Amazing Hotels – Life beyond the lobby Kasbah Tamadot

The BBC this week aired an episode of “Amazing Hotels – Beyond the lobby”, whilst I’ve never watched it before I was intrigued to see that they had visited Kasbah Tamadot. I’ve heard about this hotel in the Atlas Mountains of Morocco and been past it many times but never been inside. An ideal opportunity to have a peek!

At only 50 km from Marrakech and about 2 hours travelling on mountain roads Kasbah Tamadot is in a great position as a getaway from the bustle of Marrakech. It’s surrounded by high walls and boasts heated infinity pools, a different world entirely and not much for the locals to be happy about?

How wrong could you be? The staff are 100% local. No mean feat and it’s taken 15 years to achieve but how amazing is that? There are 140 staff working in every area of the hotel and all are from the oldest culture in North Africa, the Berber or Amazigh. Moroccans generally are known for their warm hospitality, the Berbers especially and the staff in Kasbah Tamadot have made it their mission to share their culture. Everyone who comes is treated to the warmest welcome. Kasbah Tamadot is essentially run by locals, there are so many family connections that they have a board showing how everyone is connected and to who. For many a home from home. None of the staff live on site so each day they are picked up and dropped off by mini bus.

Kasbah Tamadot is set in 27 acres of garden and boasts rooms, suites, tents and a 3 bedroom villa. There is more accommodation to come in 2024, all beautifully in tune with the incredible surroundings. It is nestled in amongst the Atlas Mountains with the most stunning views in every direction. It is 102 years old and was originally built as the home of the governor of the area. Built on a high spot to protect from invasion. Later sold to an antique dealer who filled it full of antiques and later discovered by Eve Branson, Richard’s mother, who convinced him to buy it when it came up for sale in 1998.
So many tasteful and classy Moroccan touches have been added since then and with the stunning, stunning views and pure air Kasbah Tamadot celebrates the ancient mountains. Mrs Branson set about teaching locals to speak English, having the foresight to see that a hotel would need staff and if they were to come from the local area then English lessons were vital.

Mrs Branson was also instrumental in setting up a local women’s cooperative, investing in the local community in many different ways. The HR Manager of the hotel is president of the cooperative which supplies the hotel with bath mats, cushions, rugs and wooden bowls form local workshops. It also supplies handmade uniforms, designed in the traditional Moroccan style as well as the babouches(leather slippers) and straw hats that are given as gifts to clients.

The grounds have a low key feel, a certain calm and relaxed atmosphere, almost retreat like, surrounded by the mountains, add to that the “petting” zoo of camels, donkeys, mules and cashmere goats and what more could you ask for

The restaurant is a 5 star fine dining establishment that still manages to serve authentic food. The bread is made from a traditional recipe with simple local ingredients, flour, semolina, yeast and water. It’s cooked in a wood fired, clay oven at the bottom of the garden. Someone once said food reflects the person who cooks it and this can definitely be said of the food at Kasbah Tamadot. Many of the ingredients, preserved lemons, olives and herbs, come from the weekly market in nearby Asni and all are cooked with love and attention to detail.

In the last 20 years tourism in Morocco has tripled and it has become a trendy travel destination, seems like Mrs. Branson was ahead of her time.