La Sultana Oualidia

La Sultana Oualidia is a serene, lagoon-side boutique retreat and spa offering utter relaxation.

• The seawater stone Jacuzzis on each of the twelve room’s private terraces
• The well-equipped spa with treatments rooms, hammams, a hairdressing salon and fitness room
• The tanks housing live fish and shellfish that are caught each morning for guests to choose from for lunch or dinner

Three-and-a-half hours northwest towards the coast from Marrakech, cliffs dramatically meets sea. Here, located near the first royal beach of Morocco, where Mohammad V’s dilapidated and unfinished royal palace still stands, is a boutique oasis. La Sultana Oualidia sits within the fragile ecosystem of a lagoon next to the Atlantic Ocean, offering a seaside retreat for incredible bird watching, beach activities and relaxing by the pool.

With an emphasis on self-sufficiency and minimal impact on the surrounding environment, the hotel takes advantage of local vegetation and natural materials wherever possible, and implements innovative technology in the kitchen, gardens and ionized infinity edge pool.

Around the property, guests can enjoy boating, fishing, surfing, ATV-riding, cooking classes and hiking. Those looking for cultural escapes can travel to the nearby cities of Safi and El Jedida, a former Portuguese port, both of which are about an hour away. The main emphasis of the property, however, is relaxation and rejuvenation by the indoor and outdoor pools and beach, in the spa and throughout the gardens. The heart of the property is the spa area with its indoor pool and vaulted ceilings, and guests can while away hours in the treatment rooms, aromatherapy area and fitness center.

Each of the twelve rooms and suites offer their own private terraces (with flowering plants and a salt-water Jacuzzi) and modern amenities such as air conditioning and TVs, while retaining the quaint décor of a seaside cottage. Each room is named after traditional Moorish and Middle Eastern boats, and make use of natural elements throughout: light marble floors, oleander branches for the ceilings and traditional Moroccan lime plaster finishes on the walls.

Oualidia is famous in Morocco for its seafood, and the property has its own oyster beds that it farms. Fishermen bring their daily catch of lobsters, crayfish, spider crabs and sea urchins to the property’s underground tanks each morning. Guests may then choose their lunch or dinner to enjoy either in the dining room, on the outdoor beach terrace or on a private beach picnic across the lagoon.

Those who want a peaceful beach experience after a busy itinerary in the cities and mountains, or travelers eager to experience another side of Morocco. Those who are looking for a buzzy atmosphere and seamless service would be happier elsewhere.