Review of Kasbah Agafay, by Joanna Monkhouse

Kasbah Agafay would not exist if not for the vision and dedication of Abel Damoussi. It took him three years to buy the Kasbah from the 36 owners, and a further three to restore the 150-year-old building. A short drive from the medina of Marrakech, the hotel is set in the Palmerie. Views of the palms, olive trees and Atlas Mountains from one side of the roof are contrasted with the desert dunes on the other.

The Kasbah boasts both a French and a Moroccan chef and the cuisine is delicate in taste and size, a rarity in Morocco where a traditional dinner could feed an army. Smiling, slipper shod waiters, dressed completely in white, topped with a red fez, appear silently bearing the house drink - refreshing cucumber juice (the cucumbers are grown in the gardens). The friendly staff are attentive but not intrusive. 

The generously proportioned, sea green pool is surrounded by rose bushes, sofas with white cushions and 1920s-style cast iron sunloungers. The sound of water is never far away - there are fountains in the riad courtyards, in front of the tents and a waterfall cascading down the terraced gardens. The spa treatments are as wide-ranging as they are decadent, offering massages, aromatherapy, herbal treatments, reflexology and yoga, and the spa houses a meditation cave and an authentic Moroccan hammam.

Rooms and suites lie around the five courtyards, connected by a labyrinth of corridors. Their décor combines traditional Moroccan crafts with contemporary style. The ceilings are tatoui (decorative beams), the pierced metal lamp shades and lanterns throw intricate shadows onto the white walls and verses from the Quran and the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam are carved into the tiles above the fireplaces. The riads can be booked in their entirety or by the room. The Caïdale tents face west and have sides that pull back to take full advantage of the sunset. Furnished with four poster beds, a large, shaped baths, wc, a/c and telephone, they are the most luxurious form of camping.

It is the attention to detail that sets Kasbah Agafay apart: Berber tent poles have been incorporated into the four poster beds; wooden marriage contracts surround the top of the beds in the tents and also appear as curtain tiebacks; Berber tent pegs adorn mirror frames; antique keys are reborn as loo paper holders; an old harira ladle is transformed into a towel rail and soap holder; a wooden washboard becomes a bath rack - every item has been looked at for itself and not just its traditional purpose. The spacious salon has leather banquettes and tables strewn with art books, a cool retreat in summer and a comfortable refuge in winter. Drapes of material hang from the high ceiling, they divide the space without restricting the light, and float in the breeze. Many of the vast carved doors come from palaces in Fez. The Atlas room is a dramatic location for meetings or private parties and has views of the magnificent Atlas Mountains.

The hilltop location is great for the views but does not protect Kasbah Agafay from the noise of trucks and mopeds on the road - not a huge problem, but a shame that it can be heard. The only other drawback is the price - this "little corner of paradise" does not come cheap. However, it is unique, and that's what you pay for.