'Breathtaking' holiday resort just hours from the UK with secret pool for kids

The Mazagan Beach and Golf Resort and Spa – a palatial edifice with a Grand Riad, thenar tree-lined excavation and sweeping grounds - is truthful spectacular you consciousness similar you're successful a Hollywood film.

Trotting on the stunning achromatic sandy formation connected the Moroccan seashore connected my majestic horse, I respect the breathtaking presumption of the almighty Atlantic arsenic the ocean’s waves thigh mildly astatine our feet. It’s astir sunset and Cyada, a 16- year-old Arabian-Berber horse, whose sanction translates arsenic Hunter successful Arabic, and I are enjoying an evening outing.

We’re conscionable an hr southbound of Casablanca astatine the Mazagan Beach and Golf Resort and Spa – a palatial edifice with a Grand Riad, thenar tree-lined excavation and sweeping grounds which wouldn’t look retired of spot successful a Hollywood film.

I fractional expect Gerard Butler, Lindsay Lohan and Naomi Campbell to travel astir the corner; an online hunt tells maine they are immoderate of the celebrities that person stayed present implicit the years. If it’s bully capable for them, it’s surely bully capable for me. I wonderment if a fewer royals person stayed present too?

A Royal Suite volition acceptable you backmost astir £2,000 per nighttime and comes implicit with a expansive lounge, extravagant chamber and duplicate terraces with spectacular oversea views. The rooms are surely acceptable for a king oregon queen – everything oozes opulence and luxury from the blase acheronian woody furnishings done to the Moroccan art, inspired by Arab and Moorish interior design.

The bully quality is that you don’t person to person royal coffers to enactment here; during November, which is debased play successful Morocco, you tin enactment successful a plot country for £150 per night. While it mightiness not beryllium arsenic extravagant arsenic a Royal Suite, you’ll inactive beryllium capable to admit the accepted Moroccan architecture and aftermath up to views of lush gardens and a play course.

Many of the hotel’s guests take this Moroccan edifice due to the fact that they privation to illustration the 18-hole play people designed by 1 of the top golfers of each time, Gary Player, victor of the US Open and 1 of lone 5 players to scoop a Grand Slam. Players tin bask breathtaking views of the water arsenic they tee off, but there’s besides plentifulness to bash if you’re not a instrumentality of golf.

Before arriving successful Morocco I was disquieted it would beryllium uncomfortably blistery but successful aboriginal June it’s a pleasant 24C – overmuch cooler connected the seashore than it is successful Marrakech. While the somesthesia drops to astir 18C successful winter, 1 of the marvels of Morocco is that this portion of northbound westbound Africa enjoys sunshine each twelvemonth round.

To chill disconnected I instrumentality a dip successful the tranquil excavation which is lined with thenar trees mildly swaying successful the breeze. It’s truthful peaceful present – the lone happening I tin perceive is birdsong and the debased hum of guests chatting astir the pool.

As a genitor I admit that though this edifice is kid friendly, children person their ain excavation with a descent astir the corner. Some 80 per cent of the hotel’s 500 rooms are household rooms with connecting doors. Kids’ clubs mean that parents tin person a interruption too.

Horse riding and swimming are thirsty work, truthful aft a speedy freshen up I caput to the hotel’s cocktail barroom – Studio 42 – for a refreshing pre-dinner cocktail. Settling into the royal greenish velvet seats, I respect the decor inspired by iconic scenes from the movie Casablanca – 1 of the astir celebrated films to beryllium acceptable successful Morocco.

Mmmm, the Mazagan cocktail hits the spot. It’s a premix of Moroccan Rosé Liquor, Martini Rosato, Campari and gin and the closest happening to a French 75 – the portion made celebrated by the film. For a little infinitesimal I drift disconnected into a daydream and ideate I’m surviving the glamorous beingness of Hollywood histrion Ingrid Bergman who was Humphrey Bogart’s emotion involvement successful the iconic movie acceptable successful the 1940s.

Morocco has agelong been an inspiration for artists – Tennessee Williams and The Rolling Stones took up residence successful Tangier connected the northbound westbound seashore of the country, portion singers Cat Stevens and Jimi Hendrix some hung retired successful Essaouira, a charming and vibrant larboard and edifice municipality connected the Atlantic Ocean. The Atlas movie studios successful Ouarzazate are adjacent nicknamed “Morocco’s Hollywood” and Lawrence of Arabia, Gladiator, Game Of Thrones and The Living Daylights were each filmed here.

You tin surely devour similar a movie prima during your enactment astatine the Mazagan – the Sel de Mer edifice is simply a gastronomic delight for seafood lovers and the Buddha-Bar Beach offers a enactment of Asian fusion favourites alongside cocktails and breathtaking views of the ocean.

In all, determination are 15 restaurants and bars including a buffet with thing to suit each tastes, specified arsenic British and European options for fussy small eaters. It costs £17 for children, not atrocious erstwhile you see it covers their starter, main people and dessert and they tin person arsenic overmuch to devour and portion arsenic they want.

Working up an appetite portion staying present won’t beryllium an contented – determination are 3 tennis courts, Laser Quest, a gym, yoga room, archery and mini play to support you busy. For an further interest you tin spell equine riding on the beach, quad biking oregon surfing and successful the evening you tin person a flutter successful North Africa’s largest casino. When it’s clip to relax, the Mazagan Spa has 19 cabins, a luxury two-person suite with mesmerising water views, a steam country and an authentic Moroccan hammam.

It wouldn’t beryllium a travel to Morocco without a travel to a market, truthful the adjacent time we acceptable disconnected with our circuit usher to cheque retired El Jadida, a fortified metropolis built by the Portuguese astatine the opening of the 16th century. El Jadida is steeped successful history; its aged metropolis seawalls are 1 of the Seven Wonders of Portuguese root successful the World – and its markets connection a fascinating glimpse into what beingness is similar for locals.

At the souk, our senses are overloaded – stalls selling colourful spices, food and olives enactment up alongside shops lodging accepted Moroccan rugs, leather and tagines. The aged metropolis has much than capable to fulfill taste cravings. Mosques and synagogues beryllium adjacent to an past chromatic fortress, lone the thoroughfare creation reminds you that it’s the 21st century.

As young children play shot successful the quadrate and a feline stretches lazily successful the day sunshine, I can’t assistance but consciousness similar venturing retired of the 5 prima edifice into existent Morocco is similar stepping backmost successful clip to a much elemental mode of life.

Book the holiday

• Royal Air Maroc flies from Heathrow to Casablanca, Morocco, starting astatine £360 with Royal Air Maroc. royalairmaroc.com/uk-en
• Rooms astatine the Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort successful El Jadida, Morocco, commencement astatine £137 a nighttime B&B for a household of 4 sharing, redeeming 20%. Book by December 16 for stays to December 29. mazaganbeachresort.com
• More info astatine visitmorocco.com/en