Conrad Rabat Arzana

Morocco's first Conrad, facing the ocean

Conrad Rabat Arzana opened in December 2022. It is the first hotel in Morocco from Conrad, the luxury brand of the American group Hilton, named after its founder Conrad Hilton. It stands on the Atlantic coast, north of Harhoura, about fifteen minutes from the Rabat corniche. The Forbes Travel Guide, which inspects hotels anonymously, gives it four stars.

The hotel is made up of several buildings set high on the coast, linked by open-air walkways, with the ocean as the horizon. The grand lobby, dressed in marble, fabrics and artworks, opens onto the pools and the sea. The 120 rooms and suites, all facing the ocean, use cream, pine green, blue and earth tones, with furniture designed for the hotel; they have a balcony and a deep bathtub. They range from the Deluxe room to the 632 m² Royal Suite.

Our tip: the ocean-view Deluxe king rooms are the ones the Forbes Travel Guide recommends, for their outdoor day bed.

A day between pools and tables

The hotel is designed for spending your days in. Two ocean-facing pools, lined with loungers and large umbrellas, are at its centre.

• In the morning, La Brise, an all-day French and Moroccan brasserie, serves Moroccan or international breakfast.
• At midday, L'Oursin, the pool bar and restaurant, offers cocktails and light lunches.
• In the afternoon, Feuillage, the tea lounge next to the lobby, serves Moroccan teas, coffees and pastries, in the garden or indoors.
• In the evening, the choice is between 99 Sushi Bar & Restaurant, a Japanese restaurant brand present in Europe and the Middle East, here in its first Moroccan location; the tajines at La Brise; or a fish and seafood dinner at L'Oursin at sunset. On Sundays, La Brise serves brunch.

The two-floor spa

The spa occupies two levels. It has six treatment rooms, including a suite with its own bathroom, relaxation area and private terrace, a Moroccan hammam, a thermal circuit, a beauty salon, and a terrace with a relaxation pool. Among the treatments, a 90-minute hot-stone massage is given in an ocean-facing suite. The gym is open 24 hours, with personal coaching.

Rabat as a day trip

The Conrad is a seaside hotel: you reach the historic city by car. The Mohammed V mausoleum and the Hassan Tower are about 25 km away. Sabaro recommends booking a car with driver for a day of sightseeing, then coming back to enjoy the hotel in the late afternoon.

Sabaro's view

For whom: couples who want to combine sightseeing in Rabat with quiet days facing the ocean; travellers ending a tour with a few nights of rest.

Strengths: every room faces the Atlantic; four varied places to eat in the hotel; a complete spa; a 4.6/5 rating on Tripadvisor.

Good to know: every outing into town needs a car or taxi; one review notes there is no direct beach access, as the hotel is built high on the coast: if swimming in the sea matters to you, ask the hotel how to get down to it.