Jnane Tamsna

Marrakech - The Palmeraie

Bathed in an incredible light that has inspired so many painters, Marrakech is in a dream like setting. Facing the snow capped peaks of the High Atlas Mountains and surrounded by ochre colored ramparts, it is truly a fascinating and magical city.

Founded almost a thousand years ago, it possesses an extraordinary architectural heritage. Its Medina contains numerous palaces and the celebrated Koutoubia mosque.

The colorful souks and the Place Jemaa el-Fna form a living theatre. If however, the hyperactivity of the city gets to be too much, visitors are only a few kilometers from the mythical Palmeraie. Createdduring the 11^th century by the Almoravides dynasty, it’s a veritable oasis at the gates to the city that is very popular with the jet set.

100,000 trees spread over 15,000 hectares surround several luxurious villas and sumptuous palace hotels. A favorite with multi-millionaires and show business personalities, the Palmeraie is an exceptional natural heritage since it consists of magnificent, exorbitant nature and luxurious ultra modern urbanism.

A luxurious country villa

Nestled in a luxuriant gardenin the heart of the Palmeraie, Jnane Tamsna is the work of Meryanne Loum-Martin, the owner of the property and her husband, Gary. Entirely designed by Meryanne, the hotel’s 3 buildings look like a Moorish hacienda. Meryanne was inspired by traditional Moroccan architecture in terms of its volumes and space, as well as its patios and fountains. As she is also an interior decorator, it was she who created the décor which is a blend of Oriental, African and European influences and aesthetics.

Jnane, Moussafir and Dar Ylane, the 3 houses on the property have a total of 24 rooms. Designed as luxurious country villas, they each have a pleasant living room and totally different bedrooms. The natural materials enhanced by traditional craft techniques, create a gentle harmony of tones.

There are no numbers on the room doors and there are no keys since one is among friends. In the Jnane house, the style is oriental cozy with certain British touches. Meryanne’s hand is everywhere with objects from all over the world, made to measure furniture, like a canopy bed supported by lances in the Touareg room.

Protected by a giant bougainvillea and surrounded by jasmin, the Voyager house proposes a more specific spirit. Each room has its own country including Mali, Morocco, Persia, Syria, and Northern India. The striking colors are contained in a daring blend of traditional or made to order fabrics which contrast with the sober aspect of the honey and saffron tones of the bathrooms.

The gardens,created by Gary, an ethno botanist, pay tribute to the great Arab-Andalusian horticultural tradition. The 2.5 hectares are crisscrossed by narrow paths and possess a blend of scented flowers like jasmine, lavender and daturas as well as aromatic herbs from the organic vegetable garden whose products are used to create the hotel’s cuisine.

In this enchanting resort, days are spent relaxing on one of the rooftop terraces with magnificent views of the High Atlas, and enjoying the immense swimming pool surrounded by palm and olive trees.

At nightfall, guests take refuge under the patio for a cocktail and, depending on their mood, can choose to have dinner on the roof, lit by lanterns, in the perfumed garden or if it’s a bit chilly, inside, around the fireplace.

All the objects designed by Meryanne Loum-Martin can be purchased or ordered at the hotel.