La Mamounia vs Amanjena

Our editorial take

Couples rarely hesitate long between these two, because they are after different weekends. La Mamounia sits at the edge of the medina with corridors built for entrances and gardens built for photographs, and it absorbs 150 guests without strain. Amanjena is out among the olive groves on the Palmeraie's edge: pavilion rooms, an infinity pool with the Atlas behind it, and a quiet that a working palace hotel cannot give you. Its ceiling is around 150, and under that number it is one of the calmest places in the region to marry. The food differs as much as the mood, elaborate multi-course against a shorter Thai-inflected menu. For the same guest list, Amanjena lands 25 to 40 percent below La Mamounia, which surprises people who assume Aman is always the expensive answer.