The Moroccan Files

How Morocco's Ultra-Luxury Hotels Are Rewriting the Revenue Model. From Royal Mansour to the planned Anantara Retreat Rabat, Morocco’s luxury market is exploring a different equation: fewer conventional rooms, more private space, richer guest spend, and new ways to finance hospitality. By Peter Manshoven | Peter.ma Travel Intelligence Morocco’s luxury-hospitality landscape is not moving in one uniform direction. But across a selection of established resorts and announced deve

Is Paris - Dakar coming home to Morocco? Could the legendary rally return to Morocco in 2027 amid tensions in the Middle East? For one Belgian boy who grew up watching the race, the possibility is more than a sporting headline. There are moments when a news announcement takes you straight back to another time. For me, it was the Paris–Dakar Rally. I was thirteen, a Belgian boy sitting with my family after our New Year’s brunch. The television was on, and there it was: enormou

The Sky in Morocco: Orionids & Geminids From October to December, Morocco offers a series of natural sky spectacles. The Orionids peak on 21–22 October. The headline event, however, will be the Geminids on 13–14 December, producing up to 120 meteors per hour under ideal dark skies—such as over Merzouga or the High Atlas.

Morocco’s 2026 hotel and restaurant awards are dropping names at impressive speed. Peter.ma looks beyond the trophies to understand who won, who was ranked, who was nominated — and what each distinction actually means.

A €14 Agafay Quad Excursion from Marrakech includes central pickup, around two hours of quad riding and tea. How do they do it? Starting with a latte macchiato and a friend’s surprisingly enjoyable morning in Agafay, we follow the economics behind the price — transport, fuel, quads, labour, GetYourGuide commission, upsells, buggy upgrades and quad-and-camel combinations. A look at how an exceptionally low price can still make commercial sense.

The Ritz-Carlton, Marrakech: When the Resort Becomes the Destination — The Marrakech Luxury Paradox Marrakech is adding another ultra-luxury layer with a 50-hectare polo-led resort on the city's outskirts. On paper, it is a compelling concept: space, privacy, equestrian life, and a globally recognized brand. In practice, it lands in a market where luxury supply is growing faster than the seasonal window it relies on. When a property sits 20 minutes outside the medina, the re

The story behind Lancaster Palace Tamuda Bay, originally planned as a Marriott. A fascinating look at the latest palace on Morocco’s Mediterranean coast.

A concert can bring back a person, a landscape, or a season. I was not collecting concert names; I was collecting places and moments. Each destination gave the music a different colour. Essaouira does not need a festival to create atmosphere—the Atlantic wind, medina, and port already give it rhythm. MOGA’s tenth anniversary gives travellers a reason to come. But Essaouira gives them a reason to stay. Come for the music. Stay for the destination.

Hotel La Renaissance in Guéliz is currently closed, inviting a thoughtful examination of its architectural heritage, operational history, and commercial capacity. Moving past simple nostalgia, this analysis evaluates the property through a practical lens—exploring its boutique scale, structural design, and market positioning alongside public guest feedback. The central question for its future is how asset restoration realities align with recovery potential.

Escape Marrakech’s scorching heat without driving to the coast. Less than two hours away, Imlil sits at nearly 1,800 metres in the High Atlas, offering cooler days, cold nights and a completely different rhythm. Discover Imlil, Asni and Ouirgane — plus where to stay, what to pay and how to choose intelligently.

Morocco's Ultimate Solar Eclipse & Perseid Meteor Guide Special events 2026 Ultimate Solar Eclipse Morocco & Perseid Meteor Guide 2026 Discover Morocco's prime high-obscuration viewing locations (>80%) for the August 12, 2026 solar eclipse, paired with the moonless Perseid meteor shower peak. There are nights that become memories, and there are nights that become stories told for decades. On 12 August 2026, Morocco will experience both. As the sun sinks toward the Atlantic

Is tap water safe to drink in Morocco? After nearly two decades in Moroccan tourism, here's my honest advice on bottled water, filters, food safety and avoiding stomach problems.

Morocco's Mediterranean hotels are synonymous with luxury, yet international headlines can reshape a destination overnight. An analysis of how the Ceuta crossings affected perception, reputation and the communication strategies of luxury hospitality brands.

Be prepared before you travel. Save Morocco's official emergency numbers, police contacts, medical services, Tourist Police information, and practical emergency phrases—all in one essential reference for travelers.

From legacy assets to integrated hospitality experiences, the group is quietly redefining how destinations are created in Marrakech—and perhaps across Morocco. Editorial Illustration: Peter.ma © Peter Manshoven. All rights reserved. Last week, we looked closely at Accor Risma — its asset-heavy footprint, strategic posture, and the way it continues to shape Morocco’s hospitality map. This time, the lens turns to another pillar of the sector: Atlas Hospitality. The two groups s

Discover the Marrakech Medina with this complete guide to its historic gates, neighbourhoods and landmarks. Learn how the Marrakech Medina is organised, how each Bab leads to a different district, and how to explore the old city without getting lost.

Most guides recommend riads without explaining the noise—and they recommend Hivernage without warning you. Here's where to find quiet luxury in Marrakech, including the hidden gem of Targa, the luxury estates on the city's edge, and the quiet corners of Gueliz that still exist.

Most guides say "book early" without giving you a timeline. Here's when to book luxury riads and desert camps in Morocco—by season, property type, and with insider knowledge on cancellation flexibility and group bookings.