Waldorf Astoria Rabat-Salé Review – Inside Morocco’s Tallest Hotel
Not every hotel review starts with a check-in.
This time, I never actually stayed at the hotel. I was in Rabat for only a few days and, after already spending nights at the Four Seasons and Ritz-Carlton, there simply wasn’t enough time to add another stay to the trip. I still really wanted to see the new Waldorf Astoria Rabat-Salé, though, so I managed to arrange a site visit and got the chance to explore the property properly, including the rooms, restaurants, wellness areas and pools. So before getting into everything, one important note: this isn’t a review based on an overnight stay. It’s my personal impression after seeing the hotel in person, and just like with my other reviews, I’m sharing both the things I loved and the things I wasn’t quite convinced by.
Why Stay Here?
Arrival and Rooms
Staying inside Morocco’s tallest tower is an experience in itself, and the hotel makes very good use of the height. The rooms and public areas feature large windows, with views stretching across Rabat and Salé, the Bouregreg River and towards the Atlantic. It also offers something quite different from the more traditional luxury hotels in the city. There is no historic palace here and no enormous garden surrounding the property. Instead, you get a contemporary hotel in the middle of a huge modern landmark, with Moroccan design elements mixed into a much more international luxury aesthetic. And because there are just 55 rooms and suites, the hotel feels considerably more boutique than I expected.
But he surroundings are probably the one part that still needs some patience. When I visited, there was a lot of construction happening around the tower and not much immediately around the hotel. Right now, it can feel as though the hotel has arrived before the neighbourhood around it is finished. This whole part of Rabat is changing, and I suspect that in a few years the area around the tower will look completely different. The location itself is good, but it’s simply not at its final stage yet.
The first thing that struck me once I got inside was how polished everything looked. The interior design is contemporary, but there are plenty of Moroccan influences throughout the hotel, from decorative details and patterns to the choice of materials. I had the opportunity to look at several rooms during the visit and really liked what I saw. They are spacious, elegant and very much designed around the views. The floor-to-ceiling windows bring in huge amounts of natural light and turn the surrounding landscape into part of the room itself. Hotel itslef describes the rooms as combining contemporary design with Moroccan craftsmanship and curated artwork. Depending on the room, you can look across the two cities, down towards the Bouregreg or out towards the Atlantic. Being this high above the ground completely changes the way Rabat looks.
That combination of height, space and large windows gives the hotel a very different atmosphere from anything else I experienced in Rabat.
Dining
This was probably the biggest surprise of the whole visit. The hotel has several dining concepts, including Aldabaran Alain Ducasse, its signature restaurant on the 33rd floor, as well as Peacock Alley and Brasserie Magnolia by Lahcen Hafid.
During my visit, I had lunch at Brasserie Magnolia, and I had the chance to try several different dishes. And without exaggerating, this was the best food I had during my entire time in Rabat. Everything I tried was beautifully presented, but thankfully it wasn’t one of those situations where the food looks better than it tastes. It was genuinely very good. Brasserie Magnolia itself is also a beautiful space. The restaurant takes inspiration from the Moroccan riad, with a central fountain, intricate tilework, greenery and a terrace overlooking the landscaped surroundings. The menu is built around generous, shared-style cuisine inspired by Morocco and the Levant.
The other restaurant that caught my attention is Aldabaran Alain Ducasse, which focuses on Mediterranean cuisine inspired by the French Riviera and is located high up on the 33rd floor. I didn’t have enough time to experience all of the hotel’s restaurants properly, so this isn’t a complete dining review.
But based on what I ate at Brasserie Magnolia, I’d happily come back here just for lunch or dinner.
Facilities and Experience
The wellness facilities are another area where the hotel takes advantage of its unusual location. The Waldorf Astoria Spa occupies the 31st and 32nd floors of the tower and includes Moroccan-inspired treatments, a hammam and a range of more unusual wellness experiences.
The indoor pool is on the 30th floor and is probably the facility that impressed me most. It’s semi-circular, surrounded by glass and offers around 180-degree views towards the Atlantic. Gold and white mosaics add a nice touch and make the space feel much more special than a typical hotel indoor pool.
The gym is also located on the 31st floor and is open 24 hours a day, with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the city and coast. One thing I would mention, though, is that the gym was smaller than I expected. That initially surprised me considering the size and positioning of the hotel. But then you remember that the property has only 55 rooms, so realistically, the gym should still be more than sufficient for the number of guests staying here.
Then we come to the outdoor pool, and this is where I wasn’t quite as impressed. The hotel has both an indoor and outdoor swimming pool, which is obviously great, but the outdoor one feels almost like an afterthought compared with the rest of the property. It’s relatively small and sits directly underneath the tower. Visually, I found it quite underwhelming, especially after seeing the spectacular indoor pool and the rest of the hotel. I had the slightly ridiculous thought that it almost looked like the space had originally been intended for parking and the pool was added later. That’s probably not fair, but it gives you an idea of how different it feels from the rest of the hotel. In another property I probably wouldn’t even mention it, but here, it simply stands out because almost everything else looks so polished.
Summary and Rates
Even though this was only a site visit, I left Waldorf Astoria Rabat-Salé with a very strong impression of the hotel.
There are still a few things that aren’t perfect. The surroundings need time to develop, and the outdoor pool doesn’t really live up to the rest of the property. But almost everything inside the hotel impressed me. The building itself is spectacular, the views are incredible and the rooms looked beautiful. The spa and indoor pool make excellent use of the tower’s height, and even the relatively small gym should be more than enough for a hotel with just 55 rooms. And then there is the food. Brasserie Magnolia was easily the culinary highlight of my Rabat trip, and that’s probably what surprised me most.
Would I stay here?
Absolutely.
In fact, if I come back to Rabat, this would very likely be my first choice.
One caveat worth knowing
There is still a noticeable amount of construction and development happening around the Mohammed VI Tower, so you shouldn’t expect a fully established luxury neighbourhood the moment you walk outside. For me, though, that’s more of a timing issue than a reason not to stay here. The location has huge potential, and once the surrounding development is complete, I think the whole hotel will feel even more impressive. Right now, you’re essentially seeing Waldorf Astoria Rabat-Salé at the beginning of its story.
Experience the Hotel in Motion
Click play to watch a short video tour showcasing the property’s atmosphere and key highlights.
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