Taking Off

by travel-expert José Berrocoso

AMANJENA

Inspired by the rose-hued buildings of old Marrakech, palatial Amanjena is close to the fabled Red City, set in its own expanse of gardens and grand open spaces. Shaded courtyards with fountains lead to the central bassin that nourishes the gardens in which spacious standalone guest pavilions and maisons rest, all with private gardens and many with private pools. Views stretch across the olive groves and palms of the oasis, extending to the High Atlas Mountains on the horizon.

www.aman.com

Marrakech is known as the Red City, and Amanjena is made from the same clay visible in many other structures throughout the town. It is a stylized interpretation of a traditional Moroccan palace with long passageways, marble fountains filled with rose petals, a large stone courtyard and walled villas laid out the same way that sultans designed their palaces. The one knock on Amanjena: It’s in the middle of nowhere. Amanjena’s exceptionally appointed Pavilions and Maison are cool, elegant dwelling with Berber carpets scattered over zellij-tiled floors and high-ceilings for an opulent feel. Away from the bustle of the fabled red city of Marrakech, the sound of running water in fountains soothes while chaise longues and candle lanterns lend classic Moroccan ambience. Several also offer private heated pools. Epic is the only word to describe Tuttle’s extraordinary design, which is modelled on Ahmed al-Mansour’s now ruined palace, el-Badi (the Incomparable). Enter through a lobby of soaring pink columns, past scalloped marble fountains filled with petals, and out into the central courtyard where a jade bassin (irrigation pool) sits beneath the desert sky. Chiffon curtains float on the breeze while shaded walkways disappear into the distance, drawing you on towards a secluded pool courtyard and down long avenues beside trickling water channels. High-walled villas screen some of Marrakech’s most modest guests. It is surreally beautiful and ethereally quiet, which some will find blissful, while others may find eerie. Savour authentic local dishes at Amanjena’s Moroccan Restaurant. Local musicians provide the soundtrack to dining in the retaurant’s serene courtyard every evening, a candlelit fountain at its heart. Berber culinary traditions and Moorish, Andalusian and Middle Eastern influencers meet on the all-day menu, a kaleidoscope of flavours tre to the melting-pot cuisine of Morocco.

EXPERIENCES

A varied landscape of rugged snow-capped mountains, parched deser dunes and winding coastline, Morocco has some of North Africa’s most diverse geography, all accesible from Amanjera. The ancient city of Marrakech radiates from its 12th-century medina, a red-walled former fortress crisscrossed by narrow lanes. Surrounding the city, the Palmeraie is an unexpectedly lush oasis that in turn gives way to the desert landscape, dotted with villages where little has changed for hundreds of years.

WELNESS

Dedicated to personal wellness, Amanjena’s spa facilites are serene and timeless, designed to calm, soothe and rejuvenate while expert therapists work on restoring optimal wellbeing. Treatments include massages, facial scrubs and wraps, as well as manicures and pedicures. Aman was founded in 1988 with the vision of building a collection of intimate retreats with the unassuming, warm hospitality of a gracious private home. The first, Amanpuri (place of peace) in Phuket, Thailand, introduced the concept and, since then, Aman has grown to encompass 39 exquisitely serene hotels and resorts in 22 destinations across the world. The next Aman to open will be Aman New York (2020). The introduction of Aman Skincare in 2018 continued the holistic journey beyond the perimeters of Aman’s havens. Offering a soothing journey to a place of beautifully scented repose and respite, Aman Skincare represents the spirit of Aman in a bottle. Cementing Aman’s commitment to providing guests with insightful and unique cultural experiences, Atma, launched in 2019, curates one-off events that are inspired by Aman destinations and designed to connect mind, body and spirit.