Send your coupled-up clients to their ideal romantic retreat in North Africa, writes Katie McGonagle
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10 of the best hotels for couples
Finding the perfect match isn’t easy; the first glance is just about looks, then you delve a little deeper to see if you’re well suited and finally you have to decide if this is the one for you.
No, I’m not talking about dating – although the same principles apply – but finding the perfect hotel for your clients’ needs. They might have leafed through a brochure and picked out a couple of properties that take their fancy, but now it’s up to you to match them with their dream holiday.
If you’re stuck for ideas, North Africa’s range of properties – from traditional riads in the streets of Marrakech to five-star hotels on the shores of the Red Sea – should offer all the inspiration you need.
1. Mövenpick Resort & Marine Spa Sousse
Where? Sousse, Tunisia
Best for: Soothing spa treatments
Tell me more: This five-star property does accept families, but with 588 rooms and 37 suites, it’s big enough to get away from younger guests for some alone time. One of the prime places to escape is the Marine Spa and thalassotherapy centre, which has couples’ suites as well as a sauna and heated seawater pool. Lovebirds can also learn new skills together with Japanese cooking classes and an on-site watersports centre.
Book it: Cyplon Holidays offers a seven-night stay with breakfast, return flights from Birmingham, 20kg baggage allowance and taxi transfers from £499, based on two sharing a standard room.
cyplon.co.uk
0800 074 8888
2. Les Jardins de la Medina
Where? Marrakech, Morocco
Best for: City escapes
Tell me more: As part of Sovereign’s Luxury Collection, couples opting for this 19th-century riad can explore the city by day then relax in serious comfort by night. Sovereign general manager Scott Langridge says: “This is just a stone’s throw from the Royal Palace and within easy reach of the bustling souks. A small and intimate hotel, the beautiful gardens offer an idyllic escape for couples to relax and unwind.” It has its own swimming pool set among olive and orange trees, plus a rooftop cookery school and spa.
Book it: Sovereign Luxury Travel offers a five-night break staying B&B from £489, including private transfers and Monarch flights from Gatwick, based on a February 3 departure.
sovereign.com
0843 770 4526
3. Makadi Spa
Where? Makadi Bay, 20 miles south of Hurghada, Egypt
Best for: Moorish style
Tell me more: This five-star property went adult-only in 2011, so couples can have the waiter-service beach bar, infinity pool, yoga sessions and evening entertainment to themselves, along with the Cinq Mondes Spa when it opens next year. There’s the usual array of all-inclusive dining and drinks, plus à la carte restaurants serving steak, seafood, Asian, Spanish and fusion cuisine (some at a supplement), and further options at nearby Makadi Mall. But for those who want to venture further, there’s also a daily shuttle to downtown Hurghada.
Book it: Red Sea Holidays offers a week all-inclusive with return flights from Gatwick, 20kg luggage allowance and resort transfers from £679 for travel between November 25 and December 11.
redseaholidays.co.uk/agent
0845 072 2477
4. Sentido Aziza Beach Golf & Spa
Where? Hammamet, Tunisia
Best for: Sea views
Tell me more: Couples who want beach access without a budget-busting price tag will be happy here. Just two miles from the centre of Hammamet, it has a relaxed vibe with beachfront barbecues, a Moorish cafe and poolside bar, plus an indoor pool heated between November and March for those who don’t want to spend all their time in the sun. Sports facilities include free windsurfing, catamarans or aqua gym, while golfers can take advantage of a shuttle bus to the nearby 18-hole Golf Citrus course – designed around six lakes – where they get a 30% discount.
Book it: Thomas Cook offers seven nights’ all-inclusive from £359, including flights from Manchester on January 21 and transfers.
thomascookworld.com
0844 412 5970
5. Kasbah Tamadot
Where? Asni, Atlas Mountains, Morocco
Best for: Mountain highs
Tell me more: Plenty of hotels boast of their seclusion, but this 27-room boutique in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, 1,320 metres above sea level and with views of Mount Toubkal, is the very definition of a quiet hideaway. That’s why it’s part of Richard Branson’s Virgin Limited Edition collection of luxury hotels, and featured by high-end operators such as Abercrombie & Kent and Carrier. The knockout photos should be all the persuasion clients need, but be sure to mention extra touches such as playing clients’ favourite music when they arrive, placing their preferred scented candle in the room and hosting twice-weekly open-air cinema nights for that added wow factor.
Book it: Classic Collection Holidays offers three nights’ bed and breakfast in a Berber tented suite with plunge pool or Jacuzzi from £1,474 with return flights and private transfers.
classic-collection.co.uk
0800 008 7288
6. Savoy Sharm El-Sheikh Hotel
Where? Shark’s Bay, Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
Best for: Both worlds
Tell me more: Want to kick back on a sunlounger, take the odd dip in one of five pools, or enjoy a gentle stroll along a 300-metre sandy beach? Go for it. Or would you rather a holiday with bowling, ice-skating, shopping, fine dining and music? No problem. Sitting in front of action-packed Soho Square, this property lets guests be as active as they like, with an Arabian Spa, six restaurants, tennis courts and a gym rounding out its range of amenities.
Book it: A week’s B&B in a superior sea view room starts at £576 with Olympic Holidays, including transfers and easyJet flights from Gatwick on December 4.
olympicholidays.com
0844 499 4449
7. La Maison Arabe
Where? Marrakech, Morocco
Best for: Refined appetites
Tell me more: This 1940s property is renowned for its cooking school, which offers lessons to tourists and locals alike – a sure sign of culinary excellence – starting at £43. Clients who are less gourmet-minded can soak up the atmosphere from their own private terrace, steam in one of two hammams, or take a dip in the heated pool. And if that’s not enough, they could even enjoy a change of scene by heading for the bigger pool and nearby golf course at the hotel’s Country Club, a complimentary 15-minute shuttle ride away.
Book it: Three nights’ bed and breakfast starts at £435 with Anatolian Sky Holidays. The price is based on two sharing a double room, with return flights from Gatwick and transfers.
anatoliansky.co.uk
0844 273 3585
8. El Mouradi Mahdia
Where? Mahdia, Tunisia
Best for: Beach stays
Tell me more: Sometimes making time for each other is the best way to enjoy a romantic break, so for couples who want little more than a lazy beachside stay, this is home to one of Tunisia’s best stretches of coastline. Between its two outdoor pools, indoor pool and two Jacuzzis, there are plenty of spots to kick back, plus the all-inclusive hotel is also home to four restaurants, three bars, a Moorish cafe and a nightclub for when guests want a little more life.
Book it: Just Sunshine offers a week in a junior suite with sea view from £508 on an all-inclusive board basis, with 20kg baggage, coach transfers and flights departing Gatwick on May 30.
justsunshine.com
0844 756 0056
9. Iberotel Palace
Where? Outskirts of Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt
Best for: Underwater wildlife
Tell me more: As part of the Thomson Couples range, this 263-room property boasts the usual hallmarks of contemporary design, good food and a child-free atmosphere. But on top of that, its private sandy beach has a coral reef for snorkelling and easy access to some of the Red Sea’s best diving and snorkelling sites, plus a split-level lagoon pool offering stunning sea views. Guests can also choose from watersports and tennis, or a swim-up bar with cocktails and snacks for those who prefer their holidays at an easier pace. Remind clients to bring bathing shoes as there is sharp coral near the beach.
Book it: Thomson offers one week all-inclusive with flights from Gatwick on December 9 and transfers from £488.
thomson.co.uk
0871 230 2555
10. Mazagan Beach & Golf Resort
Where? El Jadida, about 55 miles south of Casablanca, Morocco
Best for: Golfing greats
Tell me more: With an area the size of 350 football pitches to spread out on, this Kerzner-owned resort offers plenty of quiet spots for couples to hide away, whether in a cabana facing mile after mile of Atlantic Ocean beachfront, or on a sunlounger by the adults’ Grand Riad pool. But the real selling point of this resort is its 18-hole Gary Player-designed links course, the longest in Morocco, offering a real challenge to expert golfers and novices alike.
Book it: Sunset Faraway offers four nights’ all-inclusive in a deluxe pool view room from £755, including flights from London and transfers.
sunset.co.uk
020 8774 7100
