©Cécile Treal Patio El Fenn
Since it opened in 2004, El Fenn, the beautiful, bohemian hotel in Marrakech, has become renowned for its drama and decorative abundance. A riot of colour, El Fenn combines the opulence of a boutique hotel with the heritage of a collection of traditional courtyard houses. Expect photogenic vistas of colonnaded balconies with billowing drapes, sun-dappled patios, lantern-lit trails, a family of resident tortoises and a labyrinth of stunning suites.
©Cécile Treal New Area El Fenn
Facilities, Facts & Figures
In October 2022, El Fenn revealed the final stage of its grand expansion which now sees it span across 13 interconnected riads with 10 new bedrooms. El Fenn now boasts 41 rooms and offers guests a staggering two acres to call their home-from-home. What’s more this latest evolution allows El Fenn to connect with its Annex down the road to bring the entire hotel under one roof.
© Cécile Treal – El Fenn – Colonel House – Large Blue Room
Facilities include three swimming pools, a rooftop restaurant and cocktail bar, a residents-only Colonnade Café, a boutique, a stylish spa and Petanque lawn.
The stunning 1,300 sq metre roof terrace is what really sets El Fenn apart though. With the best views in town, it overlooks a fine Marrakech cityscape including the Koutoubia Mosque and the Atlas Mountains beyond. Home to a heated rooftop lap pool, the rooftop provides the most scenic setting for a delicious breakfast, long languorous meals, or a sunset cocktail among the olive trees and twinkling lanterns.
(c) Cecile Treal – El Fenn
Aesthetics
With its trademark blend of cool and a distinct feeling of home-away-from-home, El Fenn displays one of the finest contemporary art collections in Morocco – guests may find themselves sleeping, dining or relaxing by works from artists such as William Kentridge, Sir Antony Gormley, Batoul S’Himi or Guy Tillim.
Matt Bryans3 © Kasia Gatkowska
El Fenn also boasts a stunning art installation by Moroccan artist Hassan Hajjaj, dubbed the Andy Warhol of Marrakech because of his bright, pop art style. Hajjaj’s striking artwork, designed especially for El Fenn, sits behind the bar of the hotel’s Colonnade Café and is a kaleidoscope of colour featuring recycled food tins in multicoloured pastel tones, alongside a wall of glass bottles inspired by the stained glass used throughout the hotel.
Jane Simpson
El Fenn never stands still for long – paintings, colours, fabrics, furniture and spaces are repositioned, reinvigorated or reinvented. While each of the rooms and suites are one-offs, they all follow the iconic El Fenn formula, featuring bold colours and striking mid-century furniture alongside ancient local traditions, such as hand-carved cedar wood ceilings and tadelakt lime plaster. Expect to be surprised by enormous bath tubs, hand-stitched camel leather floors, outdoor showers and open fireplaces, as well as the artwork and fabrics from the private collections of owners Vanessa Branson and Madeline Weinrib.
Authenticity, Community and Sustainability
(c) Igor Demba
El Fenn is committed to supporting Morocco’s local economy, community and environment. Local artisans have worked on the hotel to hand craft finishes including zellig-tiled colonnades, bright tadelakt lime plaster walls and hand stitched leather floors. Everything within the hotel has been locally sourced from the bed linens and organic bath products to the freshly brewed tea and coffee served on the rooftop for breakfast.
© Cécile Treal – El Fenn – Colonel House
Food & Drink
El Fenn’s menus are largely plant-based and draw on the rich traditions of Moroccan food. Local and seasonal ingredients are used to create classic El Fenn dishes, in addition to a daily-changing vegetarian menu with optional meat and fish dishes. Sample dishes may include cumin, lemon and feta scorched corn, roast sweet potatoes with hot harissa honey, or dukkah crusted rack of lamb served with barkoukech, argan squash and Za’atar jus. Candle-lit in summer, warmed by roaring fires in winter, but always with a backdrop of the beautiful Koutoubia, the rooftop restaurant is a special spot.
The wine list highlights the best of Moroccan wines, and the extensive cocktail list includes El Fenn’s signature Hibiscus Ginger Margarita among other favourites such as the Elderflower Sour and Marrakech Negroni.
©Mitchell van Voorbergen -food-El Fenn
© Kasia Gatkowska-El Fenn
A double room at El Fenn (el-fenn.com Tel 00212 524 44 1210), including breakfast and afternoon tea, costs from €250 per night.
Instagram: @elfennmarrakech
©Cécile Treal, New Area,El Fenn
