CHECKING-IN TO | CABANA TRAVEL | WORLD OF CABANA
Villa Mabrouka, Jasper Conran's second hotel in Morocco, is a masterclass in elegant restraint and might just feature one of the best hotel bedrooms ever decorated, finds Jamie Sharp. He checks in to the North African hideaway - the former home of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé - for an authentic, yet rarefied, taste of Tangier.
WORDS BY JAMIE SHARP | CABANA TRAVEL | 19 FEBRUARY 2025
Cabana readers will be acquainted with the new wave of quirky, charming boutique hotels which, in the last decade, have sprung up in off-the-beaten-path locales. Beautiful, simple, secluded, although sometimes a bit too quiet. As such, they don't always pack the same punch as a good old-fashioned hotel.
This was the category of stay I had in mind before visiting Villa Mabrouka in Tangier – and which it proceeded to blow out of the water. The house, built in the 1930s, was notably acquired in 1997 by Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge. It became the stage of the couple’s combined imagination and talents, with their theatrical vision realized by French decorator, Jacques Grange.
Since it passed hands to British designer Jasper Conran, Villa Mabrouka has been the subject of a spectacular, sensitive and much-lauded restoration, which cleverly brings the house into its next act as a hotel.
Not seeking to overly replicate the past, Jasper’s decoration presents another layer to the house’s history. Laid out over a series of terraced gardens near the Kasbah, with a view that reaches across the Strait of Gibraltar, the house is bathed in a painterly light that softens throughout the day.
The rooms, following Yves’ original concept of ‘one color per room’, are rarefied yet simple. The whole place is a lesson in restraint and understatement, with interiors that celebrate color, and light. In the sitting room, Jasper has decorated with simple white sofas and low Moroccan tables. There is an extraordinary oyster shell screen that once belonged to Syrie Maugham, as well as a panel of Ancient Roman mosaics.
While all 12 of Villa Mabrouka's rooms and (six) suites are beautiful, Yves’ bedroom might just be one of the best bedrooms ever decorated. Approached through a multifoil arch with brass studded doors, it has teal blue painted beams, and a green and white scheme with marble consoles and understated white furniture. Outside, the wicker-filled terrace has a view of the ocean. Close by, Bergé’s suite is wrapped in paille panelling with attractive arched doorways.
With over 100 members of staff, despite its modest size, the hotel is abuzz with life and activity. Yet it's never hard to find a peaceful spot. The villa's pavilions, dotted around the gardens, can be used for private dining or quiet afternoon reading. The pool pavilion - famously decorated in shades of pink and green by Stuart Church - frames the view of Spain with an elegantly shaped window.
Another, painted under Jacques Grange’s direction, is a verdant trellis painted in faux bamboo. Nestled in a lower terrace, the pool, tiled in shimmering shades of blue and set against a dramatic rock backdrop, is an oasis unto itself.
The dining experience mirrors the hotel’s ethos: elegant, understated, and rooted in a sense of place with a restaurant that spills onto a terrace overlooking the garden. The menu, which blends Moroccan tradition and European influence, champions fresh, seasonal ingredients and serves some of the best Moroccan food in Tangier.
Beyond the walls of Villa Mabrouka, Tangier - Morocco’s ‘White City’ - has a lot to offer, and is a place in which I felt immediately at home. The souk in the Medina provides travelers with an authentic experience of local Moroccan life, something which has almost entirely disappeared in the larger cities, most obviously Marrakech. Tangier isn't particularly geared towards tourists, which is what makes the city, and this hotel, such a perfect destination for the Cabana reader seeking a real travel experience.
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