La Vie en Rose - Maison des chevaux

The gardens and pool are lovely, and the horses are beautiful. We warmed to the place when they let the foals graze by the pool. The staff were nice, though they were left to sort out the fact that we had booked for five and only had four beds. The owner didn’t seem very concerned, and it still hadn’t been fixed by bedtime. After ten days of Berber hospitality, the French colonial feel was a bit of a culture shock, and we felt out of place, almost as if we’d wandered into a horsey expat club. Food was good, but twice what we’d paid elsewhere, and no one mentioned the prices. The wine was pretty good and 150 MAD a bottle. English wasn’t really spoken, so we had to rely on our school French, which wasn’t always easy. A taxi to Marrakech was 150 MAD. We were at the end of a long road trip and weren’t planning to go out much anyway.

A lovely little escape about 30 minutes from Marrakech. If you don’t have a car, they can arrange transport into town and back. It works well as a day trip before heading back to the Medina and museums. We came for lunch by the pool, then spent time on the loungers in the sun. The fixed menu had delicious salads, grilled meats and lovely strawberries picked from the field. You can also book a massage or hammam in advance. The ponies wander around and gallop across the lawn, but keep away from guests, so it felt safe. There are also horse stables and a dog pension on the grounds, alongside the small hotel, garden and pool. The staff were thoughtful and attentive, especially Coco and team. The hotel interior is gorgeous too, though we were drawn outdoors. A real gem.

The rooms were nice and the pool was great, but the place felt disorganized. There’s no reception, so we had to track someone down to check in, and nobody spoke English. Dogs and cats wandered around, while friends of the owners seemed to control the music and occupy the hotel. Checking out took an hour because they couldn’t find our bill. Our taxi was waiting and we ended up late for our next appointment. The Wi-Fi was unreliable, and the food was okay, nothing special. I wouldn’t stay again. It wasn’t worth the price.

There are only two staff members. They’re both very young and clearly trying hard to please guests, but that wasn’t enough. The lodge feels run down, with cobwebs and bugs around, and watch out for bed bugs, I came away with bites. The food was basic, and the required dinner at the lodge during the COVID lockdown was far too expensive for what it was. The place looks nice and has potential, but without real investment and a makeover, its quality is going downhill. I can’t justify paying this much when other lodges nearby offer a clean place and much better service.