Andrew Montgomery

Morocco was a source of endless inspiration for the legendary fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent. He traveled here twice a year with his partner Pierre Bergé to work on his haute couture collections. In 1990, he bought the Villa Mabrouka in Tangier, where he spent the summer with Bergé. The designer's new villa - originally a modernist house from the 1940s - was intended to look like the home of an eccentric Englishman. Each room was decorated with chintz and its own color. "It was like decorating a house for characters from a Tennessee Williams play," says French interior designer Jacques Grange of Saint Laurent's vision, which he was commissioned to design. Grange also counts Princess Caroline of Monaco, fashion designer Valentino Garavani and celebrity chef Alain Ducasse among his clients. He had previously furnished the couple's Château Gabriel in Benerville-sur-Mer in Normandy and was closely acquainted with them.

A new look

Andrew Montgomery

In 2017, nine years after Saint Laurent's death, Grange was commissioned by Bergé to brush up the design of the villa. The chintz was removed and replaced with rattan furniture and thatched walls; instead of the sea of bright colors, a palette of natural and earthy tones lends the rooms an airy ambience now. In 2019, British designer Jasper Conran finally bought Villa Mabrouka to transform it into a luxurious hotel, following his success with the L'Hotel Marrakech in 2016. Last year, the hideaway finally opened its historic doors to guests, who were able to spend the night in Saint Laurent's former so called House of Happiness.

Andrew Montgomery

For Conran, it was important to preserve the aesthetic integrity of his predecessors. He had always appreciated the way Saint Laurent and Bergé had drawn attention to Morocco: "When I was working on the 'Villa Mabrouka', I first realized how significant the building was. So it was less of a design project and more of a conservation project." In addition to the usual improvement work, the designer added a handful of new rooms and garden huts as well as three restaurants, a coffee bar and a roof terrace.

Timeless elegance

Andrew Montgomery

Located just outside Tangier's Kasbah and Medina, guests will now find an oasis of tasteful opulence, blooming gardens and the finest Mediterranean cuisine. Fresh fish and pasta take center stage, while the dessert menu is extensive. The rooms and suites shine with understated luxury. Cozy upholstered beds, white country house furniture and fresh flowers, as well as individual details, make the eye wander.

Andrew Montgomery

However, the absolute highlight is undoubtedly the breathtaking gardens that Saint Laurent and Bergé built in the early 1990s. You'll not only find the pools located here, but new bedrooms and pavilions for romantic dinners also invite you to dream. It's just like the fashion master had once imagined. 

Andrew Montgomery

Villa Mabrouka
Sidi Bouknadel 1, 90000 Tangier, Morocco
Tel.: +212 80 852 6436
Web: villamabrouka.com
Price: Suites from € 324, 3 nights minimum stay