Villa Des Orangers in Marrakech

The style is Moorish palatial and it has 16 rooms and suites arranged on two levels around a pair of beautiful courtyards - one of them filled with the eponymous orange trees, the other lavishly decorated with lacy carved plasterwork. All rooms have a bath and shower, mini-bar, safe, satellite TV and phone; six suites have private sun terraces.

All guests have access to the roof with its plunge pool and matchless views of the nearby Koutoubia Mosque and its landmark minaret. The location is good - just a few minutes walk from Jemaa El Fna, the old city's central square. Befitting its status as one of the few "Relais et Chateaux" hotels in Morocco, the service and attention to detail is outstanding.

Villa des Orangers has an additional adjoining courtyard with three more luxurious garden suites overlooking a large pool (48 x 12 ft) and gardens. Each of these suites has a living room and bedroom with fireplace, bath and shower, small dressing room with double vanity facilities, plasma screen TV, CD and DVD player, internet connection, safe and mini-bar.

In a second extension, there are another 8 suites and a traditional hammam with massge cabins, restaurant, a third pool, fitness room and winter lounge as well as a larger garden.

Other features are a restaurant with Moroccan and Mediterranean cuisine, a massage cabin, boutique and changing room with shower for those guests who have a late check-out prior to leaving for the airport.