KEEP CALM AND POLO ON: THE RITZ-CARLTON MARRAKECH and the return of the sport of kings

Marrakech has been a magnet to many cultural icons of our time. It was home to Yves Saint Laurent who famously said Marrakech was “the me colour,” a holiday destination for the Rolling Stones in 1967, and Andy Warhol and the Getty family were all regular visitors. Now, safe from political uproar, Marrakech is rapidly becoming a premium destination as luxury hotels and brands have found their way to the North African city. In a new venture, the city is set to become the first location to hold polo matches in North Africa as The Ritz-Carlton is building 85 Ritz-Carlton Residences and an 80 room hotel offering direct views of either the polo fields of the Jnan Amar Polo Club or the Atlas Mountains. The Ritz-Carlton Hotel and Spa, along with the majority of residences is set to open in January 2020. Amine Boughaleb, Director UK & Ireland of the Moroccan National Tourist says: “The arrival of the Ritz Carlton confirms once again the city’s appeal amongst the international elite and its status as a premium destination choice.”

Villas

Spread over fifty hectares, the new luxury community is 20 minutes away from the hustle and bustle of Marrakech’s medina and nightlife on the increasingly popular Amizmiz road (see box out). The Ritz-Carlton are offering these 85 villas in eight different villa types, all in a contemporary Berber style – low slung cubist architecture in red clay with two different interior design options. Prices start 1.3 million Euros and the lease is freehold, with maintenance costs of 5,000 euros per annum, and no restrictions on acquisitions.