Where the guests are treated like royalty—in a resort owned by a king

What we love

➤ Privacy is yours: Each standalone villa enables you to have a discrete stay. The smaller of the villas (which are still palatial one bedrooms) are doubled up (one above, one below), though they still offer private balconies or patios, and plenty of privacy.

➤ Exceptional service: The staff go out of their way to accommodate every and all request from arrival to departure. You’re even whisked through an expedited security screening at the airport before you're driven to the resort in a Bentley. Staff are trained through the hotel’s L’Académie Royal Mansour school, which helps provide jobs and hospitality training to the local community.

➤ Michelin-starred dining: Each of the on-property restaurants is led by a three-Michelin-starred chef.

Things to consider

➤ High price: The hotel is on the pricier side, which may not be suitable for budget travelers.

➤ Royal neighbors: The king of Morocco has a house next door to Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay, which can sometimes come with extra attention. There’s also not much to do directly off the property, but the concierge is happy to arrange off-property excursions to some nearby towns and markets.

Backstory: The Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay is the third hotel to join the esteemed Royal Mansour collection, which also has hotels in Casablanca and Marrakech. This five-star hotel is the neighbor of one of King Mohammed VI’s residences, and the collection was commissioned by the king to align with his own vision of luxury. Royal Mansour is known for its world-renowned spas, and Tamuda Bay’s is no different. The nearly 4,000-foot medical spa includes eight treatment rooms, wellness programs, hammams, a salt cave, a hair salon, a saltwater pool, and a stunning quiet pool. Visit the pool at night to see the stars reflected in the pool below.

First impressions: From my fast-tracked journey through airport security to a swanky ride to the property in a Bentley, the white-glove service and care starts from the minute you arrive in Morocco. The beach is spectacular. I joked to a friend that someone must get up at dawn to place the seashells along the sand, as the shoreline is covered with perfect shells. The lobby is ornately decorated with more than 95,000 of these shells that were selected from the 700-meter beach.

Essential information: The property is spacious, so each villa comes with bicycles for guests to use to get to the restaurants or the beach or the spa. You can also use your room phone to call for a golf cart to pick you up, if you’d rather not cycle or walk.

My room: I stayed in a pristine one-bedroom villa that had a private balcony overlooking the sea and the property’s lush grounds. I was in the upstairs villa, so I had no neighbors above me (which is always my preference), and I lucked out and also had no neighbors below me during my stay. The villas are decorated in traditional Moroccan fabrics and marble tiles, in bright oranges, reds, yellows, and blues, all made by local craftspeople. Mother-of-pearl framed mirrors and chandeliers decorated with shells are quiet nods to the surrounding Moroccan coastline.

The bedroom, living room and walk-through closets were all spacious, though it was the marble bathroom that astounded me. It's the size of the bedroom, and includes two showers (one indoor, one outdoor), both with rainfall shower heads. There's also a deep soaking tub, that can be drawn by your villa's butler, a Dyson hair dryer, and the collection’s signature Moroccan slippers that provided much relief after a day spent sightseeing.

My villa's large balcony overlooked the beach and the resort's flower-filled pathways, and was where I chose to have breakfast one morning. Breakfast service includes a selection of delectable pastries, and are not to be missed.

If you’re traveling with a group, larger villas are available, as well, with several exceeding more than 15,000 square feet, though my one bedroom villa was still a palatial 860 square feet. Private butlers come with each stay, and are available to help facilitate on- and off-property requests.

Resort amenities: The resort’s nearly half-mile beachfront and picturesque pool come with orange striped lounge chairs and chaises, ideal for a day spent relaxing. The country's first medi-spa is a must-visit, even if you aren't participating in one of the wellness programs; pack a book and spend some time reading at the spa’s quiet pool. There’s also an on-site boutique, and the concierge can arrange day tours into Chefchaouen (the famed Blue City), Tangier, and Tetouan. Water sports equipment is available, as are state-of-the-art padel courts. There's also a kids club.

Dining and drinking: The dining experience at Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay is outstanding, as each of the property's restaurants is led by a three-Michelin-starred chef. Éric Fréchon, a celebrated three-Michelin-starred French chef and Meilleur Ouvrier de France, created the menu for La Table. Le Méditerranée is led by three-Michelin-starred chef Quique Dacosta, who is renowned for his inventive paella and Spanish dishes.

I had the extreme pleasure of dining with Massimiliano Alajmo at Coccinella, which he runs with his brother, Raffaele. Massimiliano is the youngest person in the world to win three Michelin stars, and to top it off, he’s also a wonderful person. His caviar-topped smoked fish tortellini is a dish I think about weekly, and I can’t recommend it highly enough.

Not-to-miss: If time allows, dine at each of the resort’s restaurants. The quiet pool at the spa is also a must.

Sustainability: The lobby is decorated in marine-themed art by Ghizlane Sahli who used silk thread to turn plastic water bottle caps and other waste into art. The villa's Moroccan weavings, mosaics, inlaid ceilings, and zellige tiles were all created by local craftspeople. The medi-spa offers programs that range from four to 14 days, and are focused on five different pillars of wellness that were inspired by the Blue Zone ideals (metabolic balance, fitness, nutrition, sleep, and emotional well-being). Guests who don't partake in one of the programs also have access to the spa's treatments and the resort's clean eating options.

I did note that the hotel’s key cards are plastic, and the villa's toiletries come in travel-size plastic bottles, though glass water bottles are provided and laundering services are returned with wooden hangers.

What's nearby:  The hotel's location is a bit removed from shopping and sightseeing, but the on-site concierge desk can arrange for you to visit other towns for more exploration. Chefchaouen, the Blue City, is just under a two-hour drive, but highly worth the trip if you have time. Cities throughout Morocco are named after colors and their buildings have been painted that city’s signature color, making for a striking picture when seen in person. In Chefchaouen, you’ll find winding blue passageways that weave through souks (Moroccan marketplaces), with traditional wares and fabrics available for purchase.

Tetouan (the White City) is about a 20-minute drive from Royal Mansour Tamuda Bay and is also home to shopping and sightseeing: the old medina is UNESCO Heritage listed and worth spending time walking through.

Most people arrive by flying into Tangier Ibn Battouta Airport, which is about 90 minutes by car.

Who I'd recommend it to: If you want complete privacy and to be treated like royalty, I can’t recommend this property more. The spacious villas make this a good fit for groups, as well.

(This luxury resort in paradise doesn’t skimp on sustainability)