Palais Hassoun

Museum-Quality Palace Near Marrakesh

Arcaded passages, domes, vaulted hallways and ornamental entries emblematic of the finest riads of nearby Marrakesh create this country palace’s aristocratic allure, along with its manicured grounds, a two-hectare sea of palms, cypress and olives, lush with a lily-filled ornamental pond and anchored by an oversized swimming pool.

The staggering space brims with indigenous ethnographic art, the curated holdings of an international collector who has displayed the works with museum-quality care. Nine art-filled bedroom suites join the dazzlingly appointed common areas (grand salon, TV lounge and library, meeting room and bar, indoor and outdoor dining rooms, as well as spacious sun terraces and rooftop lounges). Each bedroom has a full ensuite marble bathroom (shower and bath) with a dressing room.

The palace’s vast halls and arcaded passages stand as art showcases, each space lined with dozens of works on display—from statues and masks to paintings and textiles. Windows and lighting flood the palace with light, and the art collection is impressively vast, on display in each and every room, offset by classic Moroccan textiles and both antique and contemporary furniture. An in-palace marble hammam and spa are available for treatments on site, and the palace chef hosts cooking classes with a focus on Morocco’s finest offerings.

Around

The palace is located 20 kilometers outside of Marrakesh, Morocco’s busy, bazaar-filled “red city,” along the road leading to Fez. As part of its concierge services on offer, guests can book organized excursions, including visits to Marrakesh to tour monuments such as the Saadian tombs, Bahia Palace and Majorelle Garden, in addition to souks and squares that include the UNESCO World Heritage site Djemma El-Fna Square and the bazaar in the historic Mouassine neighborhood. Museum visits are also available. 

Other visits  include a drive to Essaouira (2.5 hours away), a fortified fishing village-turned-surfers’ town on the Atlantic, protected by high walls enclosing its medina and battlements, where guests can also visit a Berber cooperative selling organic argan oil. 

If nature calls,  visit the monumental Gorge de Iminifri and the Cascades d’Ouzoud, stunning natural outposts located some two hours’ drive from the property. Closer outdoor excursions include camel (or four-wheeler) tours in the ochre sands of the Desert d’Agafay, an atmospheric, arid stretch of land that extends from about 35 kilometers south of Marrakesh all the way to the base of the Atlas Mountains.

Location

Marrakesh, Morocco. Nearest airport: Marrakesh (half an hour)

Best time to visit

April to October