Work starts on Royal Palm development in Marrakech

Mauritius based Beachcomber Hotels, one of the leading hotel groups in the Indian Ocean, is expanding its portfolio into North Africa with the construction of a new €40 million luxury development in Marrakech, Morocco.

The Royal Palm Hotel Golf & Spa Marrakech will be a 150 suite and villa hotel with a luxury Spa by Clarins, Sports Centre, four restaurants and an international 18-hole golf course. Work has already started on a separate Domaine Royal Palm development of 290 residential villas and a Country Club.

The development, due to open at the end of 2009, is located midway between the centre of Marrakech and the airport, with stunning views of the snow-capped Atlas Mountains.

Royal Palm Hotel Golf & Spa Marrakech has been designed by leading Mauritian architect, Jean-Francoise Adam, in collaboration with Maurice Giraud, who created the original design concept for the Royal Palm in Mauritius, Beachcomber’s flagship property, known as ‘the most exclusive address in the Indian Ocean’.

The design throughout the hotel, villas, surrounding gardens and courtyards will incorporate the evocative local colours, textures and traditional design elements synonymous with the culture of Southern Morocco.

According to Lindsay Walker, Beachcomber’s UK country manager: “This is Beachcomber’s first new development outside the Indian Ocean, and we are delighted to be working closely with the Moroccan government and the Domaine Royal Palm consortium on this eco-aware residential and leisure project.”

A pioneer of luxury tourism to Mauritius and a leader in the island’s hospitality industry, Beachcomber Hotels is the first Mauritius hotel company to expand outside the Indian Ocean. Beachcomber currently owns and operates eight luxury hotels in Mauritius and an exclusive resort on the private island of Sainte Anne in the Seychelles. In addition to the new development in Marrakech, a second luxury Beachcomber resort is planned in the Seychelles on the island of Praslin.

For more information, visit Beachcomber-hotels.co.uk.