Review: The View Agadir Hotel, Morocco
Review: The View Agadir Hotel, Morocco
By Helen Down
If you’re in need of vibrant culture and a decent chance of sunshine, but don’t fancy long haul or a change of time zone, you can’t go wrong with Morocco. Especially the southern city of Agadir, a mere four-hour flight from Gatwick, Luton or Stansted. Set to be one of the World Cup hosts in 2030, Agadir is undergoing a cosmopolitan transformation. Nowhere is this more evident than The View Agadir. A five-star 272-room hotel that opened in March 2024, it’s so magnificent that I sometimes thought I was on the set of White Lotus. And it truly lives up to its name. As soon as you arrive, you’re wowed by the most spectacular vista of palm trees, two lagoon-shaped swimming pools and waves rolling onto a seemingly infinite beach… all seen through a vast window that’s nearly the size of a tennis court.
With three restaurants around the pools, gastronomy is a big deal at The View. Fancy a light healthy lunch, like a salmon poke bowl, near the hotel’s private beach? The Dielli is at your service. For more traditional fare, Mima Kitchen – nestled behind a lantern strewn path surrounded by palm trees and cacti – is the answer. When we stayed, during Ramadan, we were lucky enough to experience the Iftar fast-breaking feast: juices, dates, honeyed pastries, cheeses, eggs, olives and exotic canapes. And that’s just the pre-starter starter. There then follows soups, yet more canapes, shrimps, beef, liver, chicken and fish, all cooked with finesse, before a second round of sophisticated pastries hits the table. But if Italian is more your bag, you’ll be well catered for at La Sensya. Here, Michelin-starred chef, Francesco Franzese, will take care of you with inventive but delicate dishes. Try the angel hair pasta, which comes with a silky and surprisingly light emulsion of garlic, chilli, anchovies, herring caviar and seaweed powder. Such an original dish, your palette may be shocked on the first mouthful but will be delighted from the second. Need a drink with all that glorious food? The View’s wine selection includes wonderfully dry and crisp Moroccan whites, rose and red. For cocktails, try the hotel’s Cedar Bar or its partnership with the lively Buddha Bar, which sits next door to the hotel and doubles as a hotspot for well-heeled non-guests to let their hair down.
Despite all this lunch and dinner indulgence, breakfast was a scene-stealer too, with the gluten-free station and smoothie bar being particularly thoughtful additions. After kicking-off with eggs (choose between omelet, shakshuka, spinach baked or poached with salmon), go to the cheese station for a selection that could rival the cheeseboard of Time & Leisure favourite, Chez Bruce. Then round-off with a flaky Moroccan pancake drowning in amlou (a sumptuous mix of roasted almonds, honey and argan oil). If a workout is needed after all those calories, you can use The View’s gym (the best-equipped one I’ve ever seen in a hotel), go surfing or golfing, take a fitness class, or do the coastal walk along Agadir’s palm-fringed boardwalk.
In keeping with the foodie theme, The View also offers, as one of its many extras, a tea sommelier experience with a multitude of Ritz-worthy savoury and sweet treats. Served in the Chay tea lounge on pretty three-tiered cake stands, you’ll have to prioritise between petite pastries like crispy hazelnut doughnuts, tiny scones, macarons, mille-feuille and lemon meringue pie; or piles of chocolate pancakes and berry waffles. For me, though, the savoury towers were even more tempting: finger sandwiches, mini brioche buns, tuna cups, rice paper rolls, avocado mousse – the choice seemed endless. For a more hybrid British-Moroccan vibe, forgo the traditional cuppa, order mint tea and savour the drama of it being poured from a genie-like teapot at a great height.
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The hotel also offers a tour that showcases Agadir’s Arabic and Berber roots. With the city being tragically decimated by an earthquake in 1960, much of the architecture is new, following a modern take on Moorish. That said, the yacht-filled port felt more Southern France than Northern Africa. The rebuilt mosque, however, was pure Morocco: a wonder of geometry, arches and intricate patterns. Opposite is a centre dedicated to one of the country’s most famous exports: argan oil. A bit touristy, it was nonetheless interesting to see how the famous nuts are harvested and processed. After lunch (a traditional and delicious tagine in an arts and craft market), we explored the 13-hectare souk – Africa’s largest – for a friendly and hassle-free experience that saw me return home with bright cushion covers and cute espresso mugs. For a very authentic slice of Moroccan life, we watched locals select fruit and veg from colourful mountains of produce that looked like they belonged in a still life painting, with chilled-out cats meandering between stalls.
What better way to wind down after such an adventure than in The View’s Amaya Spa. Spanning 1,500 squared metres, it has five hammam rooms to leave you with glowing skin and a serene smile. There’s also six treatment rooms, all with private showers, offering hot stone, relaxing or energising massages. Or try the jacuzzi and marble steam room, which has an ancient-looking heavy wooden door for extra theatrics. The centrepiece is an underground, beautifully lit pool. Heated to 27C, it’s a giant bath where you can float around under meditative light reflections that ripple across the arched ceiling. It’s far too tranquil for a proper swim. For that, head to the outdoor pools, one of which is also heated, but more gently.
Post spa, you’ll be so soporific that it’ll be time to hit the sack. The View offers a range of rooms, with the smallest (the ‘deluxe’) coming in at a generous 39 squared metres, to the biggest (the platinum suite) being larger than my house in London. With the hotel welcoming children, family-friendly two-bedroom options are also available. The beds are enormous and firm, with luxuriously weighty sheets and extravagant duvets as thick as clouds. Most of the bathrooms feature stylish tubs, some with sea views, and generously proportioned showers. Everything is decorated in pristine shades of white but with occasional pops of deep sea blue. If it weren’t for the shower’s Moorish-inspired tiles, the rooms would almost feel Greek.
The View’s ambiance was so relaxing that this insomniac slept peacefully without even her trusted ear plugs (although the complementary pillow spray may have helped – that was a lovely touch). No wonder I returned home revived by sunshine and luxury.
