Marrakesh is one of the most beautiful cities in the world, one that’s been immortalised in countless photos, paintings, and movies. But the magic of the Red City can never be fully captured in photos or even videos.
We first visited Marrakesh in 2018 and fell in love with its ornate riads, luxe hammams, and rambling souks. Yes, it was even better than the pictures. We also discovered some of the most beautiful villas we’d ever seen. Just like the city itself, there is something very special about the villas in Marrakesh.
Over the past few years, the area has experienced something of a property boom. Marrakesh has seen the rise of enormous luxury properties that are purpose built for holidays and for families to come together. That intentionality and those high standards are what make a villa, well, a villa, as opposed to a bare bones vacation rental.
The villas we’ve hand-picked in Marrakesh offer the same level of service as any high end hotel. They also provide the same amount of space and privacy you would expect in our villas anywhere in the rest of the world. And then there are all the fun trimmings…
On our latest visit to Morocco, we made sure to leave plenty of time for fun and adventure: exploring Marrakesh, visiting the surrounding deserts, discovering Essaouira. Most importantly, we were laser focused on our main mission: inspecting the very best villas in the area. To say we were impressed would be an understatement. Let’s dive in…
This super modern villa is a real winner – it felt like an avant-garde oasis amongst the desert. The furnishings, the TVs, and even the light switches and fans are all top of the line. The whole villa is so sleek and modern that you might as well be in Singapore or Milan.
The styling is beautiful: we loved the touches of bright orange and the sunken lounge by the pool is divine. While the villa feels very of the moment, its style and shape pay tribute to Moroccan styling. This fusion of modern design and Moroccan heritage is pretty hard to resist.
We’ve had Villa Jenaman on the books for a while now and it’s been lovely to witness this villa really come into its own. The gardens are very mature and the whole villa is enveloped in greenery from the inside out.
The villa has a riad style layout with a courtyard garden at its centre with wings jutting out on all sides. There’s a nice big pool at the back with a small orchard beyond it – it’s just lovely to explore the garden. This is a very charming and lovely villa – and very well priced, too.
This villa is a 10 out of 10! It’s one of the most magnificent properties we’ve ever seen. The villa is huge in size, and it’s filled with art and antiques that belong in a gallery. This villa definitely has the it factor – it’s where you come to celebrate a 50th birthday, a wedding anniversary, or a special family reunion.
There’s a whole wing dedicated to young travellers, complete with a media room, a kids’ bunk room, and a nanny room. The master bathroom with its circular bathtub is out of this world – and the same goes for the whole villa. Without question, Villa Tifernine is one of the mega villas of the world.
Villa Banati is a very charming and unique property. The villa’s been greatly influenced by classic Islamic designs and patterns. The most amazing feature are the ceilings: one of the bedrooms features a spectacular dome that’s just a marvel to look at. There’s a beautiful dance of shadow and light throughout the property. The patterns created by the rooftop awning are particularly beguiling.
This villa really immerses you in the desert, surrounded by Islamic designs and traditional building materials. It’s very clear that this villa is a passion project; a place the owner has lovingly built for their family.
This sprawling villa is divided into three pavilions. One is a full spa pavilion (complete with a massage room and hammam), one houses bedrooms, and then there is the main house.
This villa’s been furnished with functionality in mind. The pieces are comfortable and some of them have been sourced from La Mamounia – the iconic Marrakesh hotel favoured by Winston Churchill who famously described Marrakesh as “the nicest place on Earth to spend an afternoon.” The property is huge, and we love the mature palm trees that sway in the garden.
This art villa is all about clean lines and modern mid-century design. The rooms are filled with inspiring pieces of contemporary art. The dining room with its Alec Monopoly painting captures the whimsical essence of pop art.
While the villa is very modern, it also pays homage to classic Moroccan design. Again, there’s that juxtaposition between the old and the new. Overall, Villa Belya just feels very fresh and vibrant and has a fun, youthful energy to it.
This is one of our favourites! What makes this villa so special and spectacular is the attention to detail and its overall design. All of the materials are top of the line and there are incredible details throughout, from the brickwork to the framed mirrors and the beautifully patterned floors.
All of the furniture is both incredibly comfortable and gorgeous to look at. The villa has a great energy where everything just fits together seamlessly. This villa just has it; that elusive je ne sais quoi.
From the moment we drove up to this humongous villa we felt like we were entering a palace. The interior offers nice lounges where everyone can hang out together and nooks where you can sneak off with a good book, but what this villa is really about is the gardens. Exploring the grounds, we felt ourselves transported to the French Riviera.
There are multiple seating areas scattered throughout, and a little island graces the main pool. There’s a second pool a bit further on, followed by a large pond, and a whole orchard for guests to explore. You can really see the European influence in this villa – it has that grand feel of classic European resorts.
This is one of our top 10 villas of all time. Actually, it’s more of a palace than a villa. This enormous, nine-bedroom property is built in a u-shape with gigantic wings jutting out to the sides. The owner is an art dealer with the most incredible taste – and it really shows.
Every room and corridor is adorned with the most exquisite art, mostly from North and Sub-Saharan Africa. These exquisite antique pieces date back centuries and many of them are heirlooms from local kings and medicine men. To give an idea of just how special these pieces are, some of them were just returned from the Smithsonian Museum in Washington where they had been on loan. From the gardens to the service, everything about this villa is simply incredible. All we can say is wow.
Each of the villas we inspected in Marrakesh was a standout in its own right. If you’re interested in any of the villas listed here or Marrakesh in general, we’ll be happy to answer any questions you may have. We’re here to help you plan and book your perfect villa holiday in Marrakesh – contact us.
