Almost a century old, the legendary palace of Marrakech is getting a facelift with a makeover of the establishment’s common areas. At the head of the project, the Jouin Manku studio which joined forces for the occasion with Cassina Custom Interiors. A new magical setting.
More than a palace, it is a true monument. Like the Jemma el-Fna square or the Majorelle Gardens, Mamounia is a tourist attraction in Marrakech. The luckiest have the privilege of staying there. The others do not fail to stop in front of it to contemplate this palace which one would think has come out of the Tales of the Thousand and One Nights. The hotel, opened in the 1920s, is certainly the most beautiful in the Moroccan city. And even the world, if we are to believe the ranking of Conde Nast Traveler US magazine which, in 2018, designated it as “Best hotel in the world” and “Best hotel in Africa”.
Almost a century old, Mamounia continues to attract. Celebrities stop there when they come to Marrakech and it is therefore quite natural that the establishment becomes one of the strategic locations during the city’s traditional international film festival. Constantly reinventing itself is one of its characteristics. The latest facelift was orchestrated by the Jouin Manku studio, the association of designer Patrick Jouin and architect Sanjit Manku. The duo was in charge of renovating the common areas of the hotel. To help them in this task, they were able to count on the support of Cassina Custom Interiors, a company specializing in the design of the most beautiful hotel and catering establishments.
MODERN EAST
Regular guests of the palace will not fail to rediscover what makes up the DNA of the place. The establishment cultivates its oriental charm with arabesques, arches and mosaics. One of the rooms that allows you to see this is certainly the tea room, which has enlisted the services of pastry chef Pierre Hermé, nicknamed the “Picasso of pastry” by the director of Mamounia. A change of scenery is assured with a decoration reminiscent of that of the most beautiful riads in Morocco.
Faced with the claimed oriental aesthetic, we also note a wind of modernity that is, to say the least, original on the part of the Jouin Manku tandem. This remains particularly noticeable with regard to the furniture chosen for the new decoration of the Asian restaurant and the Italian restaurant. On the Asian side, we notice a real mesh of influences, between Moroccan, Japanese and Chinese styles. In terms of materials, smoked oak rubs shoulders with metal while brass goes easily with elegant textiles. As for the Italian trattoria, which replaces the French restaurant, the main idea was communication between the interior and the winter garden, made possible thanks to the large bay windows which offer a breathtaking view of the lush vegetation of the gardens.
UNTIL THE END OF THE NIGHT
The new decoration of the Mamounia extends to other rooms. Once dinner is over, hotel guests can go down to the Wine Library. As its name suggests, wine is king and to get an idea of it, the best thing is to take a seat around the vast four-meter lava stone table, made by Cassina Custom Interiors. Another room, another atmosphere with the Moroccan Bar, located near the gardens. A room with a cozy atmosphere, ideal for ending the evening. The highlight of the place? The exceptional 37 meter bench seat, with a smoked oak structure and equipped with an integrated heating system under the seat.
As a finale, Mamounia 2.0 also offers an invaluable experience with the cinema room. Movie buffs will be in heaven in this place where Cassina Custom Interiors has created modular sofas in leather and blue velvet. Or the way to skillfully bring together luxury and culture. Those who thought they knew everything about Mamounia will not be at the end of their surprises.
source: elle.fr
