To Kingdom Come

From Marrakech and Tamuda Bay to Casablanca, Royal Mansour reimagines three Moroccan cities through sumptuous properties that evoke purpose with panache.

- By KAREN TEE

Marrakech is a city that hums in shades of ochre. Sunbaked walls in dusky rose and terracotta line the narrow alleyways, creating a warm red-pink backdrop that has earned it the moniker “The Red City”.

You'll encounter locals, tourists, motorcycles, and donkeys carrying baskets of goods as you weave through the medina (historic walled city). The scent of neroli permeates the air from the orange blossom trees that thrive in this semi-desert climate.

Throughout the souks, shopkeepers display their wares like treasures: intricately woven carpets, hand-tooled leather babouche slippers, filigree jewellery, and pyramids of turmeric and saffron, all vying for customer attention and dirhams (although many now also accept credit cards).

Overhead, mashrabiya windows—projecting oriel balconies enclosed in delicately carved wooden lattice—cast patterned shadows that dance across the ground. Arched doors punctuate the high walls, their carved cedar surfaces adorned with ornate brass knockers in the shape of stars or hands that are prominent design motifs in Morocco.

Behind these quiet facades lie Marrakech's iconic riads, inward-facing courtyard homes designed for serenity and the climate. Rooms open onto a central courtyard, often anchored by a fountain or lush garden, where the symmetry of square layouts and the presence of greenery offer a calming (and cooling) antidote to the hustle beyond the walls.

RIAD REFINEMENT IN MARRAKECH