To many, Marrakech’s La Mamounia is Africa’s most renowned hotel. Sir Winston Churchill spent much of his retirement time here and for decades it was an international “IN crowd” destination. The hotel re-opened in the fall of 2009 after a 3-year total makeover. Here is a first-hand account of our recent inspection.  

The avenue in front of the hotel is now off limits to all traffic, a great thought to cut down on noise and provide a sense of privacy to rooms facing that side, though the security one now needs to pass just to get near the hotel is somewhat daunting. Upon entering, first impressions count and this one is very good: instead of facing a sober desk and concierge, you are now greeted by an impeccably dressed young staff, seemingly fluent in every language you can think of, who whisk you off to the foyer for a cup of mint tea while the “formalities” are taken care of. That foyer, a hallmark of the hotel, has lost none of its grandeur and is worthy of a king’s Moroccan palace. This airy space, large enough to fit an orchestra and audience, has been improved by adding bright screens between each sitting area to add privacy.

On to the rooms: The Mamounia suffered competition over the last dozen years from a number of deluxe small boutique hotels located within the old city, all converted from former palatial residences, with their opulent Moroccan wall and ceiling art. Thus, the Art Deco flourishes installed in the Mamounia’s 1986 remodeling are all gone, replaced by traditional Moroccan woodwork and decor. The rooms have lost nothing in their comfort or elegance, while a bed-side remote gadget allows you to control everything, from raising the window shades, adjusting temperature, to requesting maid or laundry service (just in case you never want to get out of bed!). A window with traditional Moroccan wood fretwork screen has been installed between the bedroom and bathroom, a nice decorative touch that allows natural light into the bathroom, but not so ingenious if you’d rather not be seen by your room-mate while taking a shower! The vast grounds sprinkled with bougainvillea and palms are as splendid as ever, with the outdoor breakfast nook now moved to the far side of the pool, so that clients in the prime pool-view rooms are no longer awakened by the clanging of dishes at 7am! That buffet breakfast is still one of the world’s most extravagant, a true jaw dropper (albeit at a hefty 35 Euro). And the hotel has retained its 3 Blue Ribbon signature restaurants: French, Italian and Moroccan. Overall, the 3-year effort is a great improvement to the look and ambiance of the hotel. If you’re looking to experience a legendary hotel, with its history, its full range of services, its utter comfort, the Mamounia will not disappoint.

Contact us for a tailor-made trip in Morocco…

Felíz año nuevo! Happy New Year!

We’ve carefully checked out two newly opened hotels in Barcelona:  Hotel Mandarin and Hotel Palace Barcelona.

-The Mandarin Oriental in Barcelona has two outstanding features, in addition to its great location on Paseo de Gracia;  the spa is the best in town, especially for honeymoon couples. Their restaurant is run by, Carme Ruscalleda, the only woman chef with a 3* Michelin Restaurant, in total she has 5 Michelin stars for her restaurants in Spain and Tokyo.

-The Palace Barcelona has finally reopened after more than 2 years to restore this bastion of old world European charm and personalized service.  Since their soft opening this Fall, they have been putting the final touches on the last 3 floors before reopening those for guests. They are preparing to reopen their Michelin starred Restaurante Caelis and much more before all is completed by this coming March.

We will be happy to help you decide which hotel is best for you in your visit to Barcelona.

Click here to read past entries in “Latest News”.

It began in 2007 and is expected to end by the end of 2009. The long-awaited refurbishment of the Hotel Palace (formerly Ritz) in Barcelona is almost there. This historic property, in the most central and prestigious part of Barcelona, includes an “optimization” of its architectural infrastructure and soft redecoration of public areas maintaining the beauty and classic nature of the hotel. The Palace also counts on the 1-star Michelin rated Restaurant Caelis, with chef Roman Fornell. Contact Valesa for excellent rates in 2010.

The Palacio de Seteais reopens its doors in March 2009 after complete renovation and updating of its installations while closed in 2008. This fascinating example of Neoclassic residential architecture from the 18thC and all of its furniture from the same era have been completely restored thanks to the work of the Fundacion Ricardo Espirito Santo Silva. Murals, frescos, tapestries, lamps and furniture form part of the collection of almost 2,000 pieces of which 1,122 were completely restored. The Fundacion’s mission is to protect Portuguese decorative arts and to continue using traditional techniques needed to preserve historical objects of national heritage. The Palacio de Seteais was originally the residence of the Dutch consul Daniel Gildmeester. In the 19thC several different illustrious Portuguese families lived here. In 1953 it was turned into a 5* hotel, where many famous personalities have stayed including John Malkovich, Catherine Deneuve, Mel Gibson, Brad pitt, David Bowie and Mick Jagger among others.

One of our favourite historic properties within Spain’s government run chain of hotels, Paradores, is scheduled for a complete renovation. The Parador of Caceres (south-western Spain) will close in September 2009 and is expected to reopen one year later with 7 more rooms (for a total of 40), after a complete renovation that is expected to cost 4.5 million Euros. In addition to its expanded capacity, the Parador of Caceres plan includes covering two patios so they can be used year-round, more handicapped access, new furnishings and heating system improvements using renewable and recycled sources of energy.

Orient-Express: Owners and managers of 51 luxury hotels, restaurants, tourist trains and river cruise properties operating in 25 countries, sold Lisbon’s Lapa Palace hotel to a private Portuguese investor for 41.8 million USD. Orient-Express Hotels‘ President and Chief Executive Officer, Paul White said, “We have previously stated our intention to dispose of non-core assets. Lapa Palace has become one of Europe’s most distinctive hotels but we felt we had developed it and grown our business there as far as we could.” Contact Valesa for access to contract rates at this beautiful spa-hotel.