Review: The Pearl Lounge, Marrakech International Airport, Morocco

Posted on April 27, 2022 By World Traveller 73 in Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Icelandair Saga Class & British Airways First Class + Lounges + Priority Pass Lounge + Trip Report

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Our trip departing Morocco allowed us the opportunity to test out The Pearl Lounge in the international departures hall of the Marrakech Menara International Airport. To our surprise, the lounge was a nicely appointed place to relax prior to our flight, that was only marked with some wine that was a little warm to our tastes. Read on to see how our visit experience was…

This post is one chapter on our trip to Iceland, the United Kingdom and Morocco. This trip was redeemed through Alaska Mileage Plan and enhanced through Marriott Bonvoy Elite Status. For more information on how this trip was booked, please see our trip introduction here. For other parts of the trip, please see this index.

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Review: The Pearl Lounge, Marrakech Menara International Airport – Terminal One, Marrakech, Morocco

This review is about the Pearl Lounge in the departures zone of the Marrakech Menara International airport. For a review of the Pearl Arrivals Lounge Marrakech Airport, please see our other review.

I had heard lots of horror stories about the Marrakech airport. Most of my research recommended arriving at least 3 hours in advance of the flight. The issue appeared to be long queues and bureaucratic checks with security prior to departing.

At about three hours before our flight, we departed the Le Meridien N’Fis Marrakech hotel. A taxi was only 70 Moroccan Dirhams and we were dropped off in less than 10 minutes.

Checking into British Airways Club Europe:

We arrived up at the Marrakech Menara International Airport for our British Airways Club Europe Business Class Marrakech – London flight.

The airport itself is a beautifully designed and looking building. We had a departure experience filled with bureaucracy; likely the most that I’ve ever had leaving an airport. It started with an X Ray scan of all bags entering the building.

We went over to check in where we had no waits at the check in for the British Airways flight to “Londres”. At check in, we were given lounge invitations for the Pearl Lounge, and a verbal explanation for the fast track queue to depart the airport.

British Airways Club Europe Business Class Check In

We got rid of all our Moroccan Dirhams and had them changed into Euro’s at a nearby money changer on the public side. The country appears to be exceptionally strict about taking Moroccan Dirham out of the country.

Getting out of the check in hall was another matter. We headed for the newer departure area of the building. We located the Fast Track line, where a guard checked our eligibility. We then proceeded to an inspection station where the only purpose seemed to be on questioning us on how much cash we were carrying with us and taking out of the country.

We then had a security inspection, where our passport and ticket details were manually recorded in a log book by hand. We then proceeded to the exit immigration customs, where I had a friendly chat with the border police who asked a whole host of questions on my employment and career. Leaving the exit immigration area, there was a fifth inspection to ensure that we had received the “exit stamp” just around the corner from the last inspection. We would later have a sixth inspection and questioning of our bags prior to entering the holding lounge for the departure flight. If you happen to have travels through here, make sure you allow lots of time for these assorted inspections; none of them seemed really enjoyable or useful.

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Locating the Pearl Lounge:

We travelled up the escalators to the departure level and were met European styled duty free shopping by Dufry and a whole host of other luxury brands. MrsWT73 picked up on some Moroccan Rose wine as a souvenir for 7 €.

Passing through Dufry Duty Free at Marrakech International Airport

Flights to Almost Everywhere from North Africa

There also happened to be a Starbucks Coffee in the airport, and MrsWT73 was able to collect another Marrakech city mug.

Collecting a Marrakech City Mug at Starbucks

The lounge is located on the departures terminal floor after security and after passport exit controls near the large Dufry Duty Free Zone. It is almost immediately opposite the Starbucks Coffee shop pictured above.

Locating the Pearl Lounge Marrakech Menara Airport

Accessing the Lounge:

We were given vouchers at British Airways check in for the Pearl Lounge. Dependent on your carrier, you may be provided access to this lounge courtesy of the class of your ticket.

The lounge is a member of Priority Pass. If you are a member of Priority Pass, or have access to Priority Pass Select through some premium credit cards including the American Express Platinum Cards.

Our visit today was courtesy of travelling in British Airways Club Europe Business Class .

Inside the Lounge:

The Pearl Lounge was a bright new facility with several sleeping areas. Everything was new and fresh looking. Although there was daylight windows, the windows were covered with wainscoting to keep out the bright sun.

The lounge had colourful seating surfaces. The Pearl Lounge was among the more colourful lounges that I’ve had the opportunity to visit.

The wifi was good and strong throughout the airport and worked well without any issues.

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Food and Beverage:

There was a small food area but the food didn’t look all to appealing to me. The food was presented in small, packaged and delicate portions. This wasn’t a strong suit of this particular lounge.

There was wine by the glass that was available over the counter on request and surprisingly not on display. Like everything else in Morocco, the white wine was warm as well and not super appealing after the first couple of sips. I actually suspect it had heat shock. I stuck with water which was lightly refrigerated.

We headed onwards on our British Airways Club Europe Marrakech – London flight after enjoying the lounge for about an hour.

The Bottom Line: The Pearl Lounge Marrakech:

Ultimately, the Pearl Lounge Marrakech was nicer than the terminal to visit, but I probably won’t expect to much in the way of food and beverage when passing through here. Given the bureaucracy leaving Marrakech, it could be a convenient place to hang out if you happen to find yourself with extra time, thanks to light security checks.

If you’ve visited the Pearl Lounge Marrakech, did you find the furniture brightened up the environment?

Tags: American Express Platinum Card, Priority Pass Lounge, RAK

Review: Le Meridien N’Fis, Marrakech, Morocco

Posted on April 26, 2022 By World Traveller 73 in Hotels + Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Icelandair Saga Class & British Airways First Class + Le Meridien + Trip Report

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Marrakech, Morocco has a tremendous amount of riads and super luxury hotels that compete for indulgence on a world class scale. Sometimes though, you just need a hotel on your way in and out of Marrakech or perhaps something less over the top indulgent. The Le Meridien N’Fis Marrakech comes in perfectly in these circumstances. Read on to see how our experience with this property fared…

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Review: Le Meridien N’Fis, Marrakech, Morocco

“Le Meridien N’Fis is a straight forward city resort hotel that is close to the Marrakech Airport. It offers everything you’d expect from a chain hotel, but none of the charm of staying in a Moroccan Riad”

We had one night in Marrakech, Morocco after our multi day stay at the Erg Chigaga Luxury Desert Tented Camp Mhamid, Morocco. We travelled back to Marrakech with one night to spare prior to departing Morocco for the United Kingdom the next day.

Booking:

I picked the Le Meridien N’Fis Marrakech as it was one of the bargains in the Starwood Preferred Guest portfolio at the time. During our stay, we were able to redeem a night’s stay for 2,000 Starpoints, which is now the equivalent of 6,000 Marriott Bonvoy Rewards. Marriott Bonvoy Award rates now go for about 11,000 Marriott Bonvoy Points per night, which still a pretty good deal for a night in a hotel. If you value Marriott Bonvoy Points at $0.08 cents per point, you’d be better off redeeming a room on points assuming the cash rate is above 872 MAD (Morocco Dirhams), $88 USD or 82€.

By booking direct with Marriott Bonvoy, we were able to also take advantage of Marriott Bonvoy Platinum status, which extended a complimentary breakfast, and a suit upgrade based on availability.

Getting to the Hotel:

The hotel is situated on the west side of Marrakech and the medina. As a result, it was on the right side of town to be closer to the Marrakech Menara International Airport.

The Le Meridien N’Fis Marrakech hotel is located about 3 kilometres away from the Medina and Jemna el Fnaa square; the center of attractions for any visitor to Marrakech. The three kilometers means a six minute car ride or an uncomfortable thirty minute walk through some pretty hot and shadeless walking conditions in a hot climate. This means you’ll likely need a taxi or other local transportation for your sightseeing visits into the walled city.

Checking into the Hotel:

On arrival to the Le Meridien N’Fis Marrakech, we entered through a metal detector and the bags were wheeled in. Similar to many of my other Le Meridien experiences, the property was quite dated and partially refreshed. The check in was handled fairly promptly and there was no wait to get to the counter. On our arrival, the lobby happened to be full of packaged tour guests. At the check in counter, I asked if there were any Platinum Upgrades available and the host indicated that we had been upgraded to an Executive Room.

The Room: An Executive Room

We had our bags wheeled up as we were led to Room #344. Unfortunately, the beautiful upgrade that I had been dreaming of after our tenting experience turned out to be just a Club Level view room on the top Starwood Preferred Guest floor located in the Atlas Building.

The room was in reasonable condition and was likely in first third of it’s life cycle. It was a pretty straight forward and standard room. We were happy that we didn’t spend all our time in Marrakach at this resort when we compared to the Anayela Riad as the Riad was a much nicer experience (and priced accordingly). I wasn’t a super fan of the red 1990’s accent wall, but who’s complaining at these prices?

The room offered a small working desk that was downright tiny after a bag or two was placed on it. The room also featured a small counter underneath the flat screen television.

A Small Flat Screen Television and Counter

Although there were lots of suite upgrades reported here by other elite travellers, the building we were in didn’t appear to have too many suites configured into the layout at only 1 per floor.

Le Meridien N’Fis Atlas Building Floor Plan

There was a tiny and slightly drab bathroom with the usual Le Meridien Malin + Goetz toiletries.

At least the room, despite not being all to grand, had a pleasant view into the palm trees of the property.

A Room with a View: Palm Trees of the Resort

Around the Property:

Outdoor Swimming Pool

The next morning, I ran around and took a look around the property. The hotel had some nice gardens and a pleasant pool area that was completely deserted at all times throughout our stay. Being an older property, it happens to have a lot of real estate attached to it. As a result, it was very spacious for an inner city property.

Food and Beverage:

Le Jasmin Restaurant

On the day of our arrival, we had dinner at the hotel property bar. It was a dated looking bar but it offered a club sandwich which I was craving at the time. By this point, I’d had Moroccan Tagines about three nights in a row. Tagines are great but they tend to be similar tasting after a while. The bar was old, dark and smoky; just what you’d expect from an older African hotel. It was full of French visitors smoking thin cigarettes.

Le Panoramique Restaurant:

We took in a Platinum breakfast the next morning at the Le Panoramique Restaurant. The Le Panoramique restaurant offered the usual indoor and outdoor seating arrangements typically found in a hotel of this size. It wasn’t anything all too exciting to write home about. The breakfast buffet did offer Moroccan Tea, along with the opportunity to try fresh pancakes which were featured all over Morocco. The ability to enjoy a free breakfast courtesy of Marriott Bonvoy elite benefits was another value add for our stay.

We stayed at the hotel prior to departing Morocco on British Airways Club Europe Business Class Marrakech – London the next day.

The Bottom Line: Le Meridien N’Fis

The Le Meridien N’Fis certainly met my expectations for a quick stay. It wasn’t all too exciting, but fit the need for a quick overnight at the airport. The pools looked great, but it was definitely a cheaper place to stay for those that didn’t want to spend a large amount on a luxury resort or a riad that Marrakech was known for. At a discounted redemption rate, I certainly wasn’t complaining. It seems that the same property is now offered for between 11,000 and 12,500 Marriott Bonvoy points, which is still a reasonable value.

If you have stayed at Le Meridien N’Fis, did you redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for outsized value?

Tags: Hotel Review, Marriott Bonvoy, Platinum Breakfast

Activity: Overland Travel from Mhamid to Marrakech, Morocco

Posted on April 25, 2022 By World Traveller 73 in Activity + Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Icelandair Saga Class & British Airways First Class + Morocco + Trip Report

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Travelling by car through Morocco is a unique travel experience. The sheer volume of scenery that can be captured within the boundaries of Morocco is stunning and outstanding. The main challenge is finding time to explore it all in the short travel times you have. We’d drive over five hundred kilometres across the country, taking in large and small towns today.

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Activity: Overland Travel from Mhamid to Marrakech, Morocco

It was departure day today. We slept in a little later today and got away from the camp at 9 AM. We bid good bye to our gracious hosts that took care of us and brought us drinks for the past 2 days.

Travel from Mhamid back to Marrakech, Morocco

Our departure took us on a more direct route involving less highways. The path was three hours through the rough desert, then 6 hours travel through highways. The advantage was the ability to see different scenery on the way back. I wasn’t able to replicate the exact route on Google Maps since its programmed to stick to paved roads. If you can imagine an “as the crow flies” route from Erg Chigaga to Foum Zguid, that was pretty much the start of our route, following the blue path the rest of the way.

Abouyb, our guide, told us stories about his grandfather who used to travel by camel to Timbuktu in Mali to sell spices and salt. Their camel trip was 52 days in duration and they used to meet up with camels sometimes numbering in the 1,000’s as a group convoy. He indicated that the borders between these points were now closed as had finished the spice camel trade as a way of life for some.

The start of our journey took us though several rough sand roads which jostled the truck quite considerably. We passed another car convoy that had stopped where the passengers had gotten sick. Indeed, I started to feel sick after about an hour, even after having taken Gravol. It would set the tone of my overall drive home more than I would ever know at that particular time.

We eventually made it to the salt pan, which was smooth sailing for about an hour. The first part of the drive had great views in the basin.

After passing through the salt pan, the terrain got a bit more rough and off road “light”. We ended up stopping at a water well where we located a nomadic goat herder. The scenery was similar to Arizona south of the United States. How Ayoub found his way around is beyond me. Nothing was posted or signed for about 3 hours of driving…

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Passing through Foum Zguid:

Finally, after 3 hours, we hit the gravel payment and the town of Foum Zguid. We stopped for a drink. I was so ill at this point from motion sickness despite taking the motion sickness pills I needed a few minutes to be still and not shaking or vibrating in a car. There was only warm sprite to settle my stomach, kept and sold in a fridge that had no refrigeration as was often the case throughout Morocco. Oh, the perils of travel!

After about 15 minutes rest, we continued northwards on R111. The scenery continued to be beautiful. We found ourselves in the more rustic backcountry area of Morocco. It seemed that some of the highway infrastructure was over run by flash flooding. There were mud and rock debris on a lot of the routes and small towns that we passed.

Lunch in Tazenakht, Morocco:

Eventually we stopped at the town of Tazenakht. This was the last available lunch stop for another two hours and it was already 1:30 PM. I didn’t at all feel like eating but we ended up stopping at the Hotel Ali Baba for lunch. The hotel had a typically African pool; totally empty. We met up with our other travelling companions from Brazil who arrived shortly after us in separate car. They also indicated that they were quite ill on their journey out. I was able to re-connect wifi and reconnected with the world.

After lunch, We bypassed the offer to visit the carpet store. We weren’t going to buy a carpet and had seen similar demonstrations in Turkey, Egypt and India. We continued onwards through Route 108 and some more rural terrain.

We eventually linked up with the N9 motorway near Ouarzazate and repeated our steps back towards Marrakech on the same route we came in on. I didn’t take many pictures at this point as it was the similar scenery and I was still feeling a bit green.

We were dropped off at the Le Meridien N’Fis Marrakech hotel at around 7 PM. It was ten hours door to door and we were totally exhausted. Towards the end of the journey, the owner / operator checked in with us by phone; something which I appreciated. We thanked Abouyb for our safe passage and he wished us well for our onward journey. I was feeling wretched by this point and I was happy to have arrived. I curled up in the fetal position when I got to the room. It took a good rest of the night for me to calm down from the body turbulence.

The Bottom Line:

The Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp was an interesting experience. We were able to see a lot of Morocco in a very short time. We were able to learn that it is a pretty country that is full of interesting scenery. I personally hadn’t banked on the length of the drive; which was the Achilles heel of this adventure. I think I’m getting to the age where squeezing into a car for that dream overland truck African Cairo to Cape Town trip isn’t going to be as enjoyable an experience as it would have been in my twenties. I’d probably fly or break up the trip from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco in the future. In summary, I was happy to have had the experience, but I probably wouldn’t be going back next year. For global world travellers, the sand dunes at Liwa Oasis 3 hours outside of Abu Dhabi are easier to access on fully paved and straight roads and are much larger than the sand dunes in Morocco.

If you’ve travelled through Morocco, how did you find long distance travel by car?

Tags: Foum Zguid, Marrakech, Ouarzazate, R111, Tazenakht

Review: Erg Chigaga Luxury Desert Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco

Posted on April 24, 2022 By World Traveller 73 in Hotels + Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Icelandair Saga Class & British Airways First Class + Independent + Morocco + Trip Report

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There are a few luxury travel experiences in the world… staying in an overwater villa, travelling in international first class in a long haul flight in a jumbo jet. Adding to this list is experiencing the sand dunes of Africa. There is nothing more interesting than spending time in the desert; the mountains of san, the serenity and the activities all lead to a unique experience that can only be enjoyed in a few corners in the world.

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Review: Erg Chigaga Luxury Desert Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco

The Camp Location:

The travel to the camp took place over one day. For more details on that, see my post on Overland Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco. The camp is located well off the beaten path in the middle of the desert several miles from the Algerian Border.

On arrival, the wind was blowing absolutely everywhere so we huddled in the camp tent with our new found camp mate friends as we settled into the Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp. We came across a couple from Brazil, a couple from Colorado, USA and a couple from the United Kingdom.

The Camp and its Surroundings:

As soon as the storm arrived, it blew away. After about 20 minutes, it was clear again to be outside. We were able to get our first impressions of the camp as visibility was restored.

Sunset in the Dunes:

We were going to go settle into the tent but sunset was calling. We climbed for about 15 minutes up a nearby dune for a sunset in the sand dunes.

The camp was kind enough to have drinks and snacks brought up to the dunes and we had a picnic under the stars as the day faded to black.

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The Room: A Whole Tent!

After sunset, we walked back to the tent under the stars where we got acquainted with our tent for the next two nights.

The tent was indeed a camp style with a portable toilet and bucket shower (of water scooping variety). Truthfully, it was more camp than luxury…. It was a bit dark in the tent, which was powered by generators during most, but not all of the day. While the fittings had all the style of “glamping”, most of the structures appeared portable and the walkways were all carpets and not concrete; meaning that sand tended to get everywhere both inside and out of the tent.

The tent was spacious and large, with enough room to move around in larger than many hotel rooms.

We’ve been lucky enough to have done two past tented camp experiences at the Fairmont Masai Mara in Kenya and at Sossus Dune Lodge in Namibia. Both of those were pretty clean and well maintained. It’s fair to say that although well appointed, our camps wasn’t quite up to that standard. It was a little rougher than our Fairmont Masai Mara experience as the facility was a little more portable than their structures. I am convinced though that this was probably the best that was available for the area. The camp structures are also portable, in that additional units could be created as needed. I ended up fully absorbing the camping experience and didn’t bother to shower or shave for the two days that we were there (the horrors!). Ultimately, I enjoyed the experience where as MrsWT73 was a little less than impressed with the whole sleeping arrangements. She preferred the Fairmont tented camp experience and all the luxury that it entailed.

After sunset, dinner was served communally in a group tent. Dinner was a beef tangine, with vegetables along with fruit for desert. We were pretty happy to have some still time after that long travel day, and slept pretty well at the end of it.

Erg Chigaga Desert Camp Activities:

We slept in as our first activity was not scheduled until 10 AM. We ended up naturally waking up at about 8 AM as the desert heat of the day started warming up the tent.

We had a breakfast of yoghurt, museli and fruit, along with coffee. We were also able to more fully situate ourselves as sunset came pretty quick the day before. The morning light made for some great photographs against the dunes.

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A camel ride into the desert:

Our first activity of the day was a camel ride into the desert. All the activities were included with the lodging fee. The camels that the resort had access to were very pleasant and mild tempered. There was no spitting or irritability on their part; they were very mellow.

We trekked about 45 minutes into the desert along with our Brazilian camp mate friends. I’ve been fortunate enough to ride camels on 4 earlier occasions in Egypt and the United Arab Emirates. Most of these rides have been from opportunistic camel minders at the bottom of the pyramids of Giza. All of these have been for short periods of about 15 minutes; you pretty much get what you pay for after you bargain. When you go for a camel ride that is an hour in length, there is a certain muscle group on your body that gets used that you don’t typically get used. Needless to say, I was walking a little funny for the next forty eight hours. Despite this, there were some nice views of the dunes and the desert.

Although not as tall as the sand dunes at the Qsar Al Sarab, Liwa Oasis, United Arab Emirates, the dunes were still a pleasant sight.

After the camel ride, the camels took a break and fed themselves on some shrubs in the nearby dry river field.

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A Visit to a Desert Oasis:

We hopped in the SUV’s which had been driven up and drove to a nearby oasis that was about 30 minutes drive away, or about 15 kilometers from the camp. The camp was run and occupied by a nomad that had experience in living in the desert. We are definitely off the grid here, there wasn’t much around for miles.

We had lunch there of Moroccan salad (tomatoes, onion) and brochettes of chicken and beef. We spent a lot of the afternoon at the oasis under tents as it was shady and pleasant. MrsWT73 and I had each brought a book with us which helped pass the time with great comfort. It was recommended by our local hosts that we stay at the oasis as it could get very hot at the camp during the day with no immediate shade trees available.

Sunsets and Sand Dune boarding:

At around 4 PM, we left the oasis. We were one hour back in the car to the desert camp. Once back at the camp, we set up in the full sun to relax. MrsWT73 enjoyed the free flow wine that was available to guests.

Another sunset this time, we headed up top the dunes a little bit late as the sun appeared to disappear quickly. We stocked up on a drink and started the long climb up the dunes to the sunset picnic spot.

We settled into the picnic spot for another sundowner as it got dark. It’s hard to beat a view with a set up like that!

I went and tried sand boarding for the first time. It was pretty neat to try and I managed to only crash down once at the first start. MrsWT73 wanted to get some silly pictures with our hosts so I was more than happy to oblige.

With the sun coming down, we walked down the hill using cell phone flashlights and for the rest of the evening, had some time next to a cracking camp fire. The camp was set up with candles and lights all around, making it comfortable to spend time outside before retiring.

The Bottom Line: Erg Chigaga Luxury Desert Tented Camp:

It was a pleasant and interesting day of life in the middle of nowhere. Although the camp was great, it sure took a tremendous amount of time and effort to get there to appreciate those views. For those able to travel, there are similar experiences near paved roads and hotels that are easily accessible near the Liwa Oasis in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. However, it won’t have that historic feel of being near the Berber desert on the spice trail that this region is famous for.

If you have visited a desert camp in Morocco, how did you find the experience overall?

Tags: Hotel Review, Mhamid

Overland Truck Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco

Posted on April 23, 2022 By World Traveller 73 in Activity + Africa + Attraction + Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Icelandair Saga Class & British Airways First Class + Morocco + Trip Report

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At times, the only way to get from one place to another is to take the highway and get there by car. In the case of travel in Morocco, this often means a paved highway nearer the larger cities, and rougher roads more passable by truck in the more rural regions. We would tackle a long and picturesque drive by truck through Morocco allowing a bit of insight into this North African country.

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Activity: Overland Truck Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco

Booking and Planning:

While we were in Morocco, we had about 6 days in the country thanks to the schedule of our trip and award availability. I wasn’t interested in spending all the time in Marrakech so I set out looking for something interesting to do. While we considered visiting Essouria, the Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp outside of Mhamid seemed interesting.

The Erg Chigaga Luxury Tented Camp is located in South East Morocco and is situated approximately 40 minutes drive and 20 kilometres away from the now closed international border of Morocco and Algeria. The Camp offered an “all inclusive” experience where all meals and drinks were provided. The days were filled with daily activities. The activities included sand boarding, camel rides and sunset cocktails on the sand dunes.

Overland Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morroco

The drive today was advertised as being about 9 ½ hours from door to door plus stops over 502 kilometers travelled. It was a super long day and we were pretty exhausted by the time we got into camp. The reality was that the drive was about 11 ½ hours by the time we had gotten door to door. This included getting partially lost in a sand storm on arrival. It’s a fair statement to say that I would have enjoyed this drive more in my twenties than I did in my forties. Despite this, we were able to see a very large amount of Morocco in a way that we wouldn’t have explored had we not done a trip such as this. Of interest, flying on Royal Air Maroc is possible from Casablanca to about 4 hours drive from the camp. This doesn’t help if you are travelling from Marrakech as the flight times with connecting flights to be about 11 hours which is about the same as over land travel.

We were up at 5:40 AM for a 6:20 AM breakfast and our 7 AM collection at The Anayela Riad, A Member of Design Hotels out to Erg Chigaga Luxury Desert Camp. Our driver Ayboud was ready waiting for us at 7 AM in the riad lobby.

Departing Marrakech:

We loaded up a Toyota Land Cruiser Prado and started heading out of town. We stopped in a suburb of Marrakech to briefly meet with owner / operator. The main purpose of the stop was to load up the car with a case of wine and a flat of beer destined for the camp. It seems that the locals are not allowed to carry alcohol in that many quantities (if at all) so the camp has to use the tourist transport in order to so do. The drive leaving Marrakech immediately started to get hilly. We were in the rolling hills among the Berber villages before we knew it.

We arrived to the small town of Oued Tamjdert. We stopped for breakfast at the base of the mountain pass. The driver had a Berber Omelette; eggs baked in a pan with tomato, cumin, onion over bread along with some Moroccan Tea. It was actually quite tasty.

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Climbing Mountain Passes at Oued Tamjdert:

We then drove up through one of the first serious passes on the trip. We stopped at the top for some amazing photos of the road and drive up.

It was an absolutely spectacular view and one of the more twisty roads I’ve had the experience to travel on.

At the top of the pass, we stopped at Col du Tichka. The elevation was 2260m, which was quite substantially high for an African country. Stepping out of the truck, you could feel the difference in temperature with cooler breezes and wind.

The pass itself was pretty amazing. I had no idea that there were this many mountains in Morocco. While I had heard of the Atlas Mountains, I hadn’t seen many pictures or other first hand experiences of the area. Coming down over the interior side of the pass, the terrain was mostly arid and desert like. There were vast areas of emptiness.

We pressed on past Atlas Studios in Ouarzazate as we were keen to get to the camp in daylight. The Atlas Studios is the world’s largest studio by square footage and has been home to many contemporary films such as “Jewel of the Nile”, “The Living Daylights”, “Gladiator”, “The Mummy” and “Game of Thrones” to name a few. We had offers to stop at various places which we took advantage of when the need arose. The topography of the terrain got to be a bit more hilly and arid as we moved closer to the Sahara Desert.

Similar to our road travels in Namibia, there were simply miles and miles of nothing in this country. We would continue on for another hour and a half then stop for a quick photo break to stretch the legs and refresh. At each stop, another view awaited.

We eventually made it to the town of Agdz and the start of the Draa Valley. The Draa Valley is home to over 3 million date palm trees and stretches on for miles between Agdz and Zagora. I later learned that it was approximately 150 km and full of palm trees end to end. We would end up driving the entire length of it. The valley is backed up against a mountain which looks like an extended version of Table Mountain from Cape Town, South Africa.

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Visiting the Draa Valley:

We had a brief stop at the start of the Draa Valley at a viewpoint in Agdz. It’s a start contrast to see all of the date palms after miles and miles of desert. Immediately opposite, there are dry river beds which show how dry things can get here when it’s not raining.

After a quick spin through town (many of them look exactly same), we stopped for a simple lunch on the outskirts of Agdz. Lunch today was chicken brochettes grilled over charcoal along with Moroccan Salad (chopped tomatoes, cumin and onions). The chicken was surprisingly well cooked over charcoal; so much better than the gas barbecue attempts at home.

Before we left lunch, we took an opportunity to look at the palms of the Draa Valley up close. Across from a nearby Kasbah, we wandered across the street from the restaurant where a local guide took us on a short paid walk through the fields.

The Draa Valley fields are surprisingly irrigated and green in comparison to the other areas around. The palm trees are lush with dates which are a major export product for Morocco. Our guide even gave us a climbing demonstration; the things you do for money (laughing).

It was nearing 3 pm at this time and although there were offers from our driver to visit the CheChe scarf factory to have the berber head scarfs fitted, we opted to push through to avoid missing sunset and getting to the camp after dark.

We arrived to the last outpost town of Mhamid, passing several military installations that had since popped up since the Moroccan government officially closed the border with Algeria. It’s now reportedly heavily guarded, with surveillance cameras and fenced in some areas. In second though, a visiting camp next to an International border may not have been the best idea security wise but we didn’t feel any danger or experience any surveillance or security problems at all.

From Mhamid, the pavement ended and it was off road to the camp. I had hoped in first world order that the camp would actually be close to Mhamid for supplies and logistical purposes. It was actually about 90 minutes of off road bashing to get there. The surface was a mixed of gravel, dried sand riverbeds (salt flats) and soft sand that slowed the SUV. It was quite flat at the start of our trek into the desert and it eventually the dunes got a little bit larger. The flat route was frequently used in the past by camel caravans making the trading trek from the Draa Valley to Timbuktu in Mali for the spice trade.

About 75 minutes into our trek, we saw a sand storm approaching on the horizon. I had not been inside a sand storm other than seeing the digitized effects of them in Hollywood movies. The sand essentially just blows and swirls reducing visibility to almost zero. It was the same case here and we could hardly see a few feet in front of our vehicle.

Somehow, we managed to locate the camp, thanks to our driver. How he managed to do this with near zero visibility is beyond me. It must be his Berber roots.

If you have driven by car in Morocco, what stood out to you about driving in that country ?

Tags: Agdz, Col du Tichka, Draa Valley, Mhamid, Ouarzazate, Oued Tamjdert

Lunch at Aman Jenna, Marrakech, Morocco

Posted on April 22, 2022 By World Traveller 73 in Activity + Aman Hotels and Resorts + Attraction + Hotels + Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Icelandair Saga Class & British Airways First Class + Morocco + Trip Report

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It’s pretty unusual to get a wonderful and decadent lunch in the middle of Marrakech Morocco. Today’s excursion was highlighted by a need to see the Aman Jenna Resort, which has been the home to many movies set in exotic locations. We would take a scouting trip to the resort while we enjoyed a terrific lunch.

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Review: Lunch at Aman Jenna, Marrakech, Morocco

Having done all the shopping we’d ever wanted, and having seen the walled city of Marrakech for two days, we ended up taking it easy in the morning. I came to the conclusion on this trip that Marrakech is pretty much a 2 or 3 day destination worth of things to see and visit, if you’re not staying at a resort for sun tanning or other relaxing time.

MrsWT73 wanted to go do a location scout for the scenes filmed in the Hollywood Movie” Sex in the City 2″. Many of the scenes were filmed at the Aman Jenna resort which was slightly out of town. We arranged with The Anayala, a Member of Design Hotels riad to go and get some transport out there and back. The Aman Jenna resort is in the middle of the Marrakech Palmeries area that is in the scrub land for the non landscaped areas out of the resorts.

The Aman Jenna is a super duper place. The staff were pretty much waiting on us where ever you went. The isolation and pools looked to be wonderful and it was a shame we weren’t staying. Having said that, rates can be upward of 600€ a night without taxes so it’s a good thing we visited for lunch.

There are some scenes visible from the general walkways of the hotel, in addition to the scene where Aiden (John Corbett) kisses Carrie (Sarah Jessica Parker) under the “7 arches named after the various Emirates”

The pool scene appears to be renovated and the view towards the Jewel Suite is actually to a non-existent building, or perhaps filmed at some other resort.

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Food and Beverage:

Lunch was a nice affair. While I was disappointed we weren’t staying, I felt a bit better after seeing the prices. I had a smoked salmon and avocado sandwich with cherry tomatoes and a micro greens salad. MrsWT73 had a quinoa salad with mint, cucumbers and tomatoes. We each had a glass of wine. The bill with Aman Prices came to $102 USD for lunch. It was pretty tasty and fresh considering we were in Africa. It’s pictured with the “dumb” phone provided by our Anayela villa to contact our driver.

After lunch, we returned back to the riad and did some packing. We went back to the Café Arabe for dinner where I had a beef tagine with potatoes in their nice courtyard.

The Bottom Line:

Overall, I found Marrakech to be an interesting place. It was a great introduction for those that would be into visiting Africa for the first time. I didn’t find it to be all to authentic of an experience; I’d save that title for wandering the streets of Cairo. Having said that, there is enough there to keep you entertained for a few days. It also appeared reasonably tolerant of western values which a new time visitor to Africa may find appealing.

If you have visited some on location movie sets, what were your impressions when you’ve seen the locations in real life ?

Tags: Aman Jenna, Café Arabe, Marrakech, Marrakech Palmeries, Sex in the City 2, Tangine

Finding the Secret Garden outside the Jemaa El Fnaa Square in Marrakech, Morocco.

Posted on April 21, 2022 By World Traveller 73 in Activity + City Visit + Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Icelandair Saga Class & British Airways First Class + Morocco + Trip Report

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Marrakech is full of surprises and today’s surprise led us to a pleasant walk around the square, followed by an discovery of the Secret Garden “Le Jardin Secret” in the middle of the walled city. The Secret Garden exists in the middle of the Marrakech walled city and is a neat experience just waiting to be discovered.

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City Visit: Finding the Secret Garden Outside the Jemma El Fnaa Square, Marrakech, Morocco.

We had a leisurely wake up this morning at The Anayela Riad, A Member of Design Hotels – Marrakech and took in breakfast. Since this was an actual holiday, we ended up relaxing on the roof top of the riad for the start of the second day and enjoying all the heat that North Africa had to offer.

A walking tour of Marrakech, Morocco:

In the early afternoon, after the heat of the day had passed, we freshened up and headed back into the souq area for some shopping. Walking through the streets again in the daylight, I felt as though I was in an exotic far away land somewhere like Peshawar or Kandahar (laughing). Needless to say, it was a stark contrast from the Selfoss waterfalls of Iceland.

We eventually got towards the market area of the square, where MrsWT73 set out to do some serious souvenir shopping.

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Setting up the Djenmna el Fnaa night market:

After a few hours of shopping, we ended up having a refreshing beverage at Le Grand Balcon du Glacier. By refreshing beverage, I mean a soft drink since there were no alcoholic drinks available. The café was featured in the fifth season of the Amazing Race as the final pit stop. The balcony has a terrific view over the square. We ended up here for about 90 minutes as MrsWT73 had a work issue she had to deal with immediately, which left her on the phone for quite some time. While she was doing that, I was able to watch the square get set up for the evening. The whole spectacle of set up has occurred nightly for hundreds of years.

One of the more entertaining parts of square watching were the snake charmers that were visible from the balcony. MrsWT73 was super happy that she didn’t have to interact on the same level as them, and could watch from a comfortable and safe distance. I sure appreciated the fact that I didn’t have to give them dirams every time I looked their way.

We ended up leaving the Le Grand Balcon du Glacier and we headed over to Le Jardin Secret. We passed by the Argana Café where the 2011 backpack bombing had occurred. There were metal detectors in the lobby and a small army of security guards outside.

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Visiting Le Jardin Secret (The Secret Garden):

Le Jardin Secret or the Secret Garden was previously a residential home that was linked to royalty. The property changed hands over the year and eventually fell into dis-repair when new entrepreneurial money came in and restored it to a garden in 2008. It was among the “newer school” attractions in Marrakech. We ended up stopping by just based on the local area marketing and the fact that we had purchased all the souvenir tangines we would ever need.

There also happened to be some baby turtles on the property that made their homes in the fountains.

It was a nice and peaceful place from the chaos immediately outside the gates.

Happy Hour at Café Arabe:

Through some stroke of luck, we happened across Café Arabe immediately across the street from Le Jardin Secret. It happened to be the only place we’d found inside the walled city that actually served alcohol that was not on a resort or hotel. We wandered over from the Jardin for a pre-dinner cocktail of Moroccan wine for 40 Moroccan Dirhams ($4.20 USD) and some silly photographs.

The place filled up quite considerably during our stay there to the point where all tables were full. Apparently, this is the spot to be! We eventually wandered back to the riad for dinner.

We returned to The Anayela Riad, A Member of Design Hotels – Marrakech without any challenges and were thankful for the map that was provided.

In Summary:

What a great day touring around the Medina at Djenmna el Fnaa in Marrakech. While we took in more attractions today, we certainly felt like we visited the highlights. The private dining at the villa was also a pleasant way to get away from the usual tourist crowds and was a nice way to cap off our stay in Marrakech.

If you’ve visited Marrakech, do you have a favourite attraction within the city’s walls?

Tags: Café Arabe, Djenmna el Fnaa, Le Grand Balcon du Glacier, Le Jardin Secret, Marrakech, Moroccan Wine, Private Dining, Snake Charmers, UNESCO

Walking to Jemaa El -Fnaa Square in Marrakech, Morocco

Posted on April 20, 2022 By World Traveller 73 in Activity + Africa + Attraction + City Visit + Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Icelandair Saga Class & British Airways First Class + Morocco + Trip Report

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The Jemma El – Fnaa Square in Marrakech marks one of the key attractions in Marrakech. The square has been a trading ground for hundreds of years and has consequently, it has been awarded UNESCO World Heritage Site status. We would end up walking through the walled city of Marrakech for our first exploration of this terrific square and a taste of Morocco.

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City Visit: Walking to Jemaa El Fnaa Square in Marrakech, Morocco

A walking tour of Marrakech, Morocco

After we had refreshed at The Anayela Riad, A Member of Design Hotels – Marrakech, and MrsWT73 had taken a small nap thanks to the early wake up and late nights of Spanish entertainment, we headed out for a walk around the old area of Marrakech. The Anayela riad was kind enough to supply us with a map and a Moroccan cell phone with the riad’s and driver’s number pre-programmed into it. Although we never ended up using it, it was a comforting feature to have this available to us in case we needed it.

The streets of Marrakech are similar to Venice, Italy. They are a complete maze of alleys, twists and turns without any logical sense or purpose of direction. As you approached the tourist part of town, lots of kids seemed to take great joy in sending tourists (including us) off in the wrong direction via their uncle’s shop or business, or “you can’t go that direction, the mosque is down there…”. The riad provided map was helpful, although it was a basic version at that. As we set off, we made it about 10 blocks before we got lost. The streets are not easily sign posted and its very easy to get turned around. Thanks to Google (offline) Maps, we were easily able to get to where we needed to be when we used it in conjunction with GPS.

We eventually found our porter on our walk, who apparently ran the local courier company with his collection of donkey mules.

We wandered through the various souqs towards the Djemma el Fnaa square. It was about a 30 minute walk. The area immediately around the riad was quite industrial and blue collar. However, we didn’t have any safety problems; even when walking back after dark. MrsWT73 did wrap her shoulders and wore a very long skirt in consideration of the Islamic Culture. Despite this, the people were also quite tolerant as there were quite a view skimpy dresses by other European travelers which didn’t seem to attract too much outward attention.

Eventually, the streets started getting a little more touristy and market oriented. We had arrived to the Djenmna el Fnaa square at about 4 PM, just as the heat of the day was passing. Temperatures were around the low to mid thirties celcius when we passed through on our visit.

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Visiting Djenmna el Fnaa:

The Djenmna el Fnaa square is the main square and market place in Marrakech. The square has been operating since approximately 1020 and had previously been the location of public executions. The square has a UNESCO Hertitage designation. During the day, there are many commercial juice and souvenir sellers, along with snake charmers. As the day progresses, the vendors change more to food vendors that set up every night for the evening.

We passed through the square. MrsWT73 didn’t care much for the snake charmers that make their home here and gave them a wide berth.

We ended up having dinner at Zeit Um Café; a touristy restaurant. I had a chicken tagine with lemon and olives for dinner, along with a Sprite. Most of the restaurants on the square appeared to be alcohol free; no beers or wine were offered for sale. What the place lacked for in food, it made up for in Djenmna el Fnaa square views. We ended up watching the square come to life for the evening activites.

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The Night Market at Djenmna el Fnaa:

We took in the sunset from here as the square sprung to life. It was pretty special to watch this place get set up for the evening during a tradition that’s lasted for almost a thousand years.

After dinner, we took another walk around the square. The snake charmers seemed to head home for the evening as most of them were gone. Instead, there were several entertainers, and over 100 food stalls that had set up shop. They all had the same sales pitch as you wandered through, similar to the Zanzibar food market where all sorts of street meat was available (including goat’s head here – charming!). Our Moroccan guide later in the trip cautioned us to eat well into the evening if we were dining here at the square; the vendors were known to recycle yesterday’s food as the first sales of the evening.

We made it back to the The Anayela Riad, A Member of Design Hotels – Marrakech riad safely, despite the distance and darkness. Although I was a little creeped out by the neighbourhood on our first day, I got less worried about it over time. It didn’t feel dangerous, just a bit dark and seedy.

If you’ve wandered through Marrakech, did you enjoy the experience of the Jemma El – Fnaa square?

Tags: Djenmna el Fnaa, Minaret, Night Market, UNESCO, Zeit Um Café

Review: Anayela (Riad), A Member of Design Hotels, Marrakech, Morocco

Posted on April 19, 2022 By World Traveller 73 in Design Hotels + Hotels + Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Icelandair Saga Class & British Airways First Class + Morocco + Trip Report

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There is nothing more spectacular in Morocco than staying in a traditional riad guest house. When we searched far and wide, we ended up discovering the Anayela Riad. The Anayela Riad is a Member of Design Hotels which is affiated with the Marriot Bonvoy Hotel group. We would end up staying here three nights, which allowed us to earn elite qualifying nights and Marriott Bonvoy points on our stay. If you’re interested in staying here, make sure you book quickly as the property only has 5 rooms. We had an excellent and authentic stay. Read on to see how we experienced our stay.

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Review: The Anayela (Riad), a Member of Design Hotels, Marrakech, Morocco

“Staying in a Riad is a must when visiting Morocco. The Anayela is a terrific choice with an intimate five room property that is reasonably close to Djemna el Fnaa ”

Booking:

I ended up picking this property as we wanted to have an authentic riad experience while we were in Morocco. A Moroccan Riad is a traditional house with an interior pool or garden. I’d often seen on travel websites that a riad stay is an experience not to be missed so we were keen to give it a try, over a typical conventional resort property. The Anayela is a 5 room property and includes return car transfers in the room rate. It only has 5 rooms so if you have your eyes set on this property, make sure you book quickly.

Arriving to the Anayela:

After arriving off of Iberia Business Class Madrid – Marrakech, we met our driver immediately outside the arrivals area. We transferred our bags to the hotel car which was a Toyota Prado Land Cruiser. After the welcomes, we started off on a 20 minute drive to the Anayela.

The Anayela is located inside the walled city of Marrakech. The walled city of Marrakech is about 19 km surrounding the city of Marrakech. The Anayela Riad is located on north side of the famous Jemaa el-Fnaa square. As a result, we had to drive around the walled city for about 20 minutes in order to get to the riad.

The drive itself was civilized “African”, as we skirted transportation hubs, markets and bus stations on well paved roads amongst reasonably well mannered drivers. Our drive was accented with spotting a lot of colored abbeya’s on our drive in. Our driver commented that Moroccans often had been influenced by Africa, Europe and the Middle East and the values and clothing were consequently quite contemporary.

As we entered the walled city area of Marrakech, the streets got quite narrow and single laned. We ended up parking the truck where, in a first for me, our bags were loaded on to a waiting donkey kart and transported the rest of the way for us. We ended up walking the last 400 meters in towards the hotel on foot.

A First for Me: Loading Up Our Donkey Valet

It was certainly a first for me with the valet services and it certainly brought a great smile to my face.

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Arriving to The Anayela Riad:

We arrived to a completely unmarked and unsigned property. We were given an organic milk and some welcome dates in a small tagine while they processed the check in in a seated area around the pool. We were also fitted up for some slippers that were worn throughout the property.

As with other Design Hotel Properties, there isn’t any official Marriott Bonvoy elite recognition. This means that you are less likely to get a complimentary upgrade or a free elite breakfast.

After the check in formalities, our host, gave us a personal tour of the riad, including the roof top deck.

The Roof Top Included Some Shady Spots to Help Navigate the Heat

The views from the roof top were over the tops of similarly sized buildings. Although I wouldn’t call it an aspirational view, it did have some unique qualities to it that can only be attributed to a traditional riad stay.

The Room: A Suite

After the riad tour, we were then shown to our suite on the second floor, which was very nicely appointed. The Anayela offers one suite in the entire riad complex.

The doors to our suite were intricately decorated and refurbished. It made a great first impression on the arrival to our room.

The suite concept is a bit of a mirage here, it was more of a larger room instead the traditional definition of a room with a detached sitting area. Despite this, the suite does offer more space and we appreciated the extra room.

There is no television in the room, which was actually a welcomed feature. We didn’t miss the television during our stay, as there is so much to do in Marrakech without worrying about what television you’re missing.

The sleeping area was on an elevated platform. Although it was compact, it was comfortable. The walls contained decorative Arabic scripture, which was a neat design feature.

The Suite Walls were Covered with Arabic Scripture

The couch area was small. The coffee table contained some snacks, which was a nice amenity to have in the room.

The bathroom bathing area was large, although the sink area was disproportionately tiny.

Getting to the outside areas immediately outside our room, there was a nice view of the riad courtyard from the terrace from just outside our room.

A View of the Riad Courtyard from the Second Level

Whereas the areas around the courtyard pool were comforting and designed to relax travellers.

Relaxing Zones Overlooking the Riad Pool

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Food and Beverage:

Throughout our stay, the hotel provided breakfast. This a feature of being included with the rate and a city that had mostly European travellers that routinely expect breakfast. It was not included as a result of our hotel tier status with the Marriott Bonvoy program.

Breakfast each day was by the courtyard pool, and contained some pretty tasty granola, croissants, dates, and other local delicacies.

Private Dining at the Anayela Riad:

The riad does offer a dinner service if reserved in advance. The riad was able to put on a special private dinner for us. We booked the day of in advance and a freshly prepared meal for just us two. Dinner tonight was in the riad courtyard as it was a bit windy on the roof top deck.

We had a reasonably nice tasting Moroccan wine to enjoy along with dinner, along with an actual fresh green salad. A green salad after all the African dust and noise was to die for. I really enjoyed it.

The main was chicken tagine with local vegetables, chickpeas, carrots and local spices.

We enjoyed a flan styled dessert. We were stuffed at the end of this one!! Super tasty.

The Anayela Riad at Night:

One of the more unique experiences was returning to the riad at night after a day of sightseeing. The Anayela was decorated in a beautiful lighting that lit the walls and the courtyard pool.

Beautiful Lighting Around the Courtyard at Night

The Anayela riad courtyard is certainly a beautifully lit experience that is a very memorable travel experience

The Bottom Line: The Anayela Riad

In general, it was a very nice and welcoming stay. The property is peaceful and quiet while being set in a really magical surrounding. Notwithstanding the setting, it’s always unique to stay at a property with only five rooms. If you’re interested in getting in here, make sure you book well in advance.

If you have stayed at a riad in Marrakech, did you enjoy the experience?

Tags: Arabic Scripture, Breakfast, Design Hotels, Hotel Review, Riad, Riad Courtyard, Suite

Review: Pearl Arrivals Lounge, Marrakech Menara International Airport, Morocco

Posted on April 18, 2022 By World Traveller 73 in Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Icelandair Saga Class & British Airways First Class + Lounges + Priority Pass Lounge + Trip Report

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A great arrivals lounge can greatly assist in the arrival experience when it comes to arriving in any foreign country. I was a little surprised to see an arrivals lounge arriving to Marrakech Menara International Airport given that it typically isn’t an arrival airport for international overseas flights. We would check out this arrival’s experience on our journey through the airport today.

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Review: Pearl Lounge Arrivals, Marrakech Menara International Terminal One, Marrakech, Morocco

This is a review of the Pearl Arrivals Lounge at Marrakech Menara International Airport Terminal One. For a review of the Pearl Lounge Marrakech Menara International Terminal One departures, please see our other review for the departure experience.

After arriving off our Iberia Business Class Madrid – Marrakech flight, we entered the building and walked towards immigration. There is a strange arrivals lounge available to Priority Pass members called the Pearl Lounge so I thought we could go check it out for interest’s sake.

The Pearl Lounge is the Arrivals Lounge at the Marrakech Menara International Airport. The Pearl Lounge group also operates the primary departure business lounge in the Marrakech International Departures Hall at Marrakech Menara International Terminal One. Chances are that if you are departing Marrakech in a premium cabin, you’ll have access to the Pearl Lounge Marrakech upstairs.

Locating the Pearl Arrivals Lounge:

The Pearl Arrivals Lounge is immediately on the secure side prior to Morocco passport control. It’s located in a spacious no man’s land hallway and if you’re looking out for it, it’s hard to miss it.

The Pearl Arrivals Lounge at Marrakech Menara International Airport

Accessing the Lounge:

We located the reception. Access to the Pearl Lounge today was granted courtesy of a Priority Pass Select membership provided through the American Express Platinum Card. The receptionist couldn’t get the Priority Pass electronic card reader to work, so she just waved us in.

The lounge is also a member of Lounge Key and can also be accessed through select credit card memberships which include premium Mastercard offerings.

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Inside the Pearl Lounge:

As soon as we walked in the door, we discovered that the place was pretty much sewn up tight. I can’t imagine that regional flights from Spain typically qualify as the peak travel period, so there wasn’t too much going on when we happened to pass through the lounge.

The lights were off, there wasn’t any food to be had and the fridge wasn’t even stocked with more than one bottle of water.

I pretty much used the washroom and took the last bottle of water. It was pretty funny. I believe the facility is primarily used with their VIP Arrival Service that offers a meet and greet.

We wold end up transferring over to The Anayela Riad, a Member of Design Hotels so we didn’t need to make any transportation arrangements while we were in the lounge.

In Summary:

In summary, I wouldn’t expect all to much if a visit here in part of your plans. It’s mostly a place to get organized before venturing into the luggage hall at Marrakech International Airport Morocco. Despite this, this review may be of use to some who hope to use this place prior to venturing out into Marrakech, Morocco.

If you have visited the Pearl Arrivals Lounge at Marrakech Menara International Airport, did it enhance your travels?

Tags: Arrivals Lounge, Priority Pass Lounge, RAK

Review: Iberia Business Class A320, Madrid – Marrakech

Posted on April 17, 2022 By World Traveller 73 in Airbus 320 + Airline + Business Class + Iberia + Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Icelandair Saga Class & British Airways First Class + Trip Report

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Iberia is a member of One World Alliance and operates from its hub in Madrid, Spain. Iberia’s hub in Madrid and its proximity to North Africa makes it a great way to redeem frequent flier points in order to get into Africa; without the expensive premiums needed for an Africa award redemption. We redeemed British Airways Avios for a short hop from Spain over to Morocco on Iberia Business Class. How did the flight and service stand up ?

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Review: Iberia Business Class, Airbus 320, Madrid – Marrakech

Booking:

Getting to Africa is always difficult on points and miles. This is because there is usually a substantial point premium for entering the African zone versus the European Zone, making flights to South Africa a much better deal than shorter flights to nearby Morocco. I figured that the best way to do it was to get ourselves as close as possible to the African continent and redeem a short haul flight through British Airways Executive Club Avios. I booked this one way Iberia flight in Business Class for 15,000 Avios and $39.98 CAD ($30.32 USD) per person. There was ample Iberia Business Class availability across most days for two persons when we booked at the 5 month mark before travel.

After leaving the Iberia Premium Velazquez Business Lounge Madrid, we headed through the airport to locate Gate 23. The Madrid Airport is picturesque and interesting with a curvy roof and a design that’s pretty unique as compared to the world’s airports.

Navigating to the Gate in Madrid Barajas Terminal 4S

Iberia
IB – 3440 – Business Class (U)
MAD – RAK (Madrid Barajas – Marrakesh)
Sept 10, 2018
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Booked: Airbus 320
Flown: Airbus 320

Unfortunately, on arrival to Gate 23, it was a full on scrum for the gate. There were three lines that had formed and strangely, no priority signage or other postings for them. We opted for the shorter line and boarding for all priority passengers was announced. On Iberia, this seems to mean every credit card holder, status member and business class all at once.

On Board Iberia Business Class:

We were about the thirtieth person to board the aircraft. The Iberia Business Class configuration on this Airbus 320 is 2 – 2 economy seat with a blocked middle seat. The Iberia Business Class is situated over 5 rows of business class on the left side of the aircraft and 4 rows of business class on the right side of the aircraft.

By the time we got to row 2, all the business class overhead bin space was gone. One of the flight attendants was being pro-active by doing bag valet service by firing the carry on bags backwards to bin space in rearward rows so my carry on Tumi ended up two rows back in row 4.

Iberia Business Class Seating Airbus 320

While some European carriers offer a small table and tray blocking the middle seat, the middle seat on Iberia Business Class was just empty.

I hopped into the surprisingly compact Iberia Business Class seat. As with most European carriers, Iberia Business Class seats are essentially economy seats where they don’t sell the middle seat. There isn’t even a cup holder in the middle seat and there doesn’t appear to be much more leg room distance offered for business class versus economy. In addition to just being an economy seat, these were definitely the tightest European business class seats I’d ever flown. I ended sitting partially sideways like I usually do in economy. Next time on this route, I think I’d probably just do economy class and settle on Priority Pass with a credit card membership for access to the lounge.

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Pre Departure Services:

There was no pre-departure beverage offered, aside from the general cabin announcements.

We had a very quick departure from the gate to the runway. We were airport within about 10 minutes of pushback with no waits for other aircraft. There were a few views of Iberia aircraft, which I don’t get all that much opportunity to see.

Departing Madrid behind an Iberia Airbus 340

Food and Beverage: A Lunch

As we reached cruising altitude, immigration cards for Morocco were passed out. These were followed by distribution of printed menus, which is a classy touch for a short haul international flight.

Iberia Business Class Menu: Madrid – Marrakech

The service of the cabin started from the rear to front. Continuing the theme of the day, the purser seemed exceptionally grumpy and I got the impression that the other staff crew members seemed to be intentionally staying away from her.

Today’s lunch was presented on a tray all at once. Lunch consisted of Toledo style salad with pepper, raisins and pine nuts. The main was grilled chicken breast, apricot and olive rolled up served with a creamy sherry sauce and stir fried thin beans, followed by cheese from Zamoura (most excellent) and raspberry yoghurt.

Chicken Breast, apricot and olive served with creamy sherry sauce and stir fried thin beans

The meal service was just enough time to finish the meal and enjoy a glass of wine. It was just an okay glass of Verdejo wine with no offer of seconds.

Viewing the Straits of Gibraltar:

The best part of the flight was the flyover of the Strait of Gibraltar. I was surprised to see how narrow it was compared to other bodies of water that I had seen. You know the flight isn’t all too exciting when the best part of the flight is staring out the window. There were no TV monitors or other movies playing.

I was Surprised to See how Narrow this Strait Actually Was

Approaching Marrakech Airport:

We had a quick approach into Marrakech and over flew some sand dunes outside of town on our approach. We also passed by the rural areas on the way in. Even the views on the approach showed that we were living the civilized world of order into the world of disorder.

Our First Sight of Sand Dunes in Morocco

There are no gates at the Marrakech Airport so we pulled up on the apron and the doors were opened after the stairs were put up. The guidebooks said that taking photos of airports was “verboten” in Morocco but I snapped a few photos when people weren’t looking. There also seemed to be a lot of tourists taking pictures of the plane while it was on the ramp itself. The Iberia flight was the only one on the apron at this time of the day.

Our Iberia Airbus 320 at Marrakech International Airport

Our priority bags were the last to be put out on the claim belt. This wasn’t a bit deal but it seemed to be another underscoring of the apathetic nature of our experiences on Iberia. We went and changed some money to have Moroccan Dirhams available to us.

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In Summary:

Ultimately, I had great hopes for Iberia as a possible alternative to British Airways for trips around Europe. Unfortunately, it was a pretty bare bones experience traveling with them in business class. Although the food catering was reasonable, as was the Iberia Velazquez Lounge, the whole involvement was a crowded and pushy affair. The staff seemed to be pretty disinterested and disconnected from their jobs. The business class experience was exceptionally compact and not very comfortable. I can’t say that I’d be in any rush to fly with them again.

If you’ve flown Iberia Business Class through Europe, did you find that Business Class offered value above Economy Class?

Tags: BA Avios, IB 3440, Iberia, MAD, RAK

Review: Iberia Velázquez Premium Business Class Lounge, Madrid Barajas Terminal 4S, Madrid, Spain

Posted on April 16, 2022 By World Traveller 73 in Iberia Lounge + Iceland, Spain and Morocco via Icelandair Saga Class & British Airways First Class + Lounges + Trip Report

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Iberia was one of early members of the One World Alliance after the initial group of members. As the second European partner behind British Airways, Iberia operates our of Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport in Madrid, Spain. As a home base for Iberia, it only makes sense to host it’s international flagship international lounge at its home airport. We would get the opportunity to test out this experience on our departure on Iberia Business Class Madrid – Marrakech.

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Review: Iberia Velázquez Premium Business Class Lounge, Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport Terminal 4S, Madrid, Spain

Despite the sound logic of staying the night almost immediately next to a train station at the AC Hotel by Marriott Carleton Madrid, and a direct rail link from Madrid Puerta Atocha to Madrid Barajas Terminal 4, it seemed an obvious choice to take the train to the airport (2.80€ each) instead of a taxi (30€ total). It was probably the worst decision of the day and ultimately the trip. The journey ended up being filled with lots of complications and interruptions.

Getting to Madrid Barajas International Airport:

Even with an area scout reconnaissance the day before, despite being a Monday morning, we arrived to the Madrid Atocha Cerenacis station to discover that the airport trains weren’t running with any posted frequency. The airport trains were not showing on the departure boards as they did yesterday on Sunday. Despite the marked platform, the train displays did not post any airport trips and the ground staff weren’t all that helpful either; “the frequencies will be posted”… Not really convincing!!

We ended up hopping a C10 train to Cerencais; the northern Madrid train station hub. From there, were dumped off on Track 10. We waited for about 20 minutes with some uncertainty along with about 10 others that were looking for an airport train. We had received conflicting information from train staff on where to wait; stay on track ten or head up to the main lobby where all the other departures would be leaving from after tracks were assigned. When the time came to post the assigned train track, there was only 3 minutes warning. This resulted in a mad stampede of 20 of my new best friends over to track 14 via two sets of escalators through throngs of slow moving senior citizens. By the time we arrived to the correct platform, the train was already in the station with groups of crowds around it. It was an all-out sprint for the door where we crowded with standing room only on a split level commuter train. We seriously almost missed it and ended up being all sweaty for no solid reason. If you’re going to take the train, make sure you leave yourself 75 to 90 minutes extra. This is in contrast to our taxi ride in that took us only 30 minutes.

We eventually arrived to Madrid Barjas Terminal 4. It was my first time through one of the great One World alliance airports. Although visiting on a Monday, it seemed to be teeming with passengers. The first options off getting off the Renfe Cerenas train was a bank of 3 elevators or 3 series of travellators up several floors to the departure level. Either way the number of passengers exceeded the available demand of the elevators and queues and crowding were everywhere. For some reason today, traveling felt like lots of effort. It may have been because the decision to take the train took us about 1 hr and 15 minutes to get from door to door.

Checking In to Iberia Business Class:

We located the Iberia Business Class check in desks, again receiving conflicting information about where they were (row 780, versus our usual flight check in assignment of 850-899). We were headed off on Iberia Business Class Madrid – Marrakech today. Once we arrived, there was an army of staff available to assist. Our bags were tagged with priority tags and we headed off for the fast track security screening.

The Flowing Roof Lines at Madrid Barajas

For whatever reason, it seemed that there were a ton of gate crashers at the airport. Whether it was a lack of sign posting, genuine attempts at gaming the system or just being in Spain, it seemed there were many passengers attempting to get access to areas that they weren’t supposed to be. The first instance of this was the argument holding up the fast track line because someone didn’t have the right credit card. I chalk this up to Spanish dis-organization because the mild chaos appeared to be everywhere today.

We eventually cleared security and made it to the secure side. We took the tram to Terminal 4S where the sign advertised that it was just “23 minutes” away. Most of the international “non Shengen” flights depart from another terminal on the secure side of Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport called Terminal 4S. We headed down to another set of escalators down 3 flights of stairs to a stuffed train. We pushed our way to the front, otherwise we would have likely been left behind as we had picked a short lane and were almost the last ones on the train.

Accessing the Lounge:

On arriving to the Madrid Barajas Terminal 4S, we wandered through the duty free to find the Iberia Business Lounge Velazquez. There was a bit of a line to get admitted; at least 7 people deep. We encountered the next argument here by my grandmother who was arguing with the lounge dragon about her inability to access the lounge. It’s not normally a big deal, but it tied up an agent for some time making all us others wait twice as long to get in.

The Entrance to the Iberia Premium Lounge Veláquez

Access to this lounge is per the class of service (business class) on an Iberia ticket. The lounge is open to all premium One World passengers, including all passengers traveling in One World first & business class, as well as all One World Sapphire & Emerald members with a same day departing boarding pass on a One World airline.

Not Exactly the Most Pleasant and relaxing way to arrive to a lounge.

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Inside the Iberia Velazquez Business Lounge:

“The Iberia Velazquez Premium Lounge at Madrid Barajas Terminal 4S is an impressive space that can experience some crowding. A wine bar compliments the space with interesting Spanish wines”

Once we finally got inside, the Iberia Lounge is an impressive space. It’s rectangular in formation and has the benefit of having full length windows at each end. At the time of our visit, there were a lot of long haul flights departing for the Americas. As a result, there weren’t many places to sit. Like most of our Madrid Barajas experience, the place was crowded and packed.

Lounge Seating in the Iberia Veláquez Lounge

Iberia Velazquez Lounge Wine Bar:

One of the nicer features of the lounge is the wine bar. Per the website, it was supposed to offer 22 types of Spanish wine. However when we visited, there was only about 5 whites and 6 reds on self pour, along with 5 different beers available. It’s tucked away in the back corner and you’d probably miss it if you didn’t know it was there. Still, it’s a nice feature to have for a lounge and one that I haven’t seen since the Qantas Lounges in Australia, let alone some American Express Centurion Lounges throughout the Americas.

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Food and Beverage:

Unfortunately, the food in the lounge was pretty basic. It seems like Iberia is trying to save on costs since I’ve never seen so little food for such a large place. Making this a little more worse, was that the food that was out didn’t look all too exciting or appealing. It seemed to be more reminiscent of a hospital cafeteria than an upscale business lounge. I was able to snack on a small plain omelette, some bacon, a large piece of white toast and some salmon with lemon. They were odd combinations never the less but it was the items that were available.

There were also a selection of newspapers available in all languages. I was able to get a copy of the New York Times. At least the lounge had great airside views thanks to its large windows.

Iberia Tail Fins Visible from the Lounge

At about T-35, we headed for the gate. Our in lounge seating area was taken immediately after we stood up as the crush of people didn’t dissipate over the time that we spent in the lounge. We were a little more relaxed but not completely.

The Bottom Line: The Iberia Business Class Lounge

It was a rough departure day made more challenging by odd trains, check in and over capacity airport flow experiences. The lounges were quite crowded and it was just one of those days where it wasn’t an easy travel day. The One World Lounges seem to be quite a bit larger, especially those in the flagship hub areas. The Madrid Iberia Lounge itself was interesting to see, although it was just average to spend time in.

If you travel through Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, do you make time for the Iberia Business Lounge?

Tags: Iberia Lounge, Madrid Barajas, One World, Wine Bar

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Review: The Pearl Lounge, Marrakech Menara International Airport – Terminal One, Marrakech, Morocco

Checking into British Airways Club Europe:

Locating the Pearl Lounge:

Accessing the Lounge:

Inside the Lounge:

Food and Beverage:

The Bottom Line: The Pearl Lounge Marrakech:

If you’ve visited the Pearl Lounge Marrakech, did you find the furniture brightened up the environment?

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Review: Le Meridien N’Fis, Marrakech, Morocco

Booking:

Getting to the Hotel:

Checking into the Hotel:

The Room: An Executive Room

Around the Property:

Outdoor Swimming Pool

Food and Beverage:

Le Jasmin Restaurant

Le Panoramique Restaurant:

The Bottom Line: Le Meridien N’Fis

If you have stayed at Le Meridien N’Fis, did you redeem Marriott Bonvoy points for outsized value?

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Activity: Overland Travel from Mhamid to Marrakech, Morocco

Travel from Mhamid back to Marrakech, Morocco

Passing through Foum Zguid:

Lunch in Tazenakht, Morocco:

The Bottom Line:

If you’ve travelled through Morocco, how did you find long distance travel by car?

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Review: Erg Chigaga Luxury Desert Tented Camp, Mhamid, Morocco

The Camp Location:

The Camp and its Surroundings:

Sunset in the Dunes:

The Room: A Whole Tent!

Erg Chigaga Desert Camp Activities:

A camel ride into the desert:

A Visit to a Desert Oasis:

Sunsets and Sand Dune boarding:

The Bottom Line: Erg Chigaga Luxury Desert Tented Camp:

If you have visited a desert camp in Morocco, how did you find the experience overall?

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Activity: Overland Truck Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morocco

Booking and Planning:

Overland Travel from Marrakech to Mhamid, Morroco

Departing Marrakech:

Climbing Mountain Passes at Oued Tamjdert:

Visiting the Draa Valley:

If you have driven by car in Morocco, what stood out to you about driving in that country ?

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Review: Lunch at Aman Jenna, Marrakech, Morocco

Food and Beverage:

The Bottom Line:

If you have visited some on location movie sets, what were your impressions when you’ve seen the locations in real life ?

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City Visit: Finding the Secret Garden Outside the Jemma El Fnaa Square, Marrakech, Morocco.

A walking tour of Marrakech, Morocco:

Setting up the Djenmna el Fnaa night market:

Visiting Le Jardin Secret (The Secret Garden):

Happy Hour at Café Arabe:

In Summary:

If you’ve visited Marrakech, do you have a favourite attraction within the city’s walls?

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City Visit: Walking to Jemaa El Fnaa Square in Marrakech, Morocco

A walking tour of Marrakech, Morocco

Visiting Djenmna el Fnaa:

The Night Market at Djenmna el Fnaa:

If you’ve wandered through Marrakech, did you enjoy the experience of the Jemma El – Fnaa square?

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Review: The Anayela (Riad), a Member of Design Hotels, Marrakech, Morocco

Booking:

Arriving to the Anayela:

Arriving to The Anayela Riad:

The Room: A Suite

Food and Beverage:

Private Dining at the Anayela Riad:

The Anayela Riad at Night:

The Bottom Line: The Anayela Riad

If you have stayed at a riad in Marrakech, did you enjoy the experience?

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Review: Pearl Lounge Arrivals, Marrakech Menara International Terminal One, Marrakech, Morocco

Iberia
IB – 3440 – Business Class (U)
MAD – RAK (Madrid Barajas – Marrakesh)
Sept 10, 2018
11:30 AM – 12:30 PM
Booked: Airbus 320
Flown: Airbus 320

If you travel through Adolfo Suárez Madrid–Barajas Airport, do you make time for the Iberia Business Lounge?