Jacques Garcia's fondness for theatrical darkness — the lacquered walls, the Baccarat chandeliers, the velvet banquettes that seem to absorb candlelight rather than reflect it — finds perhaps its most unapologetic expression at Selman Marrakech, which opened in 2011 on the Chrifia plain south of the medina. The French designer, best known for reshaping the Hotel Costes in Paris, was given 40 hectares of palm grove and a brief that centred on the Arabian horse: the property was conceived as a palace for both guests and a resident herd of Arabians, whose stables and paddocks form part of the guest experience. The architecture by Garcia draws on Moroccan palace tradition — rose-tinted tadelakt plasterwork, carved plaster friezes, mashrabiya screens in dark-stained cedar — arranged around a central axis that culminates in a reflecting pool and formal garden visible from the upper terraces. The 57 rooms and suites are distributed across low-rise pavilions, their interiors ranging from saturated fuchsia velvet and zellige tile to burnished gold silk damask, each scheme carrying the maximalist confidence Garcia applies to all his commissions. The spa hammam, with its ribbed plaster vaulting and candlelit plunge pool, demonstrates how traditional Moroccan craft techniques can be pushed into something closer to stage design than restoration. The restaurant, hung with enormous crystal chandeliers above a circuit of crimson banquettes, maintains that same operatic register throughout.

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At the foot of the Atlas Mountains, Selman Marrakech, a palace of distinct, designed by Jacques Garcia Selman Marrakech seduces with its timeless harmony. The property offers 55 rooms and suites and 5 private riads with a private swimming pool and butler service, meticulously executed. Selman Marrakech also feature the longest heatable swimming pool of 80m long, 3 restaurants, "Le Selman," a luxury fine dining with an international menu, "Le Pavillon," specializing in Mediterranean-inspired dishes with views of the hotel's Arabian horses and "Assyl", an authentic Moroccan restaurant. Precious moments are embodied in the presence of the beautiful thoroughbred Arabian horses. There are views of the horses from the terraces and the gardens where one can admire the equine ballet. Selman Marrakech's spa, Espace Vitalité Chenot is a tribute to oriental wellbeing. The Spa offers treatments using the specific and unique Chenot Method. Moments of pure grace add to the perfection of this timeless experience.