Pickalbatros Hotel du Golf

Set among the palms of Marrakech’s Palmeraie district, Pickalbatros Hôtel Du Golf Palmeraie Marrakech is a five-star resort shaped around time on the course and slower afternoons by the pool. Golf is close at hand, with Pickalbatros Golf Club only a few hundred metres from the hotel and an 18-hole championship course intended to work for accomplished players and those finding their way into the game. Marrakech-Menara Airport is around a 20-minute drive away, while the city centre is roughly 15 minutes by road, so a round can still leave plenty of time for the medina.

The golf has a parkland feel, played through palms with water coming into view on several holes. Lakes and bunkers ask for considered club selection and controlled approaches, rather than simply reaching for the driver, while the valley setting brings the Atlas Mountains into the background. The neighbouring Golf Club Rotana Palmeraie has 27 holes designed by Robert Trent Jones, giving the resort a strong golfing base for a longer stay. Accuracy is the useful currency here, particularly where water and sand narrow the line into greens.

There are 315 rooms and suites, most with a balcony or terrace facing the gardens, pool or course. A Deluxe Golf View room adds a terrace over the fairways, while Premium King and Premium Golf View rooms provide 44 square metres with a seating area and desk. Between rounds, teak decking surrounds the outdoor pool and the spa offers a quieter change of pace. Pasta Cosy handles Italian cooking, with Jawhara and Karmoussa serving international menus, and Hole 19 Bar is well placed for an alcoholic or soft drink after golf. The Bodylines Fitness and Wellness Club has free weights and machines, alongside yoga, Pilates and strength sessions. A complimentary shuttle also runs to Djemaa el-Fna square.