a star in the Marrakech GM, and what has been created in the Oberoi Marrakech.
Have you stayed at The Oberoi Marrakech or another Oberoi hotel before? I’d love to hear your own thoughts and opinions on it as well as your impression of Marrakech as a holiday destination.
Comment below to share your thoughts and opinions.
Let me know which hotel I should review next!
Villa Stéphanie at Brenners Park Hotel & Spa in Baden-Baden offers an unparalleled luxury wellness retreat, now with exclusive VIP perks when booked through ThePrivateTraveller.com and Fora Travel.