This new hotel medi-spa in Morocco has got tongues wagging for all the right reasons — and it’s nearly as big as The White House
Jennifer George checks in to the Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay to check out their new medi-spa and Longevity Programme.
If you’ve visited any of the Royal Mansour properties, you’ll likely have picked up on their unique charm — from the sprawling and spotless oasis of the Marrakech hotel, to the urban, Art Deco design of the Casablanca one. At Tamuda Bay, there are plenty of selling points — a serene and sandy beach from which you can spy superyachts, three fine dining restaurants and intricate tiling (I found myself hypnotised by our bathroom wall) — but it’s the medi-spa that really sets it apart. The first of its kind in Morocco.
While you're there
- Don’t miss out on a swim in the Quiet Pool (above) which sits in a separate building next to the main spa. For some reason, there’s a giant, blimp-esque mother of pearl orb suspended above it, between vast, latticed walls. It’s makes for a magical wallow
- Book in for reflexology with Putu, one of the three Balinese therapists. You will wince and writhe, but feel wonderful afterwards
- Take a tour of the local town of Tetouan which has a maze-like medina that rivals Marrakech’s. Stock up some contraband dates
- Don your sailor stripes and go for a pootle around the bay on one of the hotel’s two Riva boats
- If your nutrition plan is flexible you must try the hotel’s pastries, made in-house
Banish thoughts of a few, white-washed subterranean rooms; this 4,300sq m building (for context, that’s not far off the size of The White House) houses a rabbit warren of treatment rooms, pools, thermal spaces with hammans, saunas, steam rooms and more, fitness spaces, meditation spots and relaxation zones. The decor — in keeping with its surroundings — is intricate and luxurious. Think leaf-shape tiles, towering ceilings and a twinkling light display above the impressive swimming pool. Even the fluffy spa slippers are on theme — elongated to a point in similar style to traditional Moroccan shoes.
As flashy as the interiors are, this is not some show-pony project, but a space in which guests can immerse themselves in the hotel’s exclusive Longevity Programme — a 7-14 day health camp of sorts that focuses on living better longer (rather than weight loss or physical change, though these are common side effects). Combining medical expertise with holistic traditions (including acupuncture, sound healing and osteopathy) and led by a team of doctors including the impressive Dr Benzouina, a Paris-trained dermatologist by trade who is passionate about a 360-degree approach to health, the goal of the programme is to send guests home feeling physically and mentally healthier — and with new habits and knowledge to enable further improvements long after they’ve left.
The concept is based on five pillars — nutrition, sleep, physical activity, metabolic rates and emotional wellbeing — and a series of on-boarding tests, from blood takes to weigh ins, a grueling physical and Ayurvedic stress analysis to give your doctors a clear picture of where things are lacking, need nudging along, or are in dire straits. You’ll have the results in your hand less than 24 hours after you’ve been prodded and questioned, plus a plan which — I promise — isn’t scarily strict because you can opt out of certain things, such as strict meal plans, cryotherapy and acupuncture. This isn’t about hard or fast results — though even on 850 calories a day, I found the food such as cured salmon with shaved fennel, and baked eggs with local spices, delicious — but making a few strides in the right direction with a team of professionals holding your hand.
That doesn’t sound so bad, does it?
Rooms from 7,000MAD (about £560) for two people sharing a Deluxe Suite on a bed and breakfast basis. Visit the Royal Mansour website for more information and to book.
