Sofitel Marrakech*****

A fully-fledged luxury five star hotel just outside the walls of the ancient city.  All mod-cons are available inside, providing a very civilised base for discovering the delights of Marrakech.

The hotel bedrooms are large and well appointed, forming a U-shape around the vast pool in the hotel gardens, where there is an ample supply of sun-loungers.

Breakfast is normally served on the patio overlooking the pool, with the snow-capped Atlas mountains in the distance.

The hotel has a choice of bars, including the very welcoming piano bar, where there is often nightly entertainment (there is also a casino nearby and a nightclub).

The restaurant serves a variety of European and African dishes and is the ideal place to familiarise yourself with Moroccan cuisine or try out the Moroccan wines varieties - very palatable.

There is also an indoor heated pool with spa facilities such as jacuzzi and steam room etcetera plus a variety of massages and treatments available at a small extra charge.

To the North of the city (about ten minutes by the cheap and plentiful taxis) lies a region of Marrakech called "La Palmeraie" (the palm grove).  This is a residential development providing homes for Marrakech's rich and famous and holiday homes for well-to-do foreigners. The area is an oasis of peace and calm between the desert and the city.

Part of this development is the opulent Palmeraie Golf Palace: a large hotel with its own surrounding "village" of shops, bars, restaurants and even a nightclub - practically everything you might need is right on your doorstep.

The centrepiece of the hotel is the enormous expanse of swimming pool surrounded by palm trees and bougainvilleas.  The pool is divided into smaller "swimming lagoons" by island restaurants where lunch or dinner in the shady cool is a real delight amidst the desert heat.

The bedrooms are fully equipped and all have balconies either overlooking the pool or the golf course.  Suites are also available.

When it comes to dining there is a huge array of possibilities - Moroccan, French, Italian, even a Chinese!  Or lighter fare is available in Le Sablier Coffee Shop. And just outside the hotel in the village there are other options too.

As you might imagine the hotel is also equipped with a gym and spa where you can burn off a few pounds or relax and let yourself be pampered in style!