Hivernage Secret Suites & Garden

We had never been to Marrakech and had no real idea what to expect. Its important in an unfamiliar city to have a good base to stay. We could not have chosen better than this hotel. The staff were absolutely fantastic and the hotel delightful. We had been delayed and arrived 5 hours late at 10.30 pm, tired and a bit grumpy. When we arrived at the hotel we expected the usual half-hearted greeting from a night porter. How wrong we were! Ayoub opened the doorway (it is a secret garden after all) and invited us into a beautiful oasis of greenery and water. His friendliness was such a welcome relief and without any hesitation he suggested that we might need to eat. We were very grateful indeed but thought we might get a sandwich or salad. No such thing. A full menu was presented to us with a range of Morrocan and European dishes available. At this point appeared Nachat, a smiling, friendly hotel employee who appears to do anything and everything the guests require. Nothing is too much trouble. He dashed to the kitchen and within minutes appeared with a delicious meal. Both he and Ayoub were a great help on our arrival and during our stay. The other staff, too (Ab Del and another Ayoub) were equally charming. They did everything they could to make us feel at home. They all gave really helpful advice and tips about what to see, where to go and what to avoid. They all take pride in their work and the hotel owners should regard themselves as very fortunate to have such staff. The hotel itself is lovely. With only six rooms (all beautifully appointed) it has a genuine feeling of exclusivity without the arrogance of other major hotels. Our room was spacious, impeccably clean and had a suntrap balcony. Whilst the hotel does not serve alcohol for those that drink you can buy your own and take a drink in your room. The pool area and garden is a great place to relax. It is 15 minutes walk to both the old and new towns and 15 minutes from the airport. Perfect!

we liked everything