Amanjena

A palace designed around water

Amanjena was Aman's first resort in Morocco, opened in 2000. It was designed by the architect Ed Tuttle, a long-standing Aman collaborator who died in 2020.

Tuttle drew on El Badi, the 16th-century palace built by Sultan Ahmed al-Mansour and now in ruins. Aman says he reworked its symmetry, volumes and play of light and shade rather than its grandeur. Berber, Arab, Andalusian and French influences meet here: earthen walls, central courtyards, zellige (glazed terracotta mosaic), carved plaster and wood, vaults and arches.

Everything is arranged around a large central basin. Reflecting pools and long channels echo traditional irrigation; pavilions and villas line up on either side. The walls are dusky rose, with touches of terracotta and turquoise.

The estate lies at kilometre 12 on the Ouarzazate road, in an olive grove with palms, looking towards the High Atlas.

Pavilion or pool pavilion

The estate has 40 pavilions and villas.

The choice is mostly about the outdoor space. The Pavilion and Deluxe Pavilion (175 m² including garden) have a private courtyard with a gazebo (the traditional garden kiosk) and day beds; inside are domed ceilings, a sitting room with a wood fire and a day bed. Pool Pavilions (220 m²) add a 25 m² heated private pool; the South version, at the southern end of the estate, gets more sun.

For a family or two couples, the two- and three-bedroom villas range from 360 m² to 1,130 m², with a private host in the largest. Several pavilions connect through the courtyard, so children can sleep next door to their parents.

Golf, tennis and spa

The 27-hole Amelkis course is right next door; Aman describes it as technically demanding. The narrower Royal Golf Marrakech has gardens dating from the 1930s.

The "Golf Break" package, three nights minimum, includes daily green fees at Amelkis or the Royal, one round at Assoufid per stay subject to availability, transfers to the courses and from Marrakech Menara airport, breakfast, afternoon tea and a 60-minute treatment for two. It runs until 24 December 2027, with blackout dates.

On site: two clay tennis courts, with clinics by LUX Tennis Academy, whose coaches have played on the ATP and WTA tours (the men's and women's professional circuits); a Technogym-equipped gym; a mezzanine yoga studio with a fireplace; and a pétanque court.

The spa has two heated hammams and four treatment rooms. The heated outdoor pool is 33 m long, and a separate heated pool is kept for small children. The hammam ritual follows Moroccan custom: black eucalyptus beldi soap, a scrub with a kessa mitt, a rhassoul clay mask from the Atlas, then a cold shower.

Where to eat

The Moroccan Restaurant serves Moroccan cooking in a courtyard at the centre of the estate. Arva, Aman's Italian restaurant, follows the seasons. The Pool Terrace & Olive Grove serves Mediterranean food under the arches, and breakfast can be taken beneath an olive tree. The Bar plays on black, rose pink and a display of nimcha swords. The restaurants are open to non-residents, subject to availability.

Beyond the estate

The Agafay desert is a 40-minute drive from Marrakesh: camel rides, quad or e-bike outings, or a Berber dinner in a tent at sunset, weather permitting. Towards the Atlas, the resort arranges a day out to Kasbah du Toubkal at 1,800 m, by car, on foot or by helicopter. In town, a sidecar tour takes in the medina, Gueliz and the Palmeraie.

Sabaro's view

For whom: honeymooners, golfers, families who want a villa with a pool.

Strengths: pavilions with heated private pools; the Amelkis course at the gate; two Michelin Keys (the Michelin Guide's hotel award) in the 2026 selection.

Good to know: the resort is at kilometre 12 on the Ouarzazate road, so every trip into the medina is by car; pavilions without a pool have a courtyard but no private pool.

Our tip: for a winter stay, a Pool Pavilion South catches the most sun; for a honeymoon, the private pool is worth the step up, since the rest of the estate is shared around the basin.