Marrakech Palace: The 10 Best Palace Hotels to Book in 2026

A guide for UK and US travellers · Updated October 2026 · About a 17-minute read

A Marrakech palace stay means domed ceilings, walled gardens and service that feels almost royal. This guide compares the 10 best Marrakech palace hotels, from La Mamounia to the Palmeraie hideaways. For each one you get the room count, the distance from Jemaa el-Fna, a price guide and the traveller it suits best, so you can choose quickly. Every fact comes from named sources or the hotels themselves, and prices are marked as “from” rates that change with the season.

What makes a Marrakech palace hotel?

Marrakech has always been a city of palaces. The Bahia and El Badi palaces show how the city’s rulers lived, and today’s grandest hotels borrow that language: carved cedar, painted ceilings, zellige tilework, fountains and large private gardens. When travellers search for a Marrakech palace, they usually want one of three things. The first is the historic grand hotel inside the walls, with a famous name and a garden you can walk through. The second is the resort-style palace on the edge of the city, where a villa with a private pool replaces a standard room. The third is the Palmeraie hideaway, set among palm groves and quiet enough that the only sound at dawn is birdsong. Be aware that not every property below is a palace in the strict historical sense. Some are purpose-built hotels designed in a palatial style, and a few are small boutique estates. We include them because they deliver the palace experience in the ways that matter: space, privacy, craftsmanship and service. Location is the biggest trade-off. Staying near Jemaa el-Fna, the main square, puts the souks within walking distance. Staying in the Palmeraie or near the golf resorts buys silence and space but adds a car journey of roughly 15 to 25 minutes each way. We list the distance for every hotel so you can weigh this up.

Quick comparison: 10 best Marrakech palace hotels

Use this table to shortlist, then read the full profiles below. Distances are to Jemaa el-Fna.

Modern palace resort

1. Park Hyatt Marrakech

Atlas views, a golf course and a family-friendly layout

Park Hyatt Marrakech is the newest name on this list and the first Park Hyatt in Morocco. It opened in 2024 inside the Al Maaden Golf Resort, with the Atlas Mountains as a backdrop. Rather than one large block, the guest rooms are grouped in clusters around courtyards, and each is entered through a private interior courtyard with a water feature. That layout gives the resort a village feel despite its size. The suite count is high. Of the 130 rooms, 69 are suites, and the larger duplex suites are built from connecting rooms, which suits families travelling together. The resort has three outdoor pools, an indoor 20-metre pool and a spa with ten treatment rooms. Kids’ facilities are a real strength, with a children’s club and a family pool. Dining includes Tfaya, a Moroccan brasserie. Breakfast is not always included, and one review source lists it at 350 MAD per person. The trade-off is distance. You are on a golf estate, not in the medina, so every trip into town is a drive of around 15 to 20 minutes. If you want a calm base with modern comfort and the odd day trip to the souks, that is a fair deal.

Description

Contemporary Moroccan resort with courtyard clusters, 3 outdoor pools and a golf course.

Number of rooms

130 rooms, including 69 suites

Location

Al Maaden Golf Resort. About 8.7 km (5.4 mi) from Jemaa el-Fna, a 14 to 20 minute drive.

Price range

Luxury tier. Rates are usually room-only, so check the live price for your dates.

Hotel type

Family, golf, couples

Check Park Hyatt Marrakech rates. Compare dates and room types on our partner site. Check availability

Palmeraie boutique palace

2. Hôtel Les Deux Tours

Charles Boccara’s Andalusian village among the palms

Les Deux Tours began life in 1991 as a small Arab-Andalusian village of six villas, designed by the French architect Charles Boccara. It was turned into a hotel and renovated in 2008. The setting is three hectares of gardens in the Palmeraie, with the High Atlas visible in the distance. It is one of the more characterful palace-style stays in the city because you sleep in separate villa-style buildings, not a corridor of rooms. Room numbers vary by source, from the mid-30s to the mid-40s, so treat it as roughly 41 rooms. They include pool suites, junior suites and a suite with a Jacuzzi. The property takes its eco credentials seriously, and the spa is small, with two treatment rooms, so book ahead. Children of any age are welcome, and the grounds are home to a dog, a donkey, a peacock and a few smaller animals, which families tend to love. Guests mention that the hotel is about 20 minutes from the centre, and that taxis or a shuttle are needed for evenings in the medina.

Description

Villa-style Moorish estate with gardens, a heated pool and a traditional hammam.

Number of rooms

Around 41 (sources range from 35 to 44)

Location

Palmeraie, about 8 km (5 mi) east of the city, a 15 to 20 minute drive

Price range

Upper-mid luxury. Live rates vary by season and room type.

Hotel type

Family, romantic, eco-minded

See today’s price for Les Deux Tours. Rates and offers update daily. Check availability

Villa resort

3. Mandarin Oriental, Marrakech

Private villas with pools on 20 hectares

Mandarin Oriental sits on 20 hectares of gardens and olive groves with views of the Atlas Mountains. Almost everything here is a villa. Accommodation is described as private villas in a Berber-Arabic style, with their own swimming pools and hot tubs, and some suites have a rooftop plunge pool. For travellers who want the privacy of a palace without sharing corridors, this is the format. The spa is the main draw, and it has been described as a world-class resort spa, with a hammam, indoor pool, hot tub and personalised massage sessions. The resort offers several restaurants and bars, bike hire, and is close to golf courses. The airport is about 6 km away, which makes arrival easy. Published room counts differ. Booking platforms list between 54 and 63 units, so check the current figure when you book. The hotel is about a 10-minute drive from Jemaa el-Fna, which is among the shortest drives for a villa resort on this list.

Description

Berber-Arabic villas with private pools, set in olive groves with Atlas views.

Number of rooms

Around 54 to 63 villas and suites, depending on source

Location

Route du Golf Royal. About a 10-minute drive from Jemaa el-Fna; airport about 6 km away.

Price range

Ultra-luxury tier. Check live rates for your dates.

Hotel type

Romantic, wellness, families who want privacy

Find Mandarin Oriental dates and offers. Compare villa types in one place. Check availability

Medina palace-riad

4. La Villa des Orangers

A secret palace behind a carved door

Few hotels capture the idea of a hidden palace as well as La Villa des Orangers. One travel guide describes it as looking like a secret royal palace behind a thick carved door deep in the medina, and it is a five-minute walk from Jemaa el-Fna. It is also a Relais & Châteaux member. Another guide places it just outside the hustle of the medina, which sums up its appeal: you reach the square on foot but return to quiet. Rooms are traditional in style, with arched doorways, hand-carved furniture and ornate tiling. A deluxe room is around 20 square metres, with a queen bed, a freestanding clawfoot tub in many rooms and a Nespresso machine. Terrace rooms look towards the Atlas Mountains, the Koutoubia Mosque and the medina. It is a small property, so book early for high season. This is the best pick on the list for first-time visitors who want to walk to the sights. The compromise is size: rooms are smaller than the villa resorts, and there is less space for children to roam.

Description

Small, ornate palace-style hotel with courtyards, terraces and a Relais & Châteaux pedigree.

Number of rooms

Small boutique hotel (confirm the current count on the booking page)

Location

Medina edge, a 5-minute walk from Jemaa el-Fna

Price range

From about US$374 per night (hotel rate of 3,457 MAD, one listing); other listings show from about US$493 to US$573.

Hotel type

Romantic, city break, first-timers

Check La Villa des Orangers availability. Terrace rooms sell out first. Check availability

Moorish pavilion resort

5. Amanjena

The resort that set the tone for luxury in Marrakech

Amanjena opened in 2000 and is described as the first big international brand to plant a flag in Marrakech. It helped define contemporary resort luxury in the city. The architecture is Moorish, with symmetrical colonnades and large reflecting pools, and one travel writer calls it an idyllic private world where translucent curtains drift in the breeze. The accommodation is villa-style. Rooms are vast, with domed ceilings, and many have private pools and gardens. The reception hall and the pale latticed spa are often photographed. Guests tend to choose Amanjena for calm and privacy, not for walking to the souks. It is on the Route de Ouarzazate, roughly 12 km from the old city, so plan on a car for any outing. It sits at the top of this list on price. One national newspaper guide quotes rooms from £1,258 including breakfast, which puts it well above most competitors here.

Description

Moorish pavilions with domed ceilings, private pools and gardens, reflecting pools and a latticed spa.

Number of rooms

Pavilions and maisons (check the official site for the current total)

Location

Route de Ouarzazate, about 12 km (7.5 mi) from Jemaa el-Fna

Price range

From about £1,258 per night including breakfast (UK press guide)

Hotel type

Romantic, honeymoon, adults seeking seclusion

Compare Amanjena rates. See pavilion and maison options for your dates. Check availability

Arab-Andalusian palace

6. Selman Marrakech

Jacques Garcia interiors and Arabian horses

Selman is a privately owned palace-style hotel at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, built in 2012. The interiors were designed by Jacques Garcia, with rich fabrics, chandeliers and Arab-Andalusian detail. The signature feature is the stables, home to award-winning Arabian horses, and guests can ask the concierge for a private tour. The hotel has 60 keys. Different sources break this down as 50 rooms of 55 to 70 square metres, five suites and five villas, each villa with a private garden, heated pool and butler service. There are three outdoor pools and a children’s club that reviewers describe as caring. The hotel has several bars and restaurants, which matters because there is not much dining within walking distance. It is about 5 km from Jemaa el-Fna, and drive times are quoted at 10 to 18 minutes depending on traffic. That makes it one of the closer resort-style options. The hotel’s own details note a small-pet allowance for dogs under 3 kg.

Description

Palatial Arab-Andalusian hotel with stables, three pools and private villas.

Number of rooms

60 (50 rooms, 5 suites and 5 villas)

Location

Km 5, Route d’Amizmiz. About 5 km (3.1 mi) from Jemaa el-Fna.

Price range

From about US$537 to US$586 per night (Mr & Mrs Smith listings)

Hotel type

Family, couples, horse lovers

Check Selman Marrakech prices. Villas and suites carry different rates. Check availability

Historic grand palace

7. La Mamounia

The legend of Marrakech since 1923

If you only know one Marrakech palace, it is probably La Mamounia. It opened in 1923 inside the ancient city walls, and the gardens date back much further, originally given as a wedding gift to a prince. Winston Churchill was a regular, and the hotel still has a suite and a bar named after him. It also appears in Hitchcock’s film The Man Who Knew Too Much. The scale is generous. There are 135 rooms, 71 suites and three private riads, 209 units in total. The riads are the showpiece, each around 700 square metres with three bedrooms, a private pool and a dedicated butler. The gardens cover roughly eight hectares, and the spa is 2,500 square metres. There are four restaurants, including Le Marocain and L’Italien. Sources vary slightly on garden size and bar count, so use the official site for precise figures. The location is the real prize. Jemaa el-Fna and the Koutoubia Mosque are both about five minutes on foot, yet the gardens feel far from the crowds. Children are welcome, with interconnecting rooms available, so it works for families as well as couples.

Description

Historic Art Deco and Moroccan grand hotel with 8 hectares of gardens, a large spa and four restaurants.

Number of rooms

209 (135 rooms, 71 suites and 3 riads)

Location

Avenue Bab Jdid. A 5-minute walk from Jemaa el-Fna.

Price range

From about €486 per night (Falstaff listing). Suites and riads cost considerably more.

Hotel type

Classic luxury, couples, families, special occasions

Check La Mamounia dates. Garden-view rooms are the most requested. Check availability

Resort palace

8. The Oberoi, Marrakech

Royal suites with private pool terraces

The Oberoi sits a few miles east of the city on the road towards Ouarzazate. Travel guides call it one of the most luxurious places to stay in Marrakech, and it regularly appears in lists of the most photogenic hotels in the city. The signature accommodation is the Royal Suite, which comes with a private pool terrace. Oberoi is known for attentive, quiet service, and a UK newspaper guide quotes rooms from £735 including breakfast and airport transfers, which is a useful inclusion because it removes a cost most resorts charge for. Mr & Mrs Smith lists rates from roughly US$780 to US$940 per night, depending on the date and room. The resort format means you spend most of your time on site, and trips to the medina need a car. It suits travellers who want the palace feeling without any pretence of walking to the souks. Confirm the room and villa count on the official site, as it varies by listing.

Description

Palace-style resort of rooms, suites and villas, some with private pool terraces.

Number of rooms

Rooms, suites and villas (check the official site for the current total)

Location

Route de Ouarzazate, a few miles east of the city. Allow a car transfer to Jemaa el-Fna.

Price range

From about £735 including breakfast and transfers (UK press guide); about US$780 to US$940 on Mr & Mrs Smith

Hotel type

Romantic, honeymoon, couples

Compare The Oberoi rates. Look for breakfast and transfer offers. Check availability

Palmeraie palace

9. Ksar Char-Bagh

A romantic Moorish palace in the palm grove

Ksar Char-Bagh is described by travel guides as a romantic Moorish palace set in the Palmeraie, and as a stunning palace that oozes opulence. The word “char-bagh” refers to a four-part garden, and the grounds follow that idea, with water, shade and symmetry. It is a small hotel, which is the point. With only a limited number of suites and villas, the experience is closer to staying in a private palace than a resort. Writers comparing top-end privacy often name it alongside the three-bedroom riads at La Mamounia, which shows the level of seclusion on offer. It is a good fit for couples who plan to spend days by the pool and evenings at dinner on site. The Palmeraie location means a drive into town. Check the exact distance from your transfer provider when you book, and ask whether airport transfers are included. We could not confirm a current nightly rate from a trustworthy source, so use the live price on the booking link below.

Description

Small Moorish palace with a four-part garden, pools and private suites.

Number of rooms

Small suite-led property (confirm the current count on the booking page)

Location

Palmeraie. Plan on a car journey of around 20 minutes to Jemaa el-Fna.

Price range

Ultra-luxury. Check live rates for your dates.

Hotel type

Romantic, adults, private retreat

Check Ksar Char-Bagh availability. A small hotel, so dates fill early. Check availability

Feng shui palace

10. Palais Namaskar

Balinese gardens, domed palaces and a large spa

Palais Namaskar is probably the most theatrical hotel here. The architecture mixes Moorish and Andalusian detail with feng shui principles and Balinese-style gardens, spread across around five hectares. At night the domes are lit by candles and torches, which is why reviewers call it one of the most photographed hotels in the city. There are 41 units, made up of rooms, suites, villas and palaces. Most have a private pool or plunge pool. The palaces are the headline: the Mountain Palace, Water Palace and Pool Palace can each be booked whole, and one blogger reports that the Mountain Palace starts from €5,600 per night, while rooms start from about €480. A UK magazine lists a deluxe room from US$560. The spa covers 650 square metres, and the dining ranges from French cooking to Thai, plus a rooftop bar. It is about 12.6 km from the city centre, a 25-minute drive, and the hotel offers shuttles on request. Reviewers are clear that this is a destination in itself, and that you should pick another hotel if you want to be in the heart of the medina.

Description

Feng shui palace complex with Balinese gardens, private pools, three palaces and a 650 sq m spa.

Number of rooms

41 (rooms, suites, villas and palaces)

Location

Route de Bab Atlas. About 12.6 km (7.8 mi) and a 25-minute drive from Jemaa el-Fna.

Price range

Rooms from about €480 to €532 per night (varies by source); whole palaces from about €5,600

Hotel type

Wellness, romantic, groups and celebrations

See Palais Namaskar prices. Compare rooms, villas and palaces. Check availability

How to choose your Marrakech palace

With ten strong options, the decision comes down to four questions. Answering them honestly will narrow the list in minutes. How much do you want to walk? If you want to step out and be in the souks within minutes, only La Mamounia and La Villa des Orangers fit, each about five minutes on foot from Jemaa el-Fna. Everything else needs a car, and the drive ranges from roughly 10 minutes at Mandarin Oriental to 25 minutes at Palais Namaskar. Who is travelling? For families, Park Hyatt, Selman, Les Deux Tours and La Mamounia all welcome children, and the first two have children’s clubs. For couples and honeymoons, Amanjena, The Oberoi, Ksar Char-Bagh and Palais Namaskar lean romantic, with private pools and a quiet, adult atmosphere. What is your budget? Based on the figures quoted above, La Villa des Orangers and Selman sit at the lower end of this list, with La Mamounia, The Oberoi and Palais Namaskar in the middle, and Amanjena at the top. Mandarin Oriental, Park Hyatt and Ksar Char-Bagh are luxury or ultra-luxury, but we could not confirm a current rate, so check dates before you plan a budget. Do you want a hotel or a villa? Mandarin Oriental, Amanjena, Selman and Palais Namaskar are built around villas with private pools. La Mamounia and La Villa des Orangers offer a more traditional hotel experience, with shared gardens and public rooms that you can enjoy even if you do not swim.

Booking tips for a Marrakech palace stay

Book for the shoulder seasons. Spring and autumn offer pleasant temperatures for lounging by the pool and walking the medina. Midsummer is very hot, and some travellers book a palace partly for its pool and shade. Ask about transfers. Several hotels outside the walls, such as The Oberoi, have been quoted with airport transfers included in some packages. For others, a private transfer is an extra cost, so compare the total, not just the room rate. Check what breakfast includes. Park Hyatt has been listed with room-only rates and a separate breakfast charge of 350 MAD per person, whereas some packages at other hotels bundle breakfast. This changes the real price by a meaningful amount over a week. Confirm the room count and category. Because published room numbers differ between sources, as with Mandarin Oriental and Les Deux Tours, confirm the exact room type you are booking and ask for photos of that specific villa or suite. Plan the medina days. If you stay outside the city, group your sightseeing into full days: the Bahia Palace, El Badi and the souks in one outing, then return to the pool. It saves repeated transfers and keeps the stay relaxing. Use the comparison tools. Rates for the same room often differ between the hotel’s own site, specialist agents and the booking links on this page, so compare two or three before you commit.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best Marrakech palace for a first visit?

La Mamounia and La Villa des Orangers are the strongest picks, because both are about a five-minute walk from Jemaa el-Fna. You can reach the main sights easily, and still return to a peaceful garden.

Which Marrakech palace is best for families?

Park Hyatt Marrakech and Selman Marrakech both have children’s clubs and large grounds. Les Deux Tours is also popular because children can see the animals living in the gardens, and La Mamounia offers interconnecting rooms.

Which palace is best for a honeymoon?

Amanjena, The Oberoi, Ksar Char-Bagh and Palais Namaskar are all described as romantic, with private pools or secluded gardens. Choose a villa or suite with its own pool for maximum privacy.

How much does a Marrakech palace cost per night?

Quoted “from” rates on this list range from about US$374 at La Villa des Orangers to about £1,258 at Amanjena. Whole palaces and riads at the top end cost far more. Prices change with the season, so always check live rates.

Do I need a car if I stay outside the medina?

You will need a taxi, a private driver or the hotel shuttle. Drive times from the hotels outside the walls to Jemaa el-Fna range from about 10 to 25 minutes.

Are all of these hotels real palaces?

Not all. La Mamounia is a historic grand hotel, Les Deux Tours was built in 1991, and Park Hyatt opened in 2024. We include them because they deliver the palace style: courtyards, gardens, craftsmanship and high-level service.

Final thoughts

The best Marrakech palace is the one that matches how you want to spend your days. Choose La Mamounia or La Villa des Orangers if you want the medina on your doorstep. Choose Mandarin Oriental, Park Hyatt or Selman for resort comfort within a short drive. Choose Amanjena, The Oberoi, Ksar Char-Bagh or Palais Namaskar for seclusion and romance, and Les Deux Tours for a characterful Palmeraie estate. Whichever you pick, compare live rates for your dates and confirm the room type before you pay.