Royal Mansour vs Mandarin Oriental

Our editorial take

Royal Mansour was built by King Mohammed VI and no detail was left cheap, which is the whole proposition: a wedding where you feel like Moroccan royalty for three days. Each riad has three floors, a courtyard and a roof terrace. The Mandarin Oriental sells something more transferable, Asian-standard hospitality in a Moroccan setting, with precise service, contemporary design and villas that come with their own pools. The Mandarin has more outdoor ground and more room for a marquee. Royal Mansour has the Michelin star; the Mandarin's restaurants are strong and more varied in style. The real fork here is traditional Moroccan grandeur against clean contemporary lines, and couples usually know which one they are within about five minutes of looking at photographs.