Historic riad turned cooking school, where we sleep between two tajine classes.
La Maison Arabe Hotel, Spa & Cooking Workshops
From
168 €
“Daily Moroccan cooking workshops in an 18th-century palace, 400 metres from Jemaa el-Fna square.”
La Maison Arabe occupies an 18th-century palace in the Bab Doukkala district, a ten-minute walk from the medina. We come here for the Moroccan cooking workshops (pastilla, couscous, oriental pastries), held every day in a traditional kitchen with wood-fired oven and Safi pottery. The rooms blend zelliges, carved cedar wood, hand-polished tadelakt, some with fireplace and private terrace overlooking the rooftops. The spa offers hammam, black soap scrub, argan oil massages in vaulted rooms. The pool sits in an orange and jasmine garden, teak sun loungers, mint tea service until 7pm. From 168 € per night, breakfast included, airport shuttle included. We recommend booking the cooking workshop upon stay confirmation, places fill up fast ✨
Who is it for?
Who we recommend it to
We recommend La Maison Arabe to couples seeking cultural immersion without sacrificing palace comfort, and to foodies ready to get their hands in the dough. It's an address for curious travellers, aged 35 to 65, who prefer learning to make a pastilla over visiting a museum. Families with children over 12 will enjoy it here, especially if teenagers like cooking.
The building
Architecture and interiors
The palace dates from 1740, bought in the 1940s by a French family who turned it into one of Marrakech's first guesthouses. Traditional Marrakchi architecture: open-sky patios, zellige fountains, horseshoe arcades, carved cedar ceilings. The rooms are distributed between the main building and two adjacent riads, all different, between 28 and 65 m². Progressive renovation since 2018, some suites retain dated charm but the bathrooms have been redone in grey and white tadelakt.
At the table
Restaurants, bar, service
Two restaurants: Le Restaurant for classic Moroccan cuisine (lamb tajine with prunes, pigeon pastilla, Friday couscous), and Le Pavillon de la Piscine for a lighter Mediterranean menu by day. The Piano Bar occupies a vaulted lounge with fireplace, spice cocktails (saffron, cardamom, orange blossom) and live musicians three evenings a week. Breakfast served until 11.30am, with msemen, thousand-hole crêpes, homemade jams, fresh orange juice. The cooking workshops end with lunch of the dishes prepared, often the best meal of the stay.
Highlights
- Daily Moroccan cooking workshops included, 3h with chef and market
- 18th-century palace, original zelliges, hand-painted ceilings
- Spa with traditional hammam, black soap scrub, argan oils
- Heated pool in orange garden, open all year
- Airport shuttle included, 15 min from Marrakech-Menara
Location & access
Where the hotel sits in Marrakech
La Maison Arabe stands in the Bab Doukkala district, west of the medina, a residential area less touristy than Riad Zitoun. Jemaa el-Fna square ten minutes on foot, souks twelve minutes, Bahia Palace twenty minutes. The neighbourhood is quiet after 8pm, nearby mosques, small shops, popular hammams. Marrakech-Menara Airport 6 km away, fifteen minutes by car off-peak. No metro in Marrakech, the hotel arranges taxis and shuttles. Jardin Majorelle 2.5 km away, reachable by calèche or taxi.
Good to know
Before you book
- Children
- Welcome from 12 years, extra bed 40 €, cooking workshops adapted.
- Pool
- Heated, open 8am-8pm all year, depth 1.40 m.
- Spa
- Hammam and treatments 10am-8pm, booking advised, scrub from 45 €.
- Airport shuttle
- Included in rate, return, on prior reservation.
- Wi-Fi
- Free throughout the hotel, decent speed, less stable in the riads.
- Parking
- Free on site, limited spaces, valet available.
Facilities
1 pool
Non-smoking rooms
Airport shuttle
Fitness centre
Spa and wellness centre
Room service
Restaurant
Wi-Fi available everywhere
Parking
Family rooms
Free Wi-Fi
Location
Where La Maison Arabe Hotel, Spa & Cooking Workshops is located
Exact address
La Maison Arabe Hotel, Spa & Cooking Workshops
Address
1 Derb Essehb Bab doukkala
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