Detailed Review
Jnane Tamsna, in the heart of Marrakech's, famed palm grove, is the latest creation of Meryanne Loum-Martin. After having created Dar Tamsna in 1989, then Ryad Tamsna in 1999, she was determined to return to the rural ambience of the Palmeraie for her new project. With the help of her husband Dr. Gary J. Martin - an American ethnobotanist - she designed a Moorish country house which celebrates vernacular architecture and the rural landscapes of the Palmeraie.
Date palms, olive trees and grapevines create an oasis atmosphere in the midst of spontaneous vegetation on vast plains and rolling hills surrounding the estate. Extensive fruit orchards and vegetable gardens provide fresh produce for Jnane Tamsna's Moroccan-Mediterranean cuisine. Inside, the architecture is structured around two courtyard gardens filled with fragrant white-flowered plants.
Jnane Tamsna consists of two houses within a walled garden to rent individually or in exclusivity: Jnane House and Moussafir House. All rooms have central heating and an ensuite. All beds can be turned into twin beds except the four poster bed in the Celadon room. There are two pools and one clay surface tennis court. Jnane House has 10 rooms next to the large pool in a spacious private garden. Moussafir house has 5 suites with easy access to a smaller lap pool and a private garden, and each of the suites has its own television, DVD player and stereo. Guests can enjoy all gardens and both pools, except when one of the houses is rented in exclusivity. Situated in an adobe-walled estate of 15 acres, its capacity can be augmented by other houses on the property. In all, 32 double rooms are available in four large homes, each with its own guest pavilion and swimming pools.
A stay at Jnane Tamsna offers you cultural experiences to satiate your spirit, healthy living to restore your body, and intellectual discoveries to stimulate your mind. In excursions to the Medina and the countryside discover vernacular architecture, garden history, and initiatives of cultural and ecological restoration. When you return home to Jnane Tamsna, rejuvenate yourself against the backdrop of the High Atlas mountains with massage, aromatherapy and organic cuisine.
Press Quotes
"If, in your dream of a Moroccan sojourn, you’re relaxing under palm fronds poolside, or inside a chic art-filled retreat that feels more aristo residence than hotel, then consider Jnane Tamsna." The Times 06
Independent Reviews
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"The ultimate in modern Moroccan chic, this exquisite maison d'hotes showcases Meryanne Loum-Martin's sleek designs."
The much-copied, never-bettered style makes Jnane Tamsna one of Marrakech's most unique and international hideouts. Perfect both for couples escaping and families wanting entertainment without sacrifice; Marrakech's best option for exclusive house parties. Astounding attention to detail.
Jnane Tamsna
By Joanna Monkhouse
What makes Morocco unique in terms of accommodation is the profusion of maison d’hôtes – guest houses – run by foreigners. The owners have a genuine love of the country and want their guests to discover and share in it. Interior designer Meryanne Loum-Martin and her husband, ethnobotanist Gary Martin, were amongst the first to offer this personal service in Marrakech when they began in 1989 with Dar Tamsna. Their empire has expanded to include Ryad Tamsna, a tea room and shop in the medina and Jnane Tamsna, a luxurious house in the Palmeraie. They now live in a house in the grounds of Jnane Tamsna.
The chic, simple Tamsna style is a blend of traditional Moroccan techniques with a modern twist and plenty of outside influences – Indian, African, American and European. The fifteen rooms are divided between Jnane House (ten) and Maison des Voyageurs - Moussafir (five), a separate building available to be rented whole or as individual rooms, plus the two latest additions on the ground floor of Dar Ylane, the owners' house which also houses a spacious and elegant sitting room and a boutique showcasing Loum-Martin's designs. The rooms in the main house are spread over the two levels and lead through tall wooden doors and arches off the verdant courtyard. The fragrant plants create a calming atmosphere at Jnane Tamsna, as does the wall fountain.
Simplicity not minimalism is the feeling here – rooms are furnished with a large bed (or twins), a chaise longue, table, chair, fireplace, framed photos or paintings, a mirror and a vase of freshly picked flowers. There are no phones in the rooms nor minibars nor televisions. Heavy linen curtains frame the view through the arched doorways out on the terraces or gardens. Some rooms at Jnane Tamsna are bright and colourful, others are more sober – each has a theme yet the overall style is harmonious. Superior rooms are more spacious with a wc separate from the bathroom. A mix of old and new is found in the bathrooms with tadelakt walls and floors, double basins and fast-filling western baths. The Tamsna herbal bath oil, shampoo etc is available to buy so you can close your eyes, breathe deeply and pretend you’re still there once you’ve reluctantly departed.
Guests gather before dinner every evening in the main salon where they can either keep to themselves or chat to the owners and fellow guests. A mixture of low backed chairs and sofas invite conversation. Fires roar in winter, and music is always gently present in the background. Jnane Tamsna does have a television room for desperados but it is rarely used. An outside salon provides white cushioned low level seating and there is often a breeze through the arches. Most of the food comes from the organic vegetable gardens or the farm project outside Marrakech and the flavours come through true and pure in the chef’s delicious creations.
Jnane Tamsna has a pale blue pool for each of the three houses – long, thin and unadorned – surrounded by sun loungers with shocking pink towels that complement the blue sky, green plants and sandy coloured walls of the house. A tennis court is available for active guests (lessons can be arranged) and the three Marrakechi golf courses are each a fifteen minute drive away. Jnane Tamsna feels like a private home and is an ideal base for a relaxing break.
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