Welcome to Kasbah Tamadot

Kasbah Tamadot is Sir Richard Branson's magical retreat in Morocco's Atlas Mountains. This 29-bedroom hotel is perched at the top of a valley with views up to Mount Toubkal and over to some of the traditional Berber villages that dot the region. In fact, in the Berber language, Kasbah Tamadot means 'soft breeze'.

Everywhere you look around Kasbah Tamadot you will be surprised and delighted. From the unique design of each of our bedrooms and Berber Tents, to the exceptional customer service of our local staff, be prepared for a holiday like you have never experienced before.

We’re delighted to announce that thanks to your votes Kasbah Tamadot has been named Best Resort Hotel, North Africa and the Middle East in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards in 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2023.

Our History
Meet the team
Our Values
When to visit?

Our History

Kasbah Tamadot was the former home of Luciano Tempo, the renowned antiques dealer and interior designer. Luciano filled Kasbah Tamadot with a huge range of items – tables, sculptures and ornaments collected from India, Indonesia and North Africa. When Sir Richard Branson bought Kasbah Tamadot in 1998, he also inherited Luciano’s 1,000 square metre warehouse, filled to the brim with his treasures. As you wander around you will see pieces of Luciano’s collection that have been used to furnish the Kasbah today.

Sir Richard Branson discovered Kasbah Tamadot when he visited Morocco with the goal of circumnavigating the globe in a hot air balloon. It was in fact his parents Ted and Eve Branson who found the beautiful Kasbah and dreamed of turning it into a wonderful Moroccan retreat. Richard didn’t quite manage to complete his hot air balloon mission but he did purchase that magnificent Kasbah and his parents’ dream became a reality when Kasbah Tamadot opened its doors to its first hotel guests in 2005.

Our Family

We employ 140 staff together with our extended family of 6 peacocks, 2 mules, 2 donkeys, 2 camels, 6 goats, 2 ewes and 7 ducks. Today, our team is 100% Moroccan with most of the team from the local community. Our staff retention rate is exceptionally high and figures suggest that each individual employed at the hotel supports up to 10 other individuals in their extended family.

General Manager

David Assabbab is the General Manager at Kasbah Tamadot, responsible for the property's day-to-day management. David has a strong hotel background having worked in locations around the globe including the British Virgin Islands and Canada. At the start of 2022, David returned to his home country of Morocco to take on the General Manager role at Kasbah Tamadot, a property he knows incredibly well, having worked there as Finance Director many moons ago.

Executive Chef

Yassine Khalal has held the position of Executive Chef at Kasbah Tamadot since September 2017. He previously held the position of Chef de Cuisine at Royal Mansour, after working alongsiden renowned Michelin-starred chefs, Yannick Alléno and Alain Ducasse.

Born and raised in Marrakech, Yassine has a passion for regional cuisine meaning he is feels right at home in the Kasbah Tamadot kitchen. The team source all ingredients as locally as possible, including from the on-site garden and orchard which provides seasonal fruit, vegetable and herbs throughout the year.

Yassine came 2nd representing Morocco at the 2019 Embassy Chef Challenge in Washington, D.C.

Our Values

When Sir Richard Branson purchased Kasbah Tamadot, we set up free English classes for the local population, irrespective of whether they wanted to ultimately apply for a job at the hotel. Most had never been formally employed prior to joining the team, and so in many cases we had to start from scratch. We believed that in the long term we could only benefit from focusing on the resources on our doorstep.

Supporting the local community is strengthened even further through projects initiated by Kasbah Tamadot and other charitable projects such as the Eve Branson foundation and Virgin Unite.

Taking care of the environment is also high on our agenda. We’re committed to sustainable development of the local tourism industry and we recognise our responsibility towards the environment and the local community. Consequently, we are continually looking to identify new methods for waste disposal, recycling and energy saving.

Preparing for your stay

What’s the weather like?

Kasbah Tamadot is open year round and only closes for a brief period in mid-January for routine maintenance. Every season has so much to offer from snow-capped mountains, warm days by the pool and walking in the foothills of the Toubkal National Park.

Spring is when the region starts to warm up, the days are pleasantly warm with just a small amount of rainfall. In April the temperatures can range from 12°C up to 24°C, with the temperature dropping at night.

As we enter July the heat during the day continues to increase and by August we are very much a ‘hot sun’ destination, but a pleasant 10°C cooler than the high temperatures in Marrakech.

In the autumn months the evenings start to cool and the days become a little less intense heat-wise. Towards the end of September the snow on the tops of the Atlas Mountains starts to return.

December, January and February is the coolest time of year to visit, so get cosy in the library or Asmoun Lounge in front of the fire with a good book and a warm drink. With the average temperature at 13°C and the sun still shining, our heated pools are comfortable at 28°C, so a midday swim is still the norm!

What to pack?

The atmosphere at Kasbah Tamadot is relaxed and informal, so you can simply pack your suitcase for the season and the types of activities you plan on doing during your stay.

Around the pool area, guests are welcome to wear shorts, t-shirts and swimwear. If you wish to go walking, don’t forget to pack a good pair of trainers (sneakers), sunhat and sunglasses.

When visiting areas outside our hotel it is helpful to be mindful of local customs. Morocco is a liberal Muslim country and locals are used to seeing tourists and are known for their welcoming and friendly attitude toward visitors to their country. We would recommend that women avoid revealing attire if they wish to observe local custom.

In the evening, you may choose to wear ‘smart-casual’ attire to dinner. A jacket and tie are never necessary in the restaurant, but feel free to dress up if you wish!