Fawakay Villas

Rooms

There are 3 villas, set well apart from one another to ensure peace and privacy. All have ground-floor dining and sitting rooms with open wood-burning fireplaces, antique doors, separate pantries with tea and coffee facilities and an honesty drinks fridge, and a private garden with a dining table and plunge pool to cool off in. Villas Laklak and Sannor also have a Berber tent set in the garden, perfect for relaxing in the shade with a glass of mint tea.

Villa Laklak is decorated in dramatic red, black and white, and it can be rented by the floor or in its entirety. There are 2 suites: 1 upstairs with a double bedroom, and a Family Suite downstairs with 1 double and 1 twin bedroom. Both master bedrooms have lavish bathrooms with sunken baths and tadelakt walk-in showers. The Suite (upstairs) has a four-poster bed, a living area and private roof terrace with sunloungers and a shaded seating area.

The larger Villa Sannor also sleeps 6, and its decor is pared-down and contemporary, but cleverly combined with Berber designs. There are 2 spacious ground-floor double bedrooms, which contain large baths framed by handpainted Berber tent posts. Upstairs the master suite, with a grand four-poster bed, adjoins an enormous tadelakt bathroom and gives onto roof terraces.

Largest still is Villa Taos, which sleeps 8 - this is considered the most private option as it is at the end of the garden. With a similar layout to Sannor, it's decorated in rich earthy tones, with more of an African feel. It also has a large, secluded garden. There are 2 ground-floor bedrooms, and 2 first-floor bedrooms - a suite and adjacent twin room. All are ensuite with both a bath and shower on the ground floor, and a shower only on the first floor. There's the option to connect the first-floor bedrooms, with their own separate entrance. If you book it for 6 people, the fourth bedroom will be locked.

The newest additions, which we are yet to see, are the 2-bedroom Garden Suite and the 3 Eco Suites. The former has a living/dining space, a family bathroom, and a semi-private dining terrace outside; the latter are built from upcycled plastic bottles and feature bamboo tented ceilings, bathroom windows made from wine bottles, and floors made from recycled brown paper bags. Each Eco Suite is decorated in stylish warm African tones and sleeps two people - cots can be included on request.

Features include:

• Bathrobes
• Hairdryer
• In-room treatments available
• Minibar
• Safe box

Eating

The staff will serve meals wherever you’d like them: in your room, at your dining table, in your summerhouse, on your villa terrace, in the salon or in the dining room by the pool. A snack menu is available all day, including hummus and crudités, curried pea and apple soup, watermelon salad with feta, or sesame and vermicelli salad, plus children’s choices such as pizza, spaghetti bolognese and fruit salad.

A delicious breakfast (included in the rates) typically consists of freshly squeezed orange juice, bread with homemade jams, Moroccan pastries, fresh fruit salad, local eggs and tea or coffee (cafetiere).

In the evening, a set menu is provided that changes each day of the week - it includes vegetarian options. Expect dishes such as white bean salad with orange blossom carrot salad, chicken or fish tagine with rosemary potatoes and vegetables, and to finish, delicious ricotta with honey and sesame or poached pears in cinnamon.

Unfortunately there are no other eateries within easy striking distance should you fancy a change of scene, but it you want to head into Marrakech for the evening, Francis and Dawn can recommend good restaurants there.

Features include:

• Bar
• Breakfast
• Dinner by arrangement
• Kids' meals
• Lunch by arrangement
• Organic produce
• Vegetarian options

Activities

• Laze by the swimming pool or on a cushioned clay lounger, take a dip in your private plunge pool, or have a table-tennis tournament (you can borrow all the kit)
  
• Have a hammam or massage in the onsite hammam, or a private cookery lesson with Bouchera, Fawakay Villas’s masterful cook. Occasional Pilates retreats happen too
  
• There are 3 18-hole golf courses within 15 minutes' drive of the villas, with golf clubs available for hire at the clubhouses
  
• Horse riding or trekking in the Atlas mountains can be arranged
  
• Head into Marrakech. Dawn can arrange a cultural tour, or an English-speaking personal shopper to help you navigate the labyrinthine maze of the souks, and help you find exactly what you want, for a reasonable price (an hourly fee, no commissions, so you get the best price). If you'd prefer to be independent, taxis can be arranged at any time; just ask
  
• There's a range of day trips on offer: to the Ourika Valley, the charming coastal town of Essaouira, the Barrage Lake, or the Atlas mountains. Drivers usually speak English and picnics can be prepared on request

Activities on site or nearby include:

• Cooking classes
• Golf
• Hiking
• Historical sites
• Horse riding
• Private guided tours
• Shopping / markets
• Swimming
• Table tennis
• Well being

Kids

Fawakay Villas is a brilliant place to stay with children: it’s a way of visiting Marrakech without being constantly in the thick of the hustle and bustle (they even arrange a treasure hunt in the souks for you), and the pool and table tennis are a great way to entertain and relax. There are plenty of exciting activities on offer such as princess spa treatments from the local henna lady and a dedicated Arts and Crafts shack. Dawn and Francis have 4 children of their own and are exceptionally well set up to cater for families - for example all kids receive Moroccan pyjamas on arrival as a gift.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

The Family Suite and the Garden Suite are ideal as they have 1 double and 1 twin room, and can accommodate an extra bed and baby cot. We'd plump for one of the villas: the largest sleeps up to 8 people and Villa Taos’ 2 upstairs rooms can be connected to make a family suite as can two rooms in Villa Laklak - useful for parents with small children. Kids can spend the night in the traditional Moroccan tents in the garden if staying in Laklak or Sannor. All the bathrooms have a bathtub

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Distances:

• Airport: 20 minutes
• Hospital: 30 minutes
• Shops: 10 minutes walk or 1-2 minutes by car

For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection

Location

Fawakay Villas is located around 10km outside Marrakech, off the Ouarzazate road and close to a small village.

By Air:
Fly into Marrakech Menara Airport, which is served by several airlines from Europe; click on the links below for a list.

From the Airport
Fawakay Villas can arrange an airport transfer - see Rates. A taxi will cost the same, and may struggle to find the place so it's definitely worth getting the transfer.

By Car:
If you want to hire a car, see our car rental recommendations. There is parking at the hotel.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Morocco and getting around