Morocco’s Most Serene Wellness Retreats

The award-winning Mazagan Beach and Golf Resort is one of the most luxurious accommodation options and spas in all of Morocco. Located on the Atlantic Coast, close to El Jadida, it features a range of hotel rooms and chalets, restaurants and bars, a casino, a well-equipped fitness centre, swimming pools and numerous fun activities including golf, horse riding and quad biking. When it comes to pampering and relaxation, the spa has 19 treatment rooms, including some that can accommodate couples vacationing in Morocco. Different massages are available, plus facials and body scrubs. There’s also a beauty salon, an authentic hammam, a jacuzzi and relaxation zones.

La Sultana is located in Oualidia, a charming coastal resort known for a picturesque lagoon and flamingoes. The spa provides lovely views of the waters and features traditional hammams, indoor and outdoor swimming pools, a sauna, jacuzzi and pleasant relaxation areas. You can enjoy a delightful massage outdoors in one of the breezy and secluded cabanas. Facials, beauty treatments, manicures and pedicures are also available.

Found on the outskirts of lively Marrakech, this tranquil In:spa retreat is a world away from the hustle of the former imperial capital. Nestled in the lush foothills of the Atlas Mountains, the peaceful spa is set within verdant gardens. The traditional hammam lets you experience age-old local wellness techniques, while a range of treatments are available in the modern spa. Nutritious and balanced meals are prepared throughout the day by the in-house chef.

The hand-built Peacock Pavilions sits at the heart of a private olive grove on the edges of Marrakech. The boutique hotel is surrounded by colourful rose bushes and provides a calm and soothing environment with modern amenities. Created for those seeking wellbeing, the intimate resort has a swimming pool, an outdoor gym, a yoga pavilion and an al fresco cinema. Yoga instructors are on hand, while the hotel regularly hosts meditation and pilates retreats, too. Traditional meals are handmade each day, using fresh ingredients from the hotel gardens.

The remote Kasbah Tamadot, sitting in the picturesque village of Asni at the foot of the Atlas Mountains, is the perfect place for relaxation, serenity and tranquility. Owned by Sir Richard Branson, the elegant resort has the acclaimed Asounfou Spa, home to a traditional hammam, hot tub, outdoor infinity pool and a wide range of signature treatments.

A modern resort in Agadir, Paradis Plage combines beach fun, yoga, spa treatments and surfing. The spa has traditional local treatments and French therapies with a wellness menu including massages, acupressure, body wraps and shiatsu. There are also two hammams, plus a hydromassage bath and an outside pool. Head to the beach and join daily yoga sessions on the sands or take advantage of the in-house wellness guidance, for advice on weight loss, fitness and relaxation. Four restaurants, each serving tasty international fare and Moroccan cuisine, round out the offerings nicely.

Close to Casablanca’s main attractions and the beach, Om Yoga Retreat is an ideal place for yogis. Promoting healing, health and growth, the centre offers various yoga practices; including bikram, hot, hatha, qi, nidra, and yin. The yoga studios are bright, modern and well equipped, and the centre also has an outdoor swimming pool. Pilates, dance classes, detox sessions and meditation are among the other activities you can enjoy at this stylish resort.

Situated near the Hassan II Mosque in Casablanca, the four-star Casablanca Le Lido is surrounded by splendid gardens. The hotel facilities include a gym, large outside pool, hair salon, sauna and a hammam. While the spa offers a range of therapies, including massages, facials, detox treatments, manicures and pedicures.

The five-star Sofitel Rabat Jardin Des Roses is a terrific place to unwind in the Moroccan capital of Rabat. Set within fragrant rose gardens, it features on-site restaurants, a beauty salon, a hairdressing salon, a fitness centre and gym, basketball courts, a sauna, a jacuzzi, a hammam, and more. The spa has five treatment rooms, with therapies including massages, pedicures, manicures, facials, body scrubs and hydrotherapy.

Warning: you’re not going to want to leave. The ultra-luxurious Amanjena, part of the glamorous Aman hotel group, is a celeb-worthy peaceful hideaway, tucked into 6ha (15 acres) of greenery outside the bustling medina in Marrakech. The spa, with a marble-lined hammam, is a central part of the experience, but in truth every corner of this carefully manicured resort looks and feels serene. Keep active with workouts in outdoor gazebos and tennis games on the two clay courts.

Just a hop outside Tangiers, and set on a long stretch of sandy beach over which you can watch the sun rise, this resort puts wellness front of mind. Banyan Tree is a brand that’s celebrated for epic spas, and this outpost is no different: expect everything from couples’ massages to circulation-boosting treatments with herbal baths. What’s more, every ‘room’ at this resort is in fact a villa – with a private pool. If that’s not serenity, what is?

Wellness retreats don’t have to be all about green juices and early nights. At Es Saadi, set just outside Marrakech medina, feel-good holidays feature sophisticated dinners, swim-up bars (order a mojito) and seeing in the sunrise after a session in the on-site nightclub, Theatro. Cure any over-indulgence with a doze by the gorgeous pool. Or, better yet, head to the three-floor spa to recover over seriously exclusive, tranquil spa treatments with brands such as Dior.

Is time in the great outdoors your idea of wellness? Then look no further than this retreat on the west coast, near Agadir. You’ll go back to the basics of feeling good, with early morning vinyasa yoga sessions and surf lessons to help you make the most of the area’s prime waves. Cute rooms with natural woods are simple, but all you need when you’re spending this much time outside. Even breakfast is served al fresco on a roof terrace.

Century-old date palms rustle in the gardens of this low-key resort to the north of Marrakech. With just 14 private villas (with pools), and 5.5ha (13 acres) of lush greenery to wander, it’s the perfect respite after a busy morning haggling over leather slippers or teapots in the souks. The on-site spa has all the essentials for an unwind session, too: a jacuzzi, sauna and a hammam where you can get a classic black soap scrub.

Clinging to a wooded peak about two hours from Marrakech, overlooking the soaring Atlas Mountains, this pink-hued kashbah resort feels like a genuine escape from the stresses of everyday life. The Moroccan glam, stretching from ornate tadelakt plaster fireplaces to atmospheric Berber-style tents, puts you instantly into relaxation mode. The tranquil vibe only continues with spa treatments, pool days, mule treks through the hills and tea in a local Berber house.