Fawakay Villas

Marrakech, Morocco
Book from GBP Book from £150 per night

Fawakay Villas

Marrakech, Morocco

Private villas for 2-8, with the luxurious benefits of a hotel, set in bucolic gardens just 10km from Marrakech

Private villas for 2-8, with the luxurious benefits of a hotel, set in bucolic gardens just 10km from Marrakech

Fawakay Villas is a lush complex of 3 large sand-coloured houses, 1 garden suite and 3 eco villa suites, all built in unobtrusively modern style. Surrounding them is 3.5 acres of rose-filled gardens, which are patrolled by a mischievous donkey. The setting is about 10km from Marrakech in a remote location next to a small, dusty village - and the complex is a surprise after the where-are-we-headed journey; a lovely tangle of rose gardens, bougainvillaea, vegetable patches and well-tended green space.

The terrifically welcoming English owners - Dawn and Francis - live on site. People tend to mingle with the owners and other guests around the pool, with its loungers and honesty bar. There is an onsite hammam and a small shop stocked with authentic Moroccan keepsakes, but the pièce de resistance is the privacy and amount of space provided for each carefully curated villa. Order delicious local and continental food and it’ll be served whenever and wherever you like - perhaps the rooftop bar with stunning views of the Atlas Mountains, or in the indoor winter dining room during cooler months. A well-thought-out choice for a relaxing yet exotic break.

Highs

  • Wonderfully spacious villas, with dramatic large rooms. Rent a suite or an entire house
  • Kids will love the pool, garden games, and arts & crafts shack
  • The peace of the countryside, yet Marrakech is easily accessible for day trips
  • The choice between privacy or being more sociable - perfect for couples or groups of friends - stipulate your preferences when booking
  • The 3 eco villas are made entirely from recycled materials - we're yet to see them but that gets a big thumbs up from us!

Lows

  • Nigh-on impossible to find in a taxi - make sure you ask for a transfer from the airport, see Rates
  • No local restaurants, should you want a change of scene; you're 15 minutes from the medina
  • Note that the donkey can be very loud early in the morning…
  • We haven't yet seen the new Garden Suite or the Eco Villa Suites for ourselves, but they look fabulous
  • During school holidays there may be a few families visiting, so those seeking a tranquil stay may prefer other times

Best time to go

Fawakay Villas is open all year. The sizzling May to August period will be fun for frolicking by the pool, but the cooler months between November and March will suit those who want to focus on exploring the region.

Our top tips

Be sure to book an airport transfer. We got very lost trying to find this place independently, and our taxi driver only spoke Arabic.

Great for...

Eco
Family
Foodie
  • Boutique Villas + Suites
  • 4 suites (for 2-4), 3 villas (for 2-8)
  • Breakfast (+ other meals on request)
  • All ages welcome
  • Open all year
  • Heated Pool
  • Spa Treatments
  • Beach Nearby
  • Pet Friendly
  • Disabled Access
  • Car not necessary
  • Parking
  • Restaurants Nearby
  • WiFi
  • Air Conditioning
  • Guest Lounge
  • Terrace
  • Garden
  • Gym
  • Daily Maid Service
  • Towels & Bedlinen
  • Cookery lessons
Room: Tented Suite

Rooms

There are 3 villas, set well apart from one another to ensure peace and privacy. All have ground-floor dining and sitting rooms with open wood-burning fireplaces, antique doors, separate pantries with tea and coffee facilities and an honesty drinks fridge, and a private garden with a dining table and plunge pool to cool off in. Villas Laklak and Sannor also have a Berber tent set in the garden, perfect for relaxing in the shade with a glass of mint tea.

Villa Laklak is decorated in dramatic red, black and white, and it can be rented by the floor or in its entirety. There are 2 suites: 1 upstairs with a double bedroom, and a Family Suite downstairs with 1 double and 1 twin bedroom. Both master bedrooms have lavish bathrooms with sunken baths and tadelakt walk-in showers. The Suite (upstairs) has a four-poster bed, a living area and private roof terrace with sunloungers and a shaded seating area.

The larger Villa Sannor also sleeps 6, and its decor is pared-down and contemporary, but cleverly combined with Berber designs. There are 2 spacious ground-floor double bedrooms, which contain large baths framed by handpainted Berber tent posts. Upstairs the master suite, with a grand four-poster bed, adjoins an enormous tadelakt bathroom and gives onto roof terraces.

Largest still is Villa Taos, which sleeps 8 - this is considered the most private option as it is at the end of the garden. With a similar layout to Sannor, it's decorated in rich earthy tones, with more of an African feel. It also has a large, secluded garden. There are 2 ground-floor bedrooms, and 2 first-floor bedrooms - a suite and adjacent twin room. All are ensuite with both a bath and shower on the ground floor, and a shower only on the first floor. There's the option to connect the first-floor bedrooms, with their own separate entrance. If you book it for 6 people, the fourth bedroom will be locked.

The newest additions, which we are yet to see, are the 2-bedroom Garden Suite and the 3 Eco Suites. The former has a living/dining space, a family bathroom, and a semi-private dining terrace outside; the latter are built from upcycled plastic bottles and feature bamboo tented ceilings, bathroom windows made from wine bottles, and floors made from recycled brown paper bags. Each Eco Suite is decorated in stylish warm African tones and sleeps two people - cots can be included on request.

Features include:

  • Bathrobes
  • Hairdryer
  • In-room treatments available
  • Minibar
  • Safe box

Eating

The staff will serve meals wherever you’d like them: in your room, at your dining table, in your summerhouse, on your villa terrace, in the salon or in the dining room by the pool. A snack menu is available all day, including hummus and crudités, curried pea and apple soup, watermelon salad with feta, or sesame and vermicelli salad, plus children’s choices such as pizza, spaghetti bolognese and fruit salad.

A delicious breakfast (included in the rates) typically consists of freshly squeezed orange juice, bread with homemade jams, Moroccan pastries, fresh fruit salad, local eggs and tea or coffee (cafetiere).

In the evening, a set menu is provided that changes each day of the week - it includes vegetarian options. Expect dishes such as white bean salad with orange blossom carrot salad, chicken or fish tagine with rosemary potatoes and vegetables, and to finish, delicious ricotta with honey and sesame or poached pears in cinnamon.

Unfortunately there are no other eateries within easy striking distance should you fancy a change of scene, but it you want to head into Marrakech for the evening, Francis and Dawn can recommend good restaurants there.

Features include:

  • Bar
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner by arrangement
  • Kids' meals
  • Lunch by arrangement
  • Organic produce
  • Vegetarian options
Eating:
Activity:

Activities

  • Laze by the swimming pool or on a cushioned clay lounger, take a dip in your private plunge pool, or have a table-tennis tournament (you can borrow all the kit)
  • Have a hammam or massage in the onsite hammam, or a private cookery lesson with Bouchera, Fawakay Villas’s masterful cook. Occasional Pilates retreats happen too
  • There are 3 18-hole golf courses within 15 minutes' drive of the villas, with golf clubs available for hire at the clubhouses
  • Horse riding or trekking in the Atlas mountains can be arranged
  • Head into Marrakech. Dawn can arrange a cultural tour, or an English-speaking personal shopper to help you navigate the labyrinthine maze of the souks, and help you find exactly what you want, for a reasonable price (an hourly fee, no commissions, so you get the best price). If you'd prefer to be independent, taxis can be arranged at any time; just ask
  • There's a range of day trips on offer: to the Ourika Valley, the charming coastal town of Essaouira, the Barrage Lake, or the Atlas mountains. Drivers usually speak English and picnics can be prepared on request

Activities on site or nearby include:

  • Cooking classes
  • Golf
  • Hiking
  • Historical sites
  • Horse riding
  • Private guided tours
  • Shopping / markets
  • Swimming
  • Table tennis
  • Well being

Kids

Fawakay Villas is a brilliant place to stay with children: it’s a way of visiting Marrakech without being constantly in the thick of the hustle and bustle (they even arrange a treasure hunt in the souks for you), and the pool and table tennis are a great way to entertain and relax. There are plenty of exciting activities on offer such as princess spa treatments from the local henna lady and a dedicated Arts and Crafts shack. Dawn and Francis have 4 children of their own and are exceptionally well set up to cater for families - for example all kids receive Moroccan pyjamas on arrival as a gift.

Best for:

All ages

Family friendly accommodation:

The Family Suite and the Garden Suite are ideal as they have 1 double and 1 twin room, and can accommodate an extra bed and baby cot. We'd plump for one of the villas: the largest sleeps up to 8 people and Villa Taos’ 2 upstairs rooms can be connected to make a family suite as can two rooms in Villa Laklak - useful for parents with small children. Kids can spend the night in the traditional Moroccan tents in the garden if staying in Laklak or Sannor. All the bathrooms have a bathtub

Cots Available, Extra Beds Available

Babysitting:

Babysitting available, see rates. The price increases after midnight

Baby equipment:

  • Cots
  • Baby bedding
  • High chair
  • Potty
  • Baby bath
  • Bottle warming
  • Baby monitors
  • Sterilising equipment available

Remember  baby and child equipment may be limited or need pre-booking

Children's meals:

There's an all-day snack menu; kids can have an early tea and there's a kids menu with the likes of spaghetti bolognese, plus a picnic menu for day trips. Francis can devise mocktails for kids for dinner. Special food requests also catered for

Kids Activities on site:

  • Donkey (amenable to being sat on but not suited for riding lessons), tortoises, peacocks
  • Swimming pools, plunge pools, fountain
  • Football goal
  • Arts and Crafts shack
  • Garden Jenga and checkers
  • Clay modelling
  • Princess mini spa treatments given by the local henna lady
  • Children's DVDs & toys
  • Ping pong and darts
  • Books for all ages
  • Minichef classes for children aged 6+ run by chef Bouchera

Kids Activities nearby:

  • Camel and horse riding (20 minutes)
  • Treasure hunt through the souks - a prize is offered on return
  • Water park (30 minutes)
  • Dune buggy riding and quad biking
  • Day trips to Marrakech Medina
  • Day trekking in the Atlas Mountains

Families Should Know:

The plunge pools and the pools are not fenced or supervised. You are a long way from shops selling nappies, baby food and toys. Parents of younger guests can request specifics to be stocked in your room so you don't incur extra baggage charges if flying with budget airlines into Marrakech

Distances:

  • Airport: 20 minutes
  • Hospital: 30 minutes
  • Shops: 10 minutes walk or 1-2 minutes by car
Kid Friendly:

Location

Fawakay Villas is located around 10km outside Marrakech, off the Ouarzazate road and close to a small village.

By Air:
Fly into Marrakech Menara Airport, which is served by several airlines from Europe; click on the links below for a list.

From the Airport
Fawakay Villas can arrange an airport transfer - see Rates. A taxi will cost the same, and may struggle to find the place so it's definitely worth getting the transfer.

By Car:
If you want to hire a car, see our car rental recommendations. There is parking at the hotel.

Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.

More on getting to Morocco and getting around

Airports:

  • Marrakech Menara 15.0 km RAK

Other:

  • Beach 180.0 km
  • Shops 5.0 km
  • Restaurant 5.0 km

Our guests' ratings...

Based on 2 independent reviews from i-escape guests

9/10
Room
10/10
Food
10/10
Service
10/10
Value
10/10
Overall

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Rates for Fawakay Villas

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