Review: Service Missteps at Nobu Hotel Marrakech, an SLH Hotel

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The Nobu Hotel brand has an interesting origin story. It began at Matsuhisa, a Peruvian-Japanese restaurant in Los Angeles founded by chef Nobu Matsuhisa. Robert De Niro was a frequent diner there and eventually convinced chef Matsuhisa to partner with him, along with other investors, to launch the first Nobu restaurant in New York, which later expanded globally.

With the great success of the restaurants, the Nobu brand evolved into hospitality. The first Nobu Hotel opened in Las Vegas in 2013 inside Caesars Palace. What distinguishes this brand is that every property features Nobu restaurants. They range from rooftop bars and beach clubs to dining rooms.

Today, there are 20 Nobu hotels worldwide. Regardless of location, all properties incorporate distinct Japanese design elements. For miles and points enthusiasts, the brand is particularly interesting because a select few are part of the Small Luxury Hotels of the World (SLH). The Nobu Hotel Marrakech is one of them. It’s also the first Nobu hotel to open in Africa.

Nobu Hotel Marrakech – Booking

Hilton partnered with SLH in 2024, allowing Hilton Honors members to redeem points or Free Night Award (FNA) certificates at SLH properties like the Nobu Hotel Marrakech. While planning my trip, I remembered that I had an unused FNA certificate. Since I was arriving a day earlier than my family, I redeemed my Hilton FNA for a Junior Suite. At the time of my booking, the point rate was 135,000 points per night.

Nobu Hotel Marrakech – Arrival and First Impressions

Nobu Hotel Marrakech is in the Golden Triangle district, a trendy area with designer boutiques. The hotel had a few restaurants and coffee shops nearby. The best part, though, is its proximity to Jemaa el-Fna square, where you’ll find Marrakech’s famous historic Medina and souks.

After my flight on Royal Air Maroc, I took a private car transfer to take me from the airport to the hotel. The drive took under 15 minutes door to door. A porter quickly took care of my luggage upon arrival.

I stepped into their cozy lobby area, which was tastefully designed. Pastel coloured seating surrounded a massive Japanese bonsai tree in the centre, providing a calm ambiance. I loved the lobby’s contemporary Moroccan interior design with arches framing the seating area.

I was warmly welcomed by staff and directed to the lounge area in the lobby, rather than the reception desk. The check-in process moved at a very slow pace. After waiting a while, an associate offered me a welcome drink of Moroccan tea, but I politely declined and requested a glass of water instead.

The associate completed all the check-in formalities and handed me an envelope that highlighted all the Hilton Honors Diamond benefits I can look forward to:

• Daily breakfast for up to 2 guests in the hotel restaurant
• Room upgrade if available
• Late check-out if available
• Complimentary water and Wi-Fi

I learned that I was proactively upgraded to their Deluxe Junior Suite. The associate escorted me to my suite, and as we made our way there, she described the property’s facilities and services.

Nobu Hotel Marrakech – Deluxe Junior Suite

I found Suite 227 to be spacious for a Junior Suite. I was impressed! A long hallway lined with intricate dark wood floor-to-ceiling closets stood on one side. Opposite it was the bathroom, consisting of a central vanity with a rainfall shower and a tub on either side.

The marble-floored bathroom was stocked with an assortment of bath amenities, while bath products were in big bottles by Clarins. Turning to the right corner, another set of closets was available and inside were plush bathrobes, a yoga mat, shoe shine and a safe. Opposite it was a separate bathroom with a toilet and a traditional bidet.

A wooden sliding door separated the closet and bathroom area from the bedroom. A king-sized Nobu Signature bed was surrounded by comfortable sofas and chairs. A wall-mounted smart TV faced the bed, with a mini bar beneath it stocked with Nespresso pods, sencha tea and bottled water.

The room design blended traditional Moroccan motifs such as the ceiling light and wooden doors with minimalist Japanese touches like the wall art and kimonos in the closet. The only drawback was really the view. My suite faced other buildings.  If staying here, try requesting a high-floor room with views of the Atlas Mountains.

The suite was equipped with USB ports and digital “do not disturb” and “housekeeping service” controls. Surprisingly, no welcome amenity was provided. However, they did offer turndown service around 10 p.m., bringing me two small boxes of dates and water bottles.

Nobu Hotel Marrakech – Dining

The hotel offers three main dining venues. Nobu Marrakesh, the signature restaurant on the main floor, serves Chef Nobu’s iconic dishes like Black Cod Miso, Rock Shrimp Tempura and Yellowtail Sashimi. Nearby, Nobu Bar & Lounge serves cocktails, local drinks and light bites in the evenings.

Breakfast is served buffet-style with both indoor and outdoor seating, with an artist playing Oud music. Breakfast hours are from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m., extending to 11:30 a.m. on weekends. They had a decent variety of both cold and hot plates, and I personally appreciated their large selection of fresh juices.

An egg station is also available to order eggs to your preference, with many toppings to choose from to customize your order. The service was warm, and when I ordered Moroccan tea, the waitress brought me a plate of traditional Moroccan biscuits to try.

The other dining option is the Rooftop Garden Restaurant & Sushi Bar. It offers panoramic views of the Red City, with the Atlas Mountains forming the backdrop. Near the restaurant terrace, an outdoor swimming pool with lounge chairs is a popular spot in the summer. In the evenings, it transforms into a club atmosphere with a DJ playing tracks late into the night.

The menu caters to all tastes, with a range of Western, Mediterranean and Moroccan cuisine open from noon until 1 a.m. They also had a Sushi Bar serving sashimi, nigiri, maki rolls and other cold dishes that’s open until 6 p.m. The prices on the menu were definitely steep when compared to local restaurants.

I visited the rooftop restaurant shortly after check-in for a late lunch. It didn’t go exactly as I expected. Initially, everything was perfect. I was quickly seated, assigned a friendly waiter, and I enjoyed my order of burger and fries under the sunny sky, enjoying the beautiful weather.

I wasn’t in a rush to leave, soaking in the views and good weather. I then ordered Moroccan tea and a dessert that was half crème brûlée, half cheesecake. Then, my waiter’s shift ended. When I requested the bill, the new server dropped it off and mentioned to me that the service charge did not include gratuity. Not exactly polite. I wanted to charge the bill to my room to make use of my $50 USD Hilton credit.

Moments later, he returned claiming I had written down the wrong room number. I pulled out my key card sleeve clearly displaying 227. He walked away, and shortly after, a manager appeared. He explained he’d called the front desk and confirmed my room was actually 327. Confused, I went to the front desk myself. An associate accompanied me to my room, and she saw with her own eyes that it indeed was 227.

Hours later, a hotel employee entered my room unannounced, surprised I was there. He told me he thought that my suite was unassigned. This whole experience was bizarre and unsettling.

Nobu Hotel Marrakech – Wellness

For relaxation, The Pearl Spa, located two levels below the lobby, is over 2,000 square metres in size, offering a blend of classic Moroccan rituals and Japanese treatments. Their spa menu includes pricing for various treatments like massages, Hammam, facials and more in Moroccan Dirham.

Facilities include a jacuzzi, sauna, steam area, a hair salon, a fitness centre and a 30 metre indoor heated pool. Guests also have access to the outdoor rooftop pool and the lobby level outdoor pool near the breakfast area.

Takeway

Nobu Hotel Marrakech’s main draw is that all 71 rooms are suites, making it feel exclusive. Hilton Honors members can expect strong elite status recognition. With its convenient location in the heart of the Golden Triangle, a wonderful breakfast spread and stunning views from the Rooftop Garden Restaurant, Nobu has a lot going for it.

That said, several service missteps left me disappointed. An unpleasant interaction with a waiter at the Rooftop Garden Restaurant, followed by an employee entering my room because he mistakenly thought it was unassigned, left me unsettled. If I return to Marrakech, I would give Nobu another chance, but I’d most likely explore other options in the Red City first.