22 November 2011

More and more I look to offer something a little more unusual for my clients who ask me where they can head off to for a short break and some sunshine. They have often already done the usual cities. So when I was asked by Club Med to visit one of their most popular hotels suited to families and a smaller Riad for adults, I jumped at the chance. Marrakech is only three and a half hours away and the costs are fairly reasonable as you can fly on the low cost airlines. The weather is pleasant over the winter and then April to June starts to heat up and July and August is the hottest climate. The property that we were taken to first and where we stayed was The Club Med La Palmeraie, just twenty minutes from the airport. It is situated outside the centre which is fine as it is very easy to get a taxi into the centre which is called the Medina. Club Med La Palmeraie is a large hotel with ground floor accommodation built around gorgeous smelling flowers. The rooms are quite basic but clean and decorated in typical Moroccan style just as you imagine...red, orange and yellow bedspreads and fabulous wooden carvings on the wall. There is a wonderful children’s club here, I was informed by the children staying here that it was really cool! The food is also excellent too. There is a spa onsite, and I would highly recommend a full body massage - 50 minutes of pure relaxing bliss, especially good for aching limbs after a quad biking excursion! Also accessible from here are the Atlas Mountains and the coastal resort of Essaouira, a pretty fishing port with tiny winding streets and colourful houses. There’s plenty to do if you get tired of lounging around in the sunshine! The next day we were taken out to visit the Medina within the city walls. Here are hundreds of people dashing here and there on motorbikes, cars, horse carriages and you are advised to hold hands with whoever you are with - not because it wasn't safe, but just so busy you may lose the person with you. We loved all the souks and bartering with the traders. The Moroccans are lovely people, I found them polite and like everywhere, you have to be firm with them if you choose not to buy and they leave you alone. We visited the smaller hotel called The Club La Medina. You are entitled to use the facilities of this sister hotel, which is served by a regular complimentary shuttle bus and located just a stone’s throw from the souk and main square of Jemaa El Fna, right in the heart of the city. It is a very relaxing property with small bedrooms and a decent size pool, ideal for couples. For groups of young females or males celebrating a hen or stag weekend, they would be surprised at the choice of upmarket night clubs in the centre. Drinks are not cheap, maybe similar to the UK. I enjoyed my stay here and was very taken with the fact that I experienced so much in such a short time. But at the same time you could just take a relaxing break in the sunshine and be there in no time at all.