Amanjena

Amanjena is a luxury resort in the Palmeraie district southeast of Marrakesh, Morocco, and the first Aman resort established on the African continent. Built in 2000 over a two-year period, the property occupies an olive-growing landscape near the road to Ouarzazate, with views toward the Atlas Mountains and a setting associated with the transition between the valleys of the Draa and Dadès and the Sahara. Its location places it just outside Marrakesh while retaining a relatively secluded resort atmosphere. The property was designed by architect Ed Tuttle, whose work drew on Moroccan and southern Spanish architectural traditions. Influences associated with the Alhambra and the Menara Gardens are reflected in the resort’s Moorish vocabulary, while the use of packed earth, or pisé, references construction practices found in nearby Berber settlements. The architecture uses the warm pale-pink and peach tones characteristic of Marrakesh, supplemented by pink, honey and sage-green details. Arches, carved pillars, glazed Moroccan tiles, fountains, internal courtyards and patterned plasterwork create a setting that is culturally specific rather than generic international luxury. Amanjena is organized as a low-density compound of 32 pavilions and seven larger houses, or maisons. The buildings are modeled on traditional Moroccan townhouses and arranged around gardens, courtyards and a large central pool. Eight pavilions have private garden oases and pools, while other accommodations overlook the principal pool. Guest interiors use high ceilings, Berber rugs, lanterns and contemporary furnishings, combining regional references with Aman’s characteristic emphasis on privacy and restraint. The resort’s offering extends beyond accommodation. Facilities include a library, two restaurants, a large swimming pool, a gym and a spa with a hammam, sauna and steam room. One restaurant is described as a substantial Moorish-style dining space with a high roof and onyx columns, while another serves Japanese cuisine. Golf-related leisure is also associated with the resort experience. Together, these facilities position Amanjena as a destination resort rather than simply a city hotel, serving travelers seeking architecture, wellness, quiet surroundings and curated access to the Marrakech region. Amanjena has also acquired cultural visibility through screen production and celebrity travel. The resort was used as a filming location for the 2010 film Sex and the City 2. In May 2015, David Beckham held his fortieth-birthday celebrations at the property, with a guest list reported to include prominent figures from entertainment, fashion, sport and media. These appearances increased the resort’s profile as an internationally recognized luxury destination, although they do not alter its core positioning around discretion and seclusion. The available reference material does not establish Amanjena’s precise legal operating entity, ownership arrangement, room-rate history, financial performance, executive leadership or subsequent development record. Those details are therefore not included.

Amanjena was developed near Marrakesh in Morocco and opened in 2000 as Aman’s first resort on the African continent. The property was built over approximately two years in the Palmeraie, an area southeast of the historic city along the route toward Ouarzazate. Its setting combines proximity to Marrakech with a more secluded landscape of gardens and olive trees, with views toward the Atlas Mountains. The resort’s geographic context also places it near the broader transition between the river valleys of southern Morocco and the desert regions beyond. Architect Ed Tuttle designed Amanjena with reference to Moroccan and southern Spanish traditions. His architectural approach was informed by travel in Morocco and by visual precedents associated with the Alhambra and the Menara Gardens. Rather than applying a standard international resort template, the design uses a distinctly Moorish vocabulary: monumental entry doors, arcades, fountains, courtyards, carved columns, glazed Moroccan tilework, patterned plaster and warm earth-colored surfaces. The buildings incorporate pisé, a packed-earth construction method associated with regional and Berber building traditions. The palette of pale peach stone, pink, honey and sage-green finishes echoes Marrakesh’s often-used description as the Red City. The resort is composed of 32 pavilions and seven maisons. Its plan follows the logic of traditional Moroccan residences, with accommodation arranged around enclosed gardens, water features and internal patios. A large central pool forms one of the principal visual and social anchors. Eight pavilions include individual garden oases and private pools, while six others are oriented toward the main pool. Interiors combine contemporary comfort with regional decorative elements, including Berber rugs, lanterns and high ceilings. The result is a low-density hospitality environment designed to preserve separation between guests and to emphasize quiet movement through gardens and courtyards. Amanjena’s facilities broaden the property from a lodging operation into a destination resort. It includes a library, two restaurants, a gym, a large swimming pool and a spa equipped with a hammam, sauna and steam room. The main restaurant is characterized by a high ceiling and numerous onyx columns, while a second restaurant offers Japanese food, creating a contrast between local architectural expression and internationally oriented dining. Golf-related leisure facilities are also part of the resort’s destination proposition. During the 2010s, Amanjena gained additional public visibility through its association with film and celebrity travel. The property was used for filming Sex and the City 2, released in 2010. In May 2015, David Beckham celebrated his fortieth birthday at the resort, with reported guests including Gordon and Tana Ramsay, David Gardner, Liv Tyler, members of the Spice Girls, Eva Longoria, Tom Cruise, David Blaine, Guy Ritchie and Vanessa Feltz. These events reinforced the resort’s recognition within the international luxury-travel and popular-culture spheres. Amanjena’s documented identity remains centered on its architecture, setting and service model rather than on a separately reported corporate history. The available sources do not provide a confirmed founding individual, legal operating company, ownership chronology, executive roster, financial information or detailed renovation history. Consequently, those aspects remain unreported.

1. 2015David Beckham’s 40th-birthday celebration

   David Beckham celebrates his fortieth birthday at Amanjena in May, with a reported group of high-profile guests.

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2. 2010Featured as a filming location

   The resort is used as a location for the film Sex and the City 2.

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3. 2000Amanjena opens near Marrakesh

   Amanjena is built in the Palmeraie southeast of Marrakesh and becomes the Aman group’s first resort on the African continent.

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A secluded, design-led luxury resort for international leisure travelers seeking privacy, Moroccan architectural character, wellness and highly personalized hospitality near Marrakech.

• Courtyard Pavilions and MaisonsLuxury resort accommodation2000

  Amanjena’s principal accommodation consists of 32 pavilions and seven larger houses known as maisons. The units draw on traditional Moroccan townhouse planning, with courtyards, gardens and architectural separation supporting privacy. Eight pavilions include private garden oases and pools, while other units overlook the main pool. High ceilings, Berber rugs and lanterns combine contemporary hospitality standards with regional decorative references.

• Amanjena SpaWellness2000

  The resort spa is designed as a quiet wellness component of the Amanjena experience. Its facilities include a hammam, sauna and steam room, supporting treatments and relaxation within the property’s broader emphasis on privacy, calm and personalized service.

• Moorish DiningFood and beverage2000

  Amanjena provides two restaurant experiences within its Moorish architectural setting. The principal restaurant is described as a large space with a six-metre-high roof and 80 onyx pillars. A second restaurant serves Japanese cuisine, giving guests an international dining option alongside the resort’s Moroccan design language.

• Pool and Leisure FacilitiesResort recreation2000

  The resort’s leisure offer includes a large central swimming pool, landscaped gardens, a gym and golf-related activities. The pool is also an organizing feature of the property, with several accommodation units oriented toward it and other pavilions providing private pool environments.

• 2015David Beckham celebrated his 40th birthday at Amanjena

  David Beckham celebrated his fortieth birthday at Amanjena in May 2015. Reports associated the event with a number of well-known guests from entertainment, fashion, sport and media.

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• 2010Sex and the City 2 filmed at Amanjena

  Amanjena served as a filming location for the 2010 film Sex and the City 2, giving the resort visibility through a major international entertainment production.

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1. Amanjena