The Domaine des Salines, Marrakech, Morocco (Vrbo): It can be tough to tread that very fine line between luxury and authenticity when you’re searching for the perfect holiday home. You want digs that embody the historical spirit of a place, but ones with the most modern of conveniences. (Gigantic infinity pools and sauna rooms are considered ordinary features today, right? Good, we assumed so.) But this property on the outskirts of Marrakech manages this balancing act with a chic sensibility worthy of Marrakech’s most fashionable fan: Yves Saint Laurent.
Welcome to the red-stone palace of luxury. While the Domaine des Salines is a fairly new property constructed with only the most deluxe materials, it was built using traditional techniques in the local style, so it comes with a hefty dose of the historical ambiance you generally only get from homes built “way back when.”
Rest assured that there’s a big check mark next to all of the standard amenities here: Private tennis court? Check. Garden filled with olive trees? Check. And, of course, the heated infinity pool of your dreams? Check check. But despite these conveniences, the nearly 15-acre property’s best feature is its location. The Domaine des Salines sits in the peaceful foothills of the Atlas Mountains surrounded by a pine forest, but the big city is only 30 minutes away.
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Think back to your best dramatic entrance—Junior prom? Your wedding? That time you saw your ex-boyfriend for the first time after a big breakup? Whatever it was, we’re sure it was fabulous…but it’s got nothing on the grand appearances that take place in this gorgeous entryway.
Strutting your stuff through the dramatic silver foyer isn’t the only way to make your entrance here. Some might consider the 30-minute commute to Marrakech a short drive. Others might say it’s about 20 minutes too long to wait to be cozied up on this couch by the fire. For the latter group, may we offer you your own private helicopter pad that allows you to fly like a bird directly from the airport to your holiday home.
This scrumptious photo poses a very serious question: If we write the next Pulitzer-winning novel while on this vacation because we were so inspired by this view-turned-writing perch, may we write our rental off on our taxes? Hold that thought while we dial Uncle Sam.
The home is giant (over 16,000 square feet!) and has seven bedrooms, which means your 13 favorite people can join you on this getaway… as long as they agree to leave you alone if the aforementioned inspiration strikes.
With marble as far as the eye can see, we’re convinced that this pristine bathroom is really just one giant splash pad. It’s like the water park of our adult dreams.
The rules clearly state that as soon as you see it, you can call dibs. May the record show: we call dibs!
You know that feeling when you’re flipping through a design mag—or rather, scrolling through interior design porn as this is the year of our Instagram Lord 2021—and you think “That! That is exactly the living room I want!” We’re having one of those moments right now.
Floor-to-ceiling windows that turn into retractable walls are all the range in California right now, but there’s something just a little different, a little more glamorous, when those walls open to let the breeze off the Atlas Mountains blow through.
The living room is all light—whites and blonde-browns—which means it’s only naturally for the kitchen to go dark. These black counters are all the better to splash some sauce on, my dear.
There’s something so refreshing about taking your dinner en plein air. Even more refreshing is living your entire Moroccan vacation in the great outdoors when these are the kind of spaces available to while away the days.
We think every evening is one that calls for candles and tiki torches while lounging in the garden.
Jesus famously walked on water, but after the past two years we’ve had, that sounds like entirely too much work. Here, you can just plop down on a chair in the middle of the infinity pool and lounge on water for as long as it takes for your mind to stop reeling. No matter who you are, we know the pandemic has been a time. You deserve a break with a view.
Book Your Stay: The Domaine des Salines, Marrakech, Morocco $2,580t/night via Vrbo
