"Our stay at La Mamounia was, unfortunately, defined by one of the worst welcoming experiences we have ever had at any property — made more upsetting given the context of why we chose this hotel.
Several years ago, my partner and I stayed at La Mamounia and found it magical. That experience is why, more than a year in advance, we carefully planned a return visit this September — this time with family — to celebrate two birthdays, our 31st anniversary, and to create a healing trip after my partner and his brother lost both their mother and grandmother earlier this year. The hotel had been fully aware of the significance and purpose of this trip for over a year.
We arrived directly from the Sahara after a long drive — tired, casually dressed, and unloading our vehicle. Almost immediately, we were surrounded and swarmed by staff as we were unloading, which felt abrupt, overwhelming, and not at all the welcome we expected after such a journey. They said they had to keep our wine we had just bought in storage as it was not permitted don the property. For context, the wine was not hidden; it was visible in a shopping bag. When this was raised, I immediately gave the wine to our local driver to take home and enjoy with his family, fully accepting the policy. There was no use storing it as we were flying to Italy directly after our stay.
In the confusion of being swarmed, my brother-in-law, who was staying at a luxury hotel for the first time, forgot that he had wine in his backpack and our driver had already driven away. Staff then singled out his bag — the only bag among all of ours — and insisted it be screened, even though he was already inside the hotel and seated with his wife and child. The bag was taken and the contents confiscated in front of his family, leaving him humiliated. I believe our casual appearance compared to other guest played a part in the behaviour we experienced, which is also expressed in other reviews. Hospitality is how you are made to feel – that is what we felt.
Only after this had occurred were we told that two bottles of wine are in fact permitted — a clarification that came only after our driver had already left, making the situation confusing, and unnecessary. That same reception team member, then insisted on confiscating a small bag of potato chips belonging to our 9-year-old godson, escalating what was already a distressing situation — and the moment that now defines this welcome. After the desert, our godson used his own money to stop along the highway to buy his favourite chips because he couldn’t get them in the desert. This unfolded publicly, in front of him, his mother, and our entire family.
I offered that the chips could be taken if they were replaced with another bag from the hotel, to de-escalate. The response came from yet another reception team member that we could buy snacks from our mini bar. This situation was later compounded by the male night manager, who defended how the situation had been handled rather than acknowledging the distress it caused. At no point did anyone involved offer a direct acknowledgment or apology — despite multiple opportunities to do so. Had even a simple apology been offered, this review would likely read very differently.
What should have been a calm, discreet welcome became a public and humiliating confrontation, in front of a family already navigating grief. It was, without exaggeration, one of the most upsetting arrivals we have ever experienced.
Where La Mamounia showed what hospitality can look like:
It is important to be very clear: the recovery of our stay was due almost entirely to one person — Yousra Mazzouche and the entire pool team!
Yousra has the hospitality gene. After what happened, she was the only person I was willing to deal with. She showed empathy, grace, care, and sound judgment, and because of her, we were able to regroup and genuinely enjoy the remainder of our stay. She is an extraordinary asset to La Mamounia and represents exactly what true hospitality should look like!!
The pool:
The heart of our stay! By far, our time at the pool was the highlight of this visit and our favourite memory from this stay at La Mamounia. From the moment we arrived poolside, the experience shifted completely. The atmosphere was calm, welcoming, and genuinely warm — exactly what we had hoped for when we chose this hotel. The service was consistently flawless: intuitive without being intrusive, attentive without feeling scripted, and always delivered with kindness and ease.
The entire pool team deserves recognition, particularly Yassine, the manager, and his team — Raja, Yassine, Nabil Bassam. Every interaction reflected genuine care and professionalism. They remembered preferences, anticipated needs, and made our family — including our godson — feel relaxed and truly welcome. This is where La Mamounia finally felt like La Mamounia again, and these moments are the ones we will carry with us from this stay.
I also want to single out Simo, who was consistently attentive poolside. He always made sure we had everything we needed, and even noticed details like ensuring our glasses — whether reading glasses or sunglasses — were spotless and ready. Simo shared that his goal is to work at the poolside restaurant, and we were fortunate to see him helping there one morning while we were present. If hotel management is reading this, I sincerely hope you help make that goal a reality. Simo is a true example of hospitality — the kind of person I would have on my team any day.
I also sincerely appreciated Jinesse, the manager, for meeting with me personally before we left to understand my perspective and the full context. I was grateful for her professionalism, openness, and willingness to listen.
Dining:
At the Italian restaurant, the food was excellent and the staff were friendly, but it was clear the team was still in training. I had to ask three times for a wine list, which arrived roughly 20 minutes later, and a cocktail that took close to 30 minutes to arrive.
At Le Marocain, the signature Moroccan restaurant, the food was delicious, but the experience missed the mark. We were explicit that we wanted a traditional Moroccan tagine, and we were reassured that their recommendation would deliver exactly that. What arrived, however, was not a tagine at all — it was a neutral plate that, while well delicious, could easily have been served in the U.S. or Canada. Something was clearly lost in translation or communication, and at a restaurant of this calibre, that disconnect was disappointing.
These examples are training issues as I believe the staff tried their best and were very friendly to be fair and clear. Our final dinner, served by Mariam, was joyful, warm, and attentive. She was genuinely engaging and present, and she ended our stay on a positive and memorable note.
Final reflection:
We have stayed at many of the world’s great hotels — Four Seasons, Aman, Oberoi, Rambagh Palace, Taj Lake Palace, and Mandarin Oriental — and have never been welcomed in this manner.
Thanks to a few exceptional individuals, we were able to enjoy the remainder of this stay and is why we gave a rating of 3 instead of 1 or 2. First stay we gave it a 5. However, because of how the arrival was managed this time, we will not be returning to La Mamounia for a third time."
