The Good Life in Morocco: 2016

As-Salaam-Alaikum

Hi, i'm writing this blog page to share information with all you wanderlust souls out there. Living in Morocco comes with lots of bizarre and unexpected events, which i thought you may enjoy reading about and sharing in the laughter.

My family and I moved to Marrakech 11 years ago from London. The beginning of a huge adventure for us. Choosing which country was right for us to live in had been an extremely long and tiring process. Having made a choice to move to Marrakesh, was in itself a big box ticked. We had two criteria lists, one for our business (opening and running a guesthouse) and one for personal.

Phase two of our journey then began. Setting up home in Morocco, also a non English speaking country with a very different culture to ours. Marrakech is a real melting pot of; languages, tribes, rich, poor, city slickers, country peasants. It sometimes reminds me of that place Luke Skywalker went to, to buy that space ship, with all those different intergalactic aliens. (Any one know what it was called?) After months of beauroctratic paperwork, rendez vous with people who don't turn up and renting from an unpleasant woman for a large amount of money, we bought ourselves a villa. This was not in the plan as we didn't want to tie up our capital in a home. I now realise it is one of the best things we could have done. When you've had a really difficult day here to be able to close the door and relax in your own place really balances you.

Zamzam Riad & Spa was eventually created out of love and we hope you will come and stay and be pampered in our luxury boutique riad.

Monday, September 5, 2016

Festival Eco Luxury Camp Sahara Desert Morocco

Camp Adounia in the Sahara Desert of Morocco is fantastic for festivals and parties - contact team CampAdounia.com or phone Emma +212 661215062 for more information and pricing. Our Spa tents and luxury en-suite bedroom tents with superb chef and team with drummers are second to none for a magical earthing experience away from everything.

Tuesday, May 10, 2016

Tented Eco Camp Sahara Desert Morocco - Camp Adounia

Our Camp Adounia in the Sahara Desert of Morocco is in a sacred Saharawi site and beautiful serene dunes. We can cater for an intimate couple or large barefoot banquet or brilliant get away and reconnect crowd. Visit our website www.campadounia.com or Email emma - team@campadounia.com for all requests and information.

Blue and black handira from Ait Haddidou - Berber Rugs

We have just sourced four of these amazing wedding blankets for Moroccanberbercarpets.com

These beautiful handira or wedding blankets are from Ait Haddidou, Morocco in the High Atlas, Imilchil. Young Berber girls of Ait Haddidou tribe during the Wedding Moussem (festival). National Geographic, January 1980.

The handira are a close weave in wool, with navy blue, black and red threads.

Pink Azilal - Moroccan Berber Rugs

We have just found this pretty small pink Azilal which we love. I thought I'd share it with you on my blog. The Azilal Berber rugs come from the high Atlas, they are velvety soft and light. Woven by women from the Azilal tribes.

At Moroccanberbercarpets.com we have a selection of Moroccan and Berber interiors, we can source vintage Berber Carpets and Tuareg mats made of palm and leather, we also have a selection of Berber wedding blankets called Handira.

Friday, May 6, 2016

Beautiful rare Moroccan Kilim at Moroccan Berber Carpets

Out hunting in the carpet souks of Marrakech we found this beautiful vintage Berber kilim. Rasberry red with beautiful designs through out. Its a very special piece, nicely worn and in fabulous condition. The Berber rug is woven in cotton with natural vegetable dyes.

Message me if you are interested in more information - team@campadounia.com

Thursday, February 18, 2016

The whole Shebang - Natural product Spa Marrakech

The Spa team ahave been busy devising menus for natural Spa treatments made daily depending on your skin type and requirements. Each face and hair pack is made daily 15 minutes before the treatment. Today I had the most amazing anti wrinkle facial with 2 specially designed face packs, one to firm and one to hydrate.

Clients also had hair packs applied whilst relaxing and enjoying full gommage in the hammam. Using all locally sourced products including Argan oil and Mountain honey I think the Menus are amazing. We are conducting trials of them over a period of time and will be feeding back to you on the results especially the hair packs with before and after shots too.

To book at the Zamzam Spa email us at zamzamriad@gmail.com

Thursday, February 11, 2016

Zamzam Riad & Spa - Holistic Retreat Centre, Marrakech Morocco

At Zamzam Riad & Spa we are the perfect venue to hold your retreat. Cushions, yoga mats, blankets, morning raw juices are all included. Our chef is multi dietary trainied and works closely with Emma and other nutritionists to set menu plans relevant to the retreat including a recent Paleo Retreat with yoga.

Our chef was raw trained twice by John owner of Cashew Catering in Brighton to bring you such delights as cashew cheese covered in fresh herbs and a raw chocolate torte with a nut and date base. We can also cater to raw weddings in Morocco with our excellent team.

Ideal size of group is 12 guests and 2 teachers who stay complimentary. If your group is bigger we do work with excellent riads close to us. We can help you plan your retreat week adding such items as hiking in the Atlas Mountains, bike tours with our Giant Partner AXS and cooking courses.

One of our huge bonuses is the energy of this old storytellers House set in the ancient Unesco Heritage site of the Marrakech Medina. Its excellent for looking inwards and improving practice is a serene canon. Our Spa is a superb way to detox with the traditional hammam and a number of excellent treatments including our winner the AEOS facial.

Get in touch if you are planning or looking for a retreat centre in Marrakech or combine a longer retreat programme with our Eco Camp Adounia in the Sahara Desert and on the Beach.

For more information contact Emma - team@campadounia.com or telephone for more information on +212 661215062

Creating the Guest House

We had decided to buy land and build a country guesthouse as per our business plan, about 10 double rooms and suites. The dream was to create a holistic retreat and build our house on the same plot. We were going to have an organic vegetable garden and provide a Moroccan Spa.

Land in Marrakech at that time, went mad. Prices going up daily, lots of people fishing but not really wanting to sell. There is also a problem here of title. ie not much land is titled and to buy land without a title is very difficult, unless you have a lot of time on your hands and like a gamble. We looked at more land than you can shake a stick at, drank more mint tea than you can imagine and got totally no where. It can take weeks to even get a price. You may be being shown a piece of land that isn't for sale or has already been sold. After a year of this we said 'that is it!, we are buying a riad!'

I had a total nervous breakdown and couldn't talk to anyone for three days. He then said this doesn't have to be the end....... It wasn't I have now built an Ecological Camp Adounia in the Sahara Desert!