Our holidays at Selman Marrakech

We spent a short week at Selman Hotel during a fall vacation, with my husband and 4-year-old son. It was almost 10 years since I last came to Marrakech, so I could not wait to find this mesmerizing city, which I love so much.

I was tired, I had worked a lot, I could not wait to find myself with my two men under the sun of Marrakech. But our friends the baggage handlers did not quite see it that way, and so they chose the day we left to start a strike that lasted five days. As a result, after waiting four hours at the airport, we were transferred to a provincial airport to take off. It took us more than twelve hours to reach Marrakech, whereas usually only three hours are needed from Brussels. Fortunately, my son was a love and was very patient. The hotel was aware of this situation and when we arrived at the front desk, the concierge offered us a relaxing 30 minute welcome massage at a special price of €50. So I put down my bags, left Achilles in the arms of his dad and sped to the spa to relax. And yes, there I was the queen!

When my son came into our room, he happily discovered a cute little handwritten message written by the head of the kids club to welcome him. A very pretty pony craft fabric was placed on his bed for a blanket aswell, a pony that we all three immediately baptized ‘Selman’. A bottle of red wine, fresh fruit, dates and nuts were waiting for us near the minibar. The room was very beautiful and very large, like something out of the Arabian Nights.

In the bathroom, bath products in the colours of the Little Prince were arranged for my son, next to small slippers and a bathrobe in his size.

A terrace equipped with a comfortable sofa offered a magnificent view on the majestic swimming pool of 80 meters. A swimming pool very convenient for swimmers, but also for children, because the two ends of the pool have a depth of 40cm, which allows little ones to have fun safely.

While talking with other families at the hotel, we came to the same conclusion: the Selman is the perfect place for children, as they can roam the vast estate in complete safety.

The mini-club is housed in a beautiful building of Moroccan inspiration and there is everything you need for children to have fun: a sandpit, slide, trampoline, table football, bikes and pedal cars, video games, books and games, soft toys…the interior decoration is very beautiful. Medhi, who manages the mini-club with passion, is the son of a lady who has already set up several kids-clubs in Marrakech hotels. She passed on her passion to her son who is endowed with a great creative talent that he makes available to children, for example with salt dough workshops and delirious karaoke sessions!

But the must at Selman is, of course, the famous stables where beautiful Arab horses enjoy happy days. Donkeys and ponies also live in these stables, to the delight of children who can ride a carriage and even indulge in a dressage class with Sadek, a famous horse rider who teaches them how to make the pony dance, to make him walk with elegance…but also to brush him and to prepare his braid.

Our son Achilles loved his pony ride in the gardens of the hotel embellished with olive trees, lemon trees and majestic palms.

It’s not just Medhi who loves children, it’s was the same with all the staff we met. Every morning, the hostess who welcomed us at breakfast welcomed Achilles with a big smile accompanied by a « Hello, my little prince! ». And what about the pool bartenders, who enjoyed playing water pistols with our son?! As parents, it’s really great to feel so well surrounded. The Selman is a luxury hotel, certainly, but above all it’s a hotel dedicated to families.

What to do in Marrakech when it rains? It happens so rarely, we spent this day at the spa. Normally, the spa’s indoor pool is not open to children, but the spa team was very understanding and we were able to bathe there as a family. I offered myself a nice pedicure and my husband succumbed to the ritual of the hammam, followed by a relaxing massage. Then we all sat on the comfortable loungers of the spa sipping a mint tea and dried fruit. This moment was our little pampering parenthesis.

The breakfast buffet is very well stocked. I loved the special « detox » corner made of high quality light products such as homemade granola, soy milk and smoothies. The Moroccan crepes, which are prepared fresh with artisanal honey made my son very happy. My husband enjoyed the avocados and the smoked salmon.

At noon, we usually had lunch by the pool. Salads and sandwiches were on the menu.

One night, we ate at the traditional Moroccan restaurant. On the menu: couscous, tajine and traditional live music t which our son danced after his desert. Long live the holidays!

The three restaurants at Selman each offer a rich children’s menu.

A cozy bar next to the hotel’s lobby offers chichas and cocktails made to perfection.

For Achilles, no cocktail, but a bottle of milk every night before falling asleep, a bottle that room service always provided.

One day, my husband, a little awkward, spilled his glass of red wine on my silk dress. A dress that I love! Unlucky! The concierge then called the person in charge of the pressing service, a kind Moroccan lady who reassured me. Like a caring grandmother, she took care of my dress and brought it back to me 2 hours later, completely clean! « Thank you, Madam! », exclaimed my husband, who was already thinking of how to fix his mistake by taking me shopping.

The Selman puts at the disposal of its guests two free private shuttles to the Medina every day. These shuttles leave the hotel in the late morning and late afternoon, which is very convenient to enjoy the magic of zouks and the famous Jema Efna, located 15 minutes from the hotel.

At the end of our holidays, we returned home light-hearted, with the pleasant feeling of being pampered throughout our stay. This trip has allowed us the pleasure every day of our son cuddling up to his small pony Selman when it’s time to sleep.

Oh yes, I forgot, I was not going to leave you without giving you our good addresses in Marrakech:

• The Majorelle Gardens and the Yves Saint-Laurent Museum, plan a half day with the family to stroll in these famous gardens and have lunch at the Café Majorelle located on the site.
• The Family: the place to be for lunch in the Jewish quarter of the Medina. Probably the most Instagram-themed restaurant in the city. Here everything is good, everything is beautiful and everything is healthy. A true bobo-chic haven of peace.
• The Café des Epices: I advise you to ask for a rooftop seat for an aperitif, but be careful, there is no alcohol.
• Nomad: for a dinner on the terrace overlooking the rooftops of Marrakech. Traditional Moroccan dishes are revisited with a nice little twist.