Page 98 - Travel Leisure - USA (February 2020)

Moroccan designers and artists, like those I The Ultimate more. Soufiane Zarib
admired at Shtatto, reclaiming and updating Marrakesh (soufiane- zarib.com) stocks
their traditions in innovative ways. Too bad I had Shopping Trip eye-popping carpets, while
the nearby Galerie Tindouf
just missed late February’s 1-54 Contemporary (galerie tindouf.com) displays
African Art Fair, which, since its launch in 2013, treasures including antique
has built a reputation as one of the most dynamic Berber jewelry and vintage
textiles. In the city’s industrial
events on the region’s cultural calendar. In
district, you can watch
April, Marrakesh also served as the setting Getting There weavers creating the fabric
for Dior’s Resort 2020 show, a collection that Royal Air Maroc (royalair used to make on-trend
maroc.com) offers the only
included collaborations with African artists. More clothing at Marrakshi Life
direct flight from the U.S.
evidence that it’s not only Instagram—which (marrakshilife.com). Over
to Morocco, from JFK to near the king’s palace, spice
the town’s colors, light, and textures feel overtly Casablanca. While internal
shop Herboristerie Bab
suited to—that can claim credit for the city’s flights are an option, the Agnaou (1 Rue Bab Agnaou;
current resurgence. smart move is to have your 212-5243-91632) lines its
hotel book a driver to whisk shelves with jars of saffron,
you off to Marrakesh by
YOU CAN EXPERIENCE Marrakesh in myriad ways. road. The journey takes rose petals, and orange-
You can also tailor your degree of immersion 2½ hours, and the highway flower water. Tucked away
on a road leading to the Atlas
to suit your tastes, excavating or cocooning to is a dream. Mountains, Popham Design
your precise comfort level. I had arrived two days Where to Stay (popham design.com) makes
earlier with my mother, who lives in London but, tiles that combine Moroccan
Design lovers will adore the technique with a modern,
at the first sight of scruffy camels and strings of Royal Mansour (royal
graphic sensibility. And at
roadside palm trees on our way in from the mansour.com; riads from Nectarome (nectarome.
airport, was instantly transported back to her $1,230), an opulent property com), an apothecary and
near the medina, where
childhood in Alexandria, Egypt. nursery in the Ourika Valley,
guests stay in 53 picture-
Our first home base was the ultimate urban perfect traditional Moroccan locally grown plants are
sanctuary, the Royal Mansour hotel, right in the homes. The hotel puts local made into aromatic soaps,
oils, and creams.
middle of town. Built by King Mohammed VI craftsmanship front and
center; its boutique is also
just a decade ago (he is said to have simply Travel Planner
world-class. For a more
requisitioned a street and covered it with this T+L A-List member Michael
informal take on the riad Diamond is a Morocco spe-
lavish compound), the property was designed experience, stay at El Fenn
cialist who can enlist a
as a showcase for the very best of Moroccan (el-fenn.com; doubles from Marrakesh-based designer to
craftsmanship. Everything here is exquisite, from $255), a 28-room hotel inside lead you on a day of shopping
the medina with colorful,
the onyx floors to the walls of inlaid wood, food and design in the city. hello@
Intagrammable interiors and cobblestone travel; trips from
courtesy of a chef from a Michelin three-starred a must-visit design store on
Parisian restaurant, and Andalusian gardens the ground floor. $475 per person per day.
— MADELINE BILIS
landscaped by the team who recently refurbished
Where to Shop
the Alhambra in Granada, Spain.
Contemporary art and
Instead of conventional guest rooms there
fashion converge at Shtatto
are 53 individual riads, spread over three small (81 Derb Nkhal Rahba
floors with a plunge pool and roof terrace where Lakdima; 212-5243-75538), a
you can request that your meals be served. It took concept store with a 1950s-
style hair salon attached.
a day or two for me to realize what was especially
Duck into Funky Cool Medina
unusual about the place: wandering its grounds, (fb.com/funkycmedina), a
among the trickling fountains and twittering tiny boutique chock-full of
lovebirds in ornamental cages, I realized that shirts, hats, and vintage
they were almost entirely empty of other people. pieces, before continuing to
Palais Saadien (palais
Turns out, the incredibly attentive service is
saadien.com) for a lesson in
administered via a series of underground tunnels, the art of rug buying. Clothing
so you rarely encounter a member of the hotel’s and embroidery atelier
550-strong staff. Al Nour (alnour- textiles.com)
provides work for local
A true cocooner could simply stay, soak in
women with special needs
the hammam, and shop at the Royal Mansour: its and sells pajamas, linens,
boutique features regular designer collaborations, children’s clothes, and

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