Can't believe this hotel isn't number one on your list!!!!!

Having read some of the reviews since Christmas we were concerned we might have made a mistake in booking up La Sultana - particularly over the comments on service. We could not have been more pleasantly surprised. The hotel is simply exquisite and the staff could not have been more helpful or efficient. We've stayed at many five star hotels in the world and are pretty fussy but this really was SUPERB, comparable only to La Posta Vecchia in Lazio for that special feeling and the desire never to leave the establishment. Breakfasts on the upstairs terrace are beautiful French pastries with excellent coffee; the food in the restaurant is pricey but first class; the spa is simply divine - swimming in a long colonnaded jaccuzi lit only by a burning log fire is just magical - and the spa treatments were beautiful and good value. Staff are just soooooo nice and kind. A wonderful place for a romantic long weekend. Would recommend getting a room with a balcony.

Beautiful hotel

We arrived at night and were overwhelmed by the beauty of the hotel when we had our tour. Our room(La Cygne) was probably one one of the more basic ones, but despite this the bathroom was luxurious with "gold" sinks and rose petals sprinkled everywhere! Views from the roof terrace across to the Atlas and into the market made it feel exotic. We had very good service up on the terrace at breakfast and lunch. The lunch was a bit pricy but of better quality than anywhere else we ate. The dinner by the pool couldn't have had a more romantic setting with the lanterns etc. Our only experience of less satisfactory service was ordering an early breakfast from reception for our last day and not getting it until we phoned to ask where it was. The whole hotel felt cosy and intimate and we were always finding new nooks and crannies to read and relax in. Would recommend this hotel for a romantic break.

Wonderful hotel - service maddening

Just got back from La Sultana and must agree with most of the other reviewers - great 'Wow factor' hotel but the service makes Fawlty Towers look good.

Lovely staff but so many requests just didn't get attended to, even basic stuff like asking for tissues in the bathroom. Along with coffee that never appeared, taxis that didn't got ordered, the alarm call, needed on the last morning of our stay didn't materialize (of course)! The French female owner was visiting whilst we were there and so I thought the service would improve but it was not to be. Eventually, if you stay long enough, you get into the swing of it and learn to expect poor service. At these prices, however, it is somewhat galling. I noticed that the greatest proportion of the guests were, like us, English so maybe it's our 'no complaints' culture to blame. It is certainly not the fault of the serving staff - what this place needs is a suitable European or American managment team but madam owner doesn't appear to have grasped this yet.

Disappointed

We stayed at la Sultana in February 2005. The location is fantastic, in the Old Town - a must as it makes it so much easier to come and go during the day, and the Old Town is where it is at. I wouldn't stay in one of the modern hotels (but see below).

You would never find the Riad if you didn't know where to look - up a dead end alley off the Rue De la Casbah, and pretty incongruous amid the hustle and bustle of the city. It is truly an oasis of calm and tranquility, the interior of the Riad was incredibly furnished and renovated, almost opulent, and the roof terrace a delight.

Staff were wonderful, and the only disappointment was the room - La Leopard - which was supposed to be a suite but didn't have a sitting room (though there was a couch - uncomfy - at the end of the bed. Although again very well decored (?), and with a wonderful bathroom, it was on the ground floor and completely internal, with the only windows opening out onto an inside courtyard. When inside the room it was a must therefore to have the shutters closed, and it felt a bit gloomy. No doubt this would aid the heat avoidance in summer, but when going away in February for some winter sun it is a bit disappointing not to have any daylight at all - don't know if all Riads are like this (and I suspect there are not many great views in the Old Town).

We spent a long time trying to decide where to stay and it wasn't cheap, on the whole it lived up to expectations, but the bedroom let it down.

Slowness is cultural...

We went to spend a short breakaway in La Sultana to enjoy Marrakech. We come to Marrakech twice to 3 times a year... and we are so used to slowness from everyone...People say 'Inch Allah' and consider that running after time is not necessary as you will always have to take the time to die...

Another culture ....and you can feel it everywhere money is not involved...staff is always nice, smiling, helpful but surely not in an hurry as we are, ... poor Europeans...

It would be a shame if we only consider this aspect to judge such a marvellous property where you can finally take the time to live...

Think to it, it's another continent, another world and enjoy the fact that you can go to such a different world in few hours..;or just do not go...but please think to culture before considering right or wrong from a narrow point of view...

A Morocco's lover indeed as there are surely others... and we just felt in love with La Sultana as well where we could appreciate a wonderful spa and '4 hands massages'...

Inconsistent Service

This hotel has been beautifully restored with lots of wonderful nooks and cranies in the four riads.

The spa is absolutely excellent with highly attentive therapists. Also, dinner round the swimming pool in the evening was wonderful, with superb service.

Unfortunately the same could not be said for breakfast, lunch and room service. The service was extremely slow and often the staff got very simple orders wrong. I do not expect this at the price we were paying.

In the room there was a plague of ants in the bathroom and the showerhead kept falling off.

Also, the level of heating of the swimming pool was insufficient.

If this hotel is going to be successful, then it needs to maintain the rooms properly, and ensure consistent and prompt service.

Amazing riad, shame about the service

We have just returned from a week's holiday in Marrakech and fill compelled to write a review for the first time.

Having found La Sultana on the web and read several reviews we were looking forward to our 6 night stay. On arrival we were given a night time tour of the riad and marvelled at the architecture and detail of the property.

In the morning we explored, and in daylight you can really appreciate the craftsmanship and beauty of this property.

I'm afraid I have to report that if you stay here then there is a big but attached and that is service, or should I say the lack of it. The staff are wonderful and friendly, the surrounding are amazing, the food great, if a little pricy, but there is no communications between the staff.

50% of our orders were never completed and when they were it took an inordinate amount of time to arrive. Expect to wait an hour to have your fire lit if at all. On a side note, La Sultana is a cold riad at night, which didn't seem to be a problem at other riad we visited for dinner (LA VILLA DES ORANGERS)

We had an early departure on Friday and booked breakfast for 7.15, needless to say it never turned up, even after several phone calls and actually going to reception to check on its progress.

It may seem a petty complaint but it wares you down over the days. When you pay top dollar rates you expect top dollar service. It has put us off ever going back to La Sultana.

It is quoted in several reviews that the owners want to remain "fiercely anonymous", so do the management! We have had no response from the management about our complaint as yet, say no more.

Come on La Sultana Management pull your Babouches up at get things sorted.

Could be great, but for a few small niggles

We have just returned from a 5-night stay at La Sultana. The hotel is well presented and has impressive decorative features. We were upgraded from a Prestige Deluxe room to a Junior Suite called La Leopard. I guess we enjoyed our stay but there were a few niggles that prevent me from returning; (i) staff were pleasent enough but not attentive enough. Our stay would have been much better had we been offered drinks by the fire/on the roof terrace, instead of having to hunt-down staff (ii) I don't like hotels that ask you to sign a blank credit-card voucher on arrival for 'extras'. I refused and to be fair, this was accepted; (iii) we noticed a bad smell in our room for 2 or 3 days (perhaps drains). Housekeepers managed to disguise this but I don't think we identified the reasons (iv) our room was very noisey at night. There was frequent door-banging and the marble floors meant that we heard every movement from the floor above (v) we had 2 washbasins but one wouldn't empty, taps and showerhead were loose.

When the hotel fixes these small niggles, this would be a great place to stay.

Sultana : the oriental dream

we spent 3 wonderful nights for our honeymoon at La Sultana and it was absolutely fabulous. Staff was excellent, spa therapists are like angels and the surroundings are far away from what we could have ever imagined.

A memorable honeymoon I would greatly recommend to travellers looking for the best & trendy.

Outstanding place

This recently opened hotel is the reunion of 4 palaces that have been carefully restored in true moroccan style.

This is an amazing place with a mix of serenity and luxury that I had never experienced before.

In addition to the confort of rooms and their amazing bathrooms, there is a magnificent swimming pool and 1200 sq metres of gardens on the roof.

Staff is extremely friendly and helpful.

Definitely worth the trip and the price !!