I just checked out after 4 days at the Michlifen and it was a truly amazing experience. More than the stunning location, the impeccable and beautiful hotel, the gourmet food and the supercool spa... I would like to praise this hotel for service.

We were there with a little 1 yo baby and the level of care we received was beyond exceptional. The baby was so in love with the receptionists, the barman, the waiters and the housekeeping ladies that he would bang at the door of our suite to go out and meet his friends!

Definitely one of the best Hotels in Morocco.

This magnificent luxury hotel is one of the best in Morocco. Situtated in downtown Ifrane, with its European style chalets and a gorgeous downtown park that is walking distance from the hotel. The hotel itself is nicely decorated with an interesting architecture. It was mostly empty the weekend we were there in early March.

We stayed here following a nearly 7 hour hike in the Middle Atlas mountains, through oak and cedar forests and an encounter with barbary macaque monkeys. The hotel had helped to put us in touch with a knowledgable and trusty guide who spoke English, French and Arabic and who helped us to navigate the terrain from a trailhead in Azrou (about 1/2 hour from Ifrane).

For such an expensive 5 star hotel (about 290 euros /night for a double room) we have high expectations. Below are some observations that distracted from a perfectly comfortable stay:

- The welcome drink in the lobby was inadvertently offered only to half of our party. Normally this would not be an issue, but after a several hour early morning drive to Ifrane and an all-day hike, a fresh glass of juice would have hit the spot! We brought this omittance to the attention of a hostess in the lobby and asked that our welcome drinks be sent to our room, which they did.
- We found the rooms somber, and in need of more lighting.
- The shower head in our bathtub didn't work, which made for an uncomfortable clean up experience.
- The sink plug didn't work
- The complimentary electronic scale was out of batteries
- We were unable to locate a heating thermostat in the room, which was very hot. Although it was winter time, we ended up opening up the window - - an unnecessary waste of energy too.
- The pool area is beautiful but the water was over chlorinated and literally burned our skin!
- The dinner was decent but over-the-top expensive.

On the plus side, the service was very good all around. The rooms were clean with great views of the mountains and pool area. The breakfast buffet was also very good, with a nice mix of continental and Moroccan specialties, and better value than dinner. Most importantly, it has a helipad, just in case you might ever need one.

As the management seemed very attentive, I would imagine that they are interested in improving these details to make the best experience possible for their clients. Since we live in Morocco and there are few places like this hotel, we will likely return to the hotel for a weekend during the summer time to try out their outdoor pool, in the hopes that they've mastered the ph balance by then.

It is genuinely impossible to understand what inspired anyone to build an hotel of this standard in Ifrane and then forget to tell anyone in their biggest markets that they had done so. 65km from Fes and 450 from Marrakech it is a world apart from both. The interior design is stunning and has the feel of a seriously upmarket ski hotel. Aspen hasn't got anywhere this well appointed and it could hold its own against Europe's most stylish alpine addresses. And yet Ifrane has a 2 month ski season in a good year, so this certainly wasn't built for that market. Go down to the basement, however, and Michlifen's USP becomes apparent. It has a world class spa, outstandingly well equipped. The indoor and outdoor pools are both vast and there is even an indoor volley ball court, in case you decide to bring your team. Anyone seriously considering a luxury spa break within 2-3 hours of most of Europe would be hard pressed to find anywhere more comfortable.
To be fair, the views are not in the same league as you will find at Kasbah Tamedot, but then Kasbah Tamedot isn't in the same league when it comes to facilities and room standards. Go during the week during term time and you will almost have the place to yourself. Go at week-ends or during school holidays and you will be surrounded by Morocco's financial elite at play. Just don't expect to see Europeans or Americans - they have no idea it exists!

We were visiting friends in Ifrane and went to the Michelifen for a few drinks and coffee and to take a look around. Service was wonderful, and though our French & Arabic is poor, their English was really well spoken and they were more than patient with our attempts.

We don't look like what might be considered the typical clientele of a 5-star hotel & spa but we were warmly welcome and treated to excellent service, good coffee and drinks, and great bar snacks. We were also told to take as many pictures as we like, which we'll put up on our website. Thank you for the relaxing afternoon, Michlifen Ifrane! We'll return on our next visit.