Adriana Karembeu Opens Luxury Hotel in Marrakech, Inspired by Moroccan Culture

In an exclusive interview with Gala, Adriana Karembeu confesses to having fallen under the charm of Morocco after spending several stays in the kingdom, alone as a model, and when she was in a relationship with Aram Ohanian, who has been living in Morocco for 40 years. "I fell in love with this country, its culture, its people, its history... My ex-husband loved to receive. When we were working on the plans for our future house in Marrakech, he would tell me every day that he wanted to add rooms to accommodate this or that friend. One evening, I told him that at that rate, he’d better build a hotel," she recounts.

So it all started from this innocently launched idea. The Palais Ronsard, located twenty minutes from the center of Marrakech, was born on March 1, 2019. Originally, it was designed as a vacation home and not a hotel. "We wanted people to feel at home here, and I think we succeeded," Adriana Karembeu is delighted. The model admits to feeling "like a princess" at the Palais Ronsard, her "paradise". Her daughter Nina also feels "at home" there. "My daughter loves the Palais Ronsard. She thinks it’s her home. Because she was born here and she’s always lived here. The people who work there, it’s kind of like her family..."

It was to interior designer Gil Dez and decorator France Ansaldi that Adriana and Aram entrusted the layout and decoration of this 5-star hotel. The TV host made sure that "everything was perfect". "We explained to him what we wanted and he turned our dreams into reality," she says. The Palais Ronsard combines tradition and modernity, a mix between a colonial house, a Tuscan villa and a Moroccan palace. It has 28 suites, including 6 private pavilions of 175 to 190 m² each with a pool and a garden. At the Palais Ronsard, "there are no two rooms alike," assures Nina’s mother.

The 5-star also has three restaurants, including Le Jardin d’Hiver, the best known. "We entrusted chef Alexandre Thomas, who comes from Monaco, with the task of composing a simple menu," continues Adriana Karembeu. The starred chef offers dishes from southern France and Morocco. The restaurant won the 2020 Versailles Prize for the most beautiful restaurant in the world. "We didn’t expect it at all. We recognized our efforts. It warmed our hearts," the model rejoices. At the Palais Ronsard, you can also enjoy its spa or its "magnificent" fitness room.