No. 19 – Four Seasons Hotel Rabat – Rabat, Morocco

Welcome to Four Seasons Hotel Rabat

Perched on Morocco’s Atlantic coast, where the sea air permeates every corner of the property, Four Seasons Hotel Rabat at Kasr Al Bahr emerges like a revived dream. With a name meaning “Castle of the Sea,” this shimmering palace was once the 18th-century summer residence of Sultan Moulay Slimane, and has been reimagined into a tranquil clifftop retreat.

Reopened in October 2024, the property spans five hectares of breathtaking gardens and architecture, and encompasses 11 buildings: six original to the palace grounds and five newly constructed in tribute to the Moorish spirit. Domed rooftops and mosaic courtyards echo the old empire, while arched doorways frame sea views and zellige-tiled corridors glow in golden light.

This is your gateway to Rabat, Morocco’s underrated capital where culture, coastline, and calm intersect. Here, you don’t just check in, you step into Morocco’s history.

This edition was photographed by Elise Quiniou

At a Glance

• Location: Rabat, Morocco
• Rooms: 160 rooms and 40 suites
• Dining: Brasserie Marie, Flamme, Verdello, Bar Atlantique, Laila Lounge, and Noora Lobby Lounge
• Wellness: Hammam, indoor pool, and 10 treatment rooms
• Unique Features: 18th-century royal palace with Moorish architecture
• Best Time to Visit: Spring and Autumn

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Room is palatial poetry

Your private sanctuary at Kasr Al Bahr glitters with understated opulence. As you open the ornate wooden door, sunlight streams through stained glass windows, casting kaleidoscopic patterns across handmade Berber carpets. The custom zellige tileworkbeneath your feet tells a story centuries in the making, while brass and copper lanterns illuminate your evenings with their warm glow.

Your chosen vista is framed by floor-to-ceiling windows—displaying the Atlantic’s rhythmic tides, the palace’s gardens, or Rabat’s skyline. Thoughtful details abound—invisible technology, plush furnishings in soft hues, and carved wooden accents that whisper of artisan legacy.

The three-bedroom Moulay Slimane Presidential Suite offers residential grandeur for luxury seekers, with its private fitness room, office, media sanctuary, and kitchenette. Yet nothing compares to the hotel’s crowning jewel: the two-story Sultan’s Riad. Occupying the former residence of Sultan Moulay Slimane (built in 1792), this 950-square-meter masterpiece culminates in a rooftop infinity pool suspended between sky and sea—the ultimate expression of royal privilege.

Dining is Moroccan magnificence

Each meal at Kasr Al Bahr unfolds as its own sensory performance, orchestrated by Executive Chef Sebastiano Spriveri, whose Mediterranean and Middle Eastern expertise has been refined over nearly three decades before finding its perfect expression in Morocco.

Your culinary journey continues at Brasserie Marie, where Parisian elegance meets Moroccan inspiration. Choose between the sophisticated interior or ocean-kissed patio as you savor grilled meats and freshly caught seafood. At Flamme, watch as aromatic breads and spice-infused pizzas emerge from three enormous copper-clad ovens—the heartbeat of this vibrant dining space.

In the sunlit Noora Lobby Lounge, Executive Pastry Chef Gregory Chrismanttransforms Rabat’s tea tradition into Morocco’s most luxurious ritual, his French training evident in each pastry. As evening descends, you can slip into Bar Atlantique for pre-dinner cocktails or venture to the hidden Laila Lounge—a glamorous, club-like sanctuary in the palace’s oldest building, where rare cognacs and whiskies await. For dinner, Verdello beckons with a Mediterranean coastal odyssey that transports your plate from Andalusia to the Levant in a single evening.

Wellness is ancestral indulgence

Opening later in 2025, The Spa at Four Seasons Rabat promises to be an elegant sanctuary amid palace gardens—a wellness retreat fit for royalty. At its heart, a stunning indoor pool surrounded by soaring columns is illuminated by natural light from a skylight, creating an atmosphere of tranquility.

The cornerstone of this anticipated wellness haven will be its Moroccan hammam, where time-honored rituals meet contemporary decadence. Ten treatment rooms offer wellness rituals and healing therapies, many enhanced with argan oil and inspired by centuries of Moroccan traditions.

For active wellness, the 24/7 fitness center offers workouts with ocean views, while the outdoor yoga studio provides a space for mindful movement. The on-site beauty salon and barber shop ensure you look polished to explore Rabat’s vibrant culture.

Sustainability is for Good

As part of Four Seasons for Good initiatives, the property balances comfort with practices that honor Morocco’s natural resources. The hotel sources renewable, carbon-free energy, while energy-efficient systems minimize your stay’s environmental footprint. In the kitchen gardens, sustainable, chemical-free biodynamic practicescreate a flourishing ecosystem where flora and fauna thrive in harmony.

As you wander through gardens dotted with drought-resistant botanicals that have thrived along Morocco’s coast for centuries, you witness sustainability as a key element of the luxury experience through efficient landscaping techniques that celebrate native plants.

Secrets & Surprises

Before departing, make time to visit the hotel’s boutique, where Morocco’s most talented contemporary designers showcase their craft through haute couture garments and bespoke jewelry. You’ll find caftans and one-of-a-kind pieces that blend traditional Moroccan artistry with modern sophistication.