Morocco's capital, Rabat, seeing uptick in luxury tourism

With its warm weather and rich history, the Moroccan capital Rabat is seeing a growth in its luxury tourism sector, with five new opulent hotels under construction.

"We have approximately 10 luxury hotels, all of them international brands. The goal is to attract the largest number of foreign tourists,” says regional tourism delegate, Noureddine Sridi.

One of them, the Four Seasons Hotel Rabat, was Sultan Moulay Slimane’s palace during the 18th century and then a military hospital from 1912.

This grand property is now one of the city's most prominent landmarks, with the hotel opening in October last year.

Spanning two hectares, it boasts an architectural design that reflects Moroccan heritage and preserves design elements dating back to the Sultan's era, such as carved wooden ceilings.

Its general manager, Gregory Viaud, says they are very proud of the hotel’s history

“The team is all aware of what it used to be and share the history of the place with all the guests checking in," he says.

The hotel has 200 rooms and suites and some lucky guests may even get to sleep in the room where the Sultan once slept.

In Harhoura, some 23 kilometres from Rabat, the Conrad Rabat Arzana Hotel overlooks the Atlantic Ocean.

Its general manager Jean Yong Pittion says they are seeing an increase in guests from Asia, and particularly Taiwan.

"They show a great interest to Morocco, looking for a new destination, something different that a lot of people are actually looking at now," he says.

While the hotel does embrace the local culture, offering guests traditional mint tea when they arrive, the restaurant also serves a selection of Asian dishes.

Sridi says, however, that guests coming to Rabat are not only looking for luxury, they also want to explore the city’s history.

They are venturing out to discover some of Rabat’s many historical sites, including the 12th century Hassan Tower, the Chellah or medieval fortified necropolis, and the old city

With it beautiful beaches, exotic cities, and pristine mountains, Morocco is very popular among Europeans too, and tourism makes up about 7% of the country’s GDP.