Moroccan Magic: The Five-Star Resort Just 3-Hours From London
From palm tree-lined world-class golf courses to rugged coastlines that haven’t been trapped by tourism, indulgent spa treatments to adrenaline-inducing sports – oh, and absolutely unforgettable food – Morocco’s Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort has it all.
Just a 45-minute drive from Casablanca and a three-hour flight from London, this easily accessible and utterly magical destination is the perfect setting for a luxurious escape that ticks plenty of boxes. The Handbook’s Contributing Fashion & Lifestyle Editor, Astrid Carter, spent three nights there, full of relaxation, restoration, as well as a healthy dose of indulgence and fun.
What sets it apart
While Marrakesh is often the default Moroccan holiday choice, if you’re after a destination that offers something different – relaxation, an off-the-beaten-path vibe, and a cooling coastal breeze – El Jadida’s Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort is one to bookmark.
Nestled between the wild Atlantic Ocean (perfect for surfers) and a vast, untouched Eucalyptus forest, the resort’s surroundings are rural and expansive, but the property itself offers unadulterated, all-out luxury. It is also part of the Kerzner Group, which boasts the world-renowned hotels Atlantis, The Palm and Atlantis, The Royal – very boujie. Needless to say, the place is dripping with five-star service and unadulterated luxury, and it is no wonder everyone from actual royalty to pop stars has holidayed there.
Needless to say, the place is dripping with five-star serivce and unadulterated luxury, and it is no wonder everyone from actual royalty to pop stars has holidayed there.
The location
El Jadida isn’t exactly a hotbed of tourism; it’s a small city with rugged coastlines blissfully free from contrived beach bars and clubs, if that’s more your vibe. But in short, there’s not all that much going on there, and that is Mazagan’s secret weapon. The resort sits just outside the city, creating an incredible USP for those seeking complete stillness and seclusion.
It’s also just a 45-minute drive from Casablanca, and a three-hour plane ride from London, making it the perfect spot for a tandem city/relaxation break, or just going straight in for the R&R you need.
A unique bonus, which I only found out when spotting dozens of beautiful Arab horses cantering along the shoreline, is that the area is also known as the unofficial ‘equestrian capital’ of Morocco. So, if you’re into horse riding or anything equestrian, like me, you’re in for a treat – more on that later.
Food & drink
Here is where Mazagan truly excels. Now, I know not all resorts are created equal. I have, in my time, experienced some less-than-inspiring food options at big, showy hotels, and that’s not even counting the bad ones. There’s something about a buffet that sends a shudder down my spine (too much is not always a good thing), but I can genuinely say that everything I ate at Mazagan was excellent.
Let’s start with breakfast. Picture copious amounts of sweet mint Moroccan tea, served from a great height in those charming, gold-rimmed glasses, alongside omelette stations and a huge variety of veg-heavy sides.
You’ll also find enormous bowls of olives in every variety, an abundance of colour, and lots of sticky pistachio and date-filled pastries for when you’re not feeling virtuous. Oh, and the coffee: 10/10.
Aside from the daily bounty of breakfasts I happily over-indulged in, Mazagan offers a spectacular range of dining options with 15 bars and restaurants on the property alone.
On the first night, we headed to Sel de Mer, a fish-focused restaurant that serves the freshest possible catch straight from the Atlantic Ocean, where the resort sits. We tucked into local Moroccan oysters (a delightful first for me, despite being a big fan of the shellfish on British shores) that were plump and subtly sweet.
The highlight, however, was the signature shellfish cream soup. Creamy and indulgent yet grounded by an unctuous bisque base, it was honestly one of the best seafood soups I have ever had, topped with crispy, olive-oil-drizzled croutons. We followed this with meaty turbot topped with sweet clams and resting in a pool of rich lobster butter. Divine. This was, without a doubt, Mazagan’s most refined dining option.
The next day called for lunch al fresco – a welcome treat given that I visited in October, when autumn had firmly set in back in the UK. El Jadida’s comfortable microclimate, year-round temperatures (mid-to-late 20s) and glorious sea breeze meant we could dine outdoors. We headed to Buddha-Bar Beach, perched on a deck right up against the sand. I was lucky enough to catch its last weekend of operation for the season. The theme is Asian-inspired, featuring the same high-quality menu served in its sister restaurants globally, from Dubai to Paris.
This was perfect for a mid-day refuel: delicious sushi rolls, top-quality sashimi, and salads that packed a punch with spicy Asian flavours. Oh, and fantastic, sinkable cocktails. It definitely has a luxurious beach club vibe, and I can imagine it gets quite buzzy in the summer months.
In between the main events were a few low-key stops, from pastries and coffee at the charming French-inspired Anis Café in the lobby to the relaxed and informal Beach Barbecue, serving traditional grilled meats that arrive sizzling to the table, plus salads for something light, and pizzas to please little ones.
For the final night, we reserved a spot at Bushra, part of the same restaurant group as the globally loved Buddha-Bar. And what a final meal it was. The interiors here are genuinely stunning: low lighting peppered with Moroccan lanterns overhead, dark corners, sweeping floor-to-ceiling curtains, and dark wood that made it feel like a scene from a Bond film. The menu is predominantly Lebanese with a small selection of traditional Moroccan dishes.
We tucked into an absolute feast of silky hummus topped with crispy lamb, succulent kebabs, smoky aubergine tartare, zesty stuffed vine leaves, and crisp filo pastries filled with piping hot cheese. Every dish was a celebration of Middle Eastern colour and spice, and beautifully balanced.
The meal came to a delicious climax with a chocolate box of desserts, ranging from the traditional Moroccan Jawhara (similar to an almond mille-feuille) to the Lebanese Knafeh – a stringy pastry topped with melted, creamy cheese, sweetened with pistachio and vanilla ice cream. Heaven.
The soundtrack to the evening was a live band playing traditional Middle Eastern music with a modern twist – they definitely got the crowd moving.
The rooms
If there was one area the 2009-built hotel could benefit from a light revamp, it was the rooms. They were delightfully spacious and supremely comfortable – the bed provided this tired mama with three nights of heavenly, high-thread-count, uninterrupted sleep – but they felt perhaps a little dated. However, the views facing the ocean were gorgeous to wake up to, and they had all the amenities needed, like a decent coffee machine and ample storage space. I also had a peek at some of the more premium suites, and they are stunning, but obviously fall under a higher price bracket.
The rest of the hotel is grand and spacious, particularly the sweeping lobby area, which is circled by restaurants and boutiques. Also worth noting is the very cool Studio 42 bar, a 1940s-inspired celebration of glitz and glamour, taking notes from the iconic film Casablanca. They serve a genuinely brilliant cocktail, like the signature Mazagan, a heady mix of homemade Moroccan rosé liqueur, Martini Rosato, Campari, and gin. There were also singers and a pianist at the grand piano, who take up residence each weekend.
Things to do
There is really no end to the activities to take part in at Mazagan. In three short days, I took on many, including trotting along the Atlantic coastline on a beautiful and very sweet horse named Cyada. The stables here are immaculate, and the horses so well looked after (and very tame – even complete novices were able to take part). As well as zip lining (let’s just say I might not have seen this one through, given that it’s Morocco’s longest high wire, and I have a minor, but very much apparent, bout of vertigo). And quad biking across the sand, that very much made me feel in my ‘adventure girl’ era and made up for the failure to take to the zip.
I also visited the hotel’s onsite farm, with a bounty of sweet billy goats, cows and chickens. Here, you can take little ones to have a day out at the farm, dine beneath the stars in the summer, and check out the walled garden that grows much of the hotel’s own produce – they even host some outdoor cooking classes at points throughout the year.
The farm also highlights the hotel’s eco-conscious work. Mazagan is the first hotel in Morocco to be awarded an EarthCheck GOLD Certification, thanks to dedications like renewable water sources in all its outdoor water features and an on-site recycling plant.
Golfers (of which I am not one) will be delighted by the premium golf course, designed by none other than golfing legend Gary Player. It boasts 18 holes with heavenly views of the Moroccan coastline.
Families are exceptionally well catered for with a brilliant kids’ club and even a dedicated ‘teen beach’ – perfect for surly adolescents who are too cool to hang out with Mum and Dad but still need supervision.
Quad biking across the sand, that very much made me feel in my ‘adventure girl’ era
And of course, there’s the spectacular pool. It sits at the centre of the resort like a traditional Moroccan riad but on steroids (it’s vast!), as well as a cute kids’ pool in a quieter and more secluded part of the resort, complete with water slides, all executed in the most tasteful and aesthetically pleasing way.
After all the activities the hotel has to offer, I was thrilled to take some time out in the hotel’s spa. Here, you can indulge in everything from a traditional hammam to a hard-working Japanese facial, or hit what was quite possibly the most inviting gym I’ve ever seen. I opted for a classic massage and fell asleep almost instantly, waking up feeling restored and like I don’t really have shoulders heavily affected by a 9-to-5 writing job. Bliss.
The verdict
Truth be told, I am generally not a fan of the vast, all-singing-all-dancing resort experience. My ideal holiday is a blend of culture, finding off-the-beaten-track places to eat and drink, alongside some much-needed relaxation, but Mazagan definitely changed my mind. Sometimes, you just need to fly somewhere and not leave, soak up all the exceptional food, on-site fun and frivolity, and incredible hospitality this one place has to offer. The result? Feeling brand new and refreshed when you get home.
Getting there & booking
There are frequent flights from London, as well as other major UK cities, to Casablanca. From the airport, the resort is just a 45-minute drive. Mazagan offers a range of packages. For a seven-night stay for two adults, prices start from £1,130 on a bed & breakfast basis in a Garden View room. Note that this excludes daily tourist taxes.
