Marrakech conjures up fantasies of ancient footpaths, sand blowing in the wind, piles of gold, silk and tagines filled with richly spiced food.
That’s the dream, but what is the reality?
I was impressed when I stayed seven nights at the Tui Blue Medina Gardens resort. This resort is located close to the intoxicating beauty of the old Moroccan city, but at the same time offers guests protection from the noise.
And it is also attractively cheap.
The (mostly immaculate) Medina Gardens features indoor, outdoor and rooftop bars (for a fee), a well-equipped gym, spa, swimming pool and activities including yoga, shuffleboard and an afternoon game of boules.
Marrakech, where every building must have a striking terracotta hue
Sophie Foster checked into Tui Blue Medina Gardens (above) – on the doorstep of the delights of Marrakech
Sophie’s standard room had a double bed, television, hot drinks station and fridge, a separate toilet and a shower and double sink, separated from the bed by a partition wall
There is also a spacious garden where you can pick the fruits from the branches of the orange and lemon trees.
In addition, a colony of turtles (group name: a crawler) lives in the lush grass.
This was a highlight.
My standard room had a double bed, TV, hot drinks station and fridge.
There was also a separate toilet, shower and sink, separated from the bed by a partition.
The more luxurious suites in Medina Gardens have a swim-up option.
The room had a French balcony, but the view wasn’t great: you could see the minaret of the Koutoubia Mosque, but also the ugly roof of a restaurant below.
The Tui resort has a spacious garden where you can pick the fruits from the branches of orange and lemon trees
Sophie booked a seven-night stay at Tui Blue Medina Gardens. Sophie said the view from her room was ‘not great’ – as it featured ‘an ugly restaurant roof’
Under the roof, however, things were more positive, with the surprisingly good food at the all-inclusive buffet being one of the resort’s most memorable highlights. Tagines of traditional local dishes were served every evening alongside international dishes – and there were also speciality nights.
We had kebabs one night and piles of fresh seafood another night, but the desserts were generally disappointing.
The a la carte restaurant, the Culinarium, was pleasant and offered table service meals.
A word of warning regarding alcohol: fill your stomach with alcohol, as Tui’s bar staff are generous with the amounts (and some of the drinks tasted like paint stripper).
The Bikini Martini is a tasty, safe choice.
Breakfast offered a choice of continental dishes, with a chef preparing eggs to order and a variation on the classic fried dish (pork sausages, for example, are off the menu in Islamic Morocco).
Sophie reveals that the hotel shields guests from the city noise. Above – the rooftop bar
LEFT: The a la carte restaurant, the Culinarium. RIGHT: The terrace of a luxury swim-up junior suite at Medina Gardens
The hotel is a 10-minute walk from Jemaa el-Fna square (above)
In the evening, a vibrant crowd of entertainers takes over Jemaa el-Fna square
Sophie reveals that Jemaa el-Fna square is packed with dancers, musicians, singers, storytellers and gamblers at night
Tui’s Medina Gardens’ main selling point? Its central location.
It is an ideal base for walks to the Bahia Palace, the Koutoubia Mosque and the mysterious Majorelle Gardens.
And it takes just five minutes to reach the enchanting old quarter, the Medina, and 10 minutes to reach Jemaa el-Fna square, located at the entrance. Here, vendors and guides line the walls alongside – disappointingly – monkeys in cages and snakes being enchanted.
In the evenings there is a vibrant crowd of entertainers consisting of dancers, musicians, singers, storytellers and gamblers who invite locals and holidaymakers to join in the festivities.
Just like the city as a whole: hard to resist.
But when I had enough of the hustle and bustle, I headed back to Medina Gardens to relax with the turtles in our walled oasis.
