Amanjena (meaning "peaceful paradise") is a luxury hotel and resort, situated in Palmeraie, a southeastern suburb of

Marrakesh Marrakesh or Marrakech ( or ; ar, مراكش, murrākuš, ; ber, ⵎⵕⵕⴰⴽⵛ, translit=mṛṛakc}) is the fourth largest city in the Kingdom of Morocco. It is one of the four Imperial cities of Morocco and is the capital of the Marrakes ...

, Morocco. Built in 2000, it was the first Aman Resort on the African continent. It has a 21-hole course, a well-stocked library and an outdoor swimming pool set amidst hibiscus bushes. In May 2015,

David Beckham David Robert Joseph Beckham (; born 2 May 1975) is an English former professional footballer, the current president and co-owner of Inter Miami CF and co-owner of Salford City. Known for his range of passing, crossing ability and bending fr ...

celebrated his 40th birthday at the hotel.

Background

Amanjena is situated in

's Palmeraie, along the road to

Ouarzazate Ouarzazate (; ar, ورزازات, Warzāzāt, ; ary, وارزازات, Wārzāzāt; shi, label= Berber, ⵡⴰⵔⵣⴰⵣⴰⵜ, Warzazat), nicknamed ''the door of the desert'', is a city and capital of Ouarzazate Province in the region of Dr� ...

, just outside Morocco's UNESCO-protected city of Marrakech in an area where the river valleys of Draa and Dadès merge with the Sahara desert. The resort is set in the backdrop of a hill which rises to a height of , in the surroundings of an olive orchard of the Almoravid period. There are views of the

Atlas Mountains The Atlas Mountains are a mountain range in the Maghreb in North Africa. It separates the Sahara Desert from the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean; the name "Atlantic" is derived from the mountain range. It stretches around through Moroc ...

. The 2010 movie '' Sex and the City 2'' was filmed at Amanjena. In May 2015,

celebrated his 40th birthday at the hotel, along with guests

Gordon Ramsay Gordon James Ramsay (; born ) is a British chef, restaurateur, television personality and writer. His restaurant group, Gordon Ramsay Restaurants, was founded in 1997 and has been awarded 17 Michelin stars overall; it currently holds a tot ...

and

Tana Ramsay Cayetana Elizabeth Ramsay (''née'' Hutcheson; born 23 August 1974) is an English TV broadcaster and author of several cookery books. Early life Ramsay was born in Croydon, South London, United Kingdom, and raised in a barn in Kent. Her father, ...

, David Gardner and Liv Tyler, the

Spice Girls The Spice Girls are a British girl group formed in 1994, consisting of Melanie Brown, also known as Mel B ("Scary Spice"); Melanie Chisholm, or Melanie C ("Sporty Spice"); Emma Bunton ("Baby Spice"); Geri Halliwell ("Ginger Spice"); and Vict ...

, Eva Longoria, Tom Cruise, David Blaine, Guy Ritchie and Vanessa Feltz.

Amanjena

Amanjena was designed by the architect

Ed Tuttle Edward Burnham Tuttle Jr. (August 11, 1945 – June 21, 2020) was an American architect and interior designer best known for his works of hotel architecture. Among his most celebrated works is the Amanpuri hotel in Phuket, for which he was credit ...

, and was built over a period of two years. Tuttle was inspired by his trips across Morocco and southern Spain, with the Spanish Alhambra palace and 12th-century Menara Gardens purportedly being inspirations. and The Moorish architecture is in the Arabic/Moroccan traditional style, consisting of 32 pavilions and seven houses ("maisons"), with contemporary interiors. The design incorporates the Moorish building practice of pise, packed-earth structures, such as is incorporated in the nearby

Berber Berber or Berbers may refer to: Ethnic group * Berbers, an ethnic group native to Northern Africa * Berber languages, a family of Afro-Asiatic languages Places * Berber, Sudan, a town on the Nile People with the surname * Ady Berber (1913–196 ...

village structures. The color scheme matches the Red City buildings of Marrakesh. The structure is of stone, pale peach in color, with pink, honey and sage green paint colors used throughout the building. The massive entry door emulates that of an ancient Arab civilization. Amanjena has a very large lobby in the Moorish style, and features jade-coloured fountains. The lobby is patterned on the lines of a

caravanserai A caravanserai (or caravansary; ) was a roadside inn where travelers ( caravaners) could rest and recover from the day's journey. Caravanserais supported the flow of commerce, information and people across the network of trade routes covering ...

, an Ogres suggestive of the

Mezquita A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers (sujud) are performed, in ...

, the

Mosque of Cordoba A mosque (; from ar, مَسْجِد, masjid, ; literally "place of ritual prostration"), also called masjid, is a place of prayer for Muslims. Mosques are usually covered buildings, but can be any place where prayers ( sujud) are performed, i ...

, with colonnades which open into waterfronts. Other features include sandy clay roofing, two-story lounges, internal patios which face fountains, arches, chiseled pillars, glazed Moroccan tiles, and a frieze of ziggurat design. Various decorating techniques are used, such as ''écaille de poisson'' for the zellige and ''plâtre ciselé'' for the walls. The rooms have high ceilings and are furnished with Berber carpets and lanterns. Eight of the pavilions have their own private garden oasis and pool, while six overlook the main pool. The houses are modeled on the typical Moroccan townhouse. Amanjena features a library, and two restaurants. The main restaurant is designed with a high ceiling and 80 pillars made of onyx, while another restaurant serves Japanese cuisine. In addition to the large pool, there is a gym and a spa, which features a hammam, sauna, and steam room.

References

Sources

* * * *)

External links

Amanjena official site
{{Aman Resorts Aman Resorts Hotels in Morocco Buildings and structures in Marrakesh Hotels established in 2000