Lavish elegance at the Fairmont Tazi Palace, Tangier, Morocco

The Fairmont Tazi Palace in Tangier.

When I arrived in Tangier, the history of the city was uppermost in my mind as opposed to its current transformation.

It is one of the oldest cities in Morocco, over 2,500 years old, with a beautiful mix of cultures. This is mainly because of its strategic location on the Strait of Gibraltar, making it an important gateway for trade between Europe and Africa. Nestled between the sea and rolling hills, it has been labeled “The White City” due to its immaculate white houses.

Tangier, “The White City”.

In the first half of the 20th century, Tangier became an “International Zone”, administered by France, Spain, England and Italy. Hence, it was a destination for many European diplomats, spies, smugglers, but also eccentric expats who were buying dilapidated riads and turning them into magnificent mansions.

The promise of cosmopolitan exoticism acted also as a magnet to attract artists like Matisse and Francis Bacon, writers like Truman Capote and Paul Bowles, musicians like the Rolling Stones and millionaire heiresses like Barbara Hutton.

Fountains and mosaic benches in the patio of Barbara Hutton’s house in the Medina of Tangier.

In 1956, Tangier joined together with Morocco, and by the early 21st century had undergone rapid development. It is the second most important industrial city after Casablanca, but also relies heavily on tourism where seaside resorts are growing with projects funded by foreign investments.

In this vibrant city, I arrived late on a November night at the Fairmont Tazi Palace, one of the finest luxury hotels in Morocco, located above the Medina of Tangier and its labyrinthine alleys.

Entrance to the Fairmont Tazi Palace, Tangier.

Being tired after a long flight, I went directly to sleep, but before I closed my eyes, my gaze wandered to the spacious room adorned with modern Moroccan décor, fabrics created by local artisans and design influences of the Arab-Andalusian heritage: mosaics, engraved brass, wooden screens, and last but not least a luxurious marble bathroom.

The Fairmont Tazi Palace lounge, Tangier.

The following morning, I believe I was the first guest to wake up in the hotel. I looked from the balcony at the magnificent view of the city below which was wrapped in a light mist. I put on a sweater and went down to the gardens to walk as the sun was rising. I was enchanted! Secluded high in the middle of a private forest of lush hills, the grounds of the property were an absolute delight: century-old eucalyptus trees lived along with groves of palm, citrus, olive, and verdant pomegranate trees, interspersed with Andalusian-style gardens.

The Fairmont Tazi Palace foyer, Tangier.

I walked for an hour and on my way to the restaurant to have breakfast, I crossed some sumptuous lounges meticulously decorated with the most beautiful Moroccan craftsmanship in pieces of art and materials, all handmade by local artisans: moucharabiehs screens, tadelakt plaster finishes, and zellige tiles.

The author at the Fairmont Tazi Palace lobby, Tangier.

With my admiration, but also with my curiosity rising, I stopped at the lobby to ask the young lady at the reception desk if she could tell me about the history of the Tazi Palace. Smiling, she took her eyes off the computer screen, and after we took some steps, she gracefully raised her hand showing me the 12-meter-high ceiling. To my surprise, she told me that right where we were was the central wing of a historic palace built in 1920 for Mendoub Ahmed Tazi, an advisor to the king of Morocco.

The labyrinthine villa is distinguished by its ornate, creamy-coloured Moorish façade and a central honeycomb of skylights, which allow light to flood into the high foyer.

Beauty lies in the details and the Fairmont Tazi Palace lobby ceiling is a testimony to that.

Never completed and abandoned for decades, the mansion has been refurbished to its original opulence to evoke the splendour of the 1920s and highlight all that is most precious and sumptuous in Moroccan architecture. The restoration of this historic jewel was entrusted to global hospitality design studio OBMI (headquarters in Dubai), which worked with Madrid CCCRA architects to preserve the spirit of the palace.

Lavish elegance at the Fairmont Tazi Palace, Tangier.

Thanks to its exceptional location, the Fairmont Tazi Palace was the perfect base for exploring many hidden treasures of Tangier. Early in the morning, I ascended to the historic Kasbah, the old citadel, which overlooks the old town and the Strait of Gibraltar. Nearby, was the Dar Al-Makhzen Palace which was the seat of power under Sultan Ismail’s rule in the late 17th-century. The former reception rooms are currently used by the Museum of Mediterranean Cultures exhibiting works of art from all over Morocco.

Walking towards the Medina of Tangier.

Then I started to descend towards the Medina, a labyrinth of narrow streets, both commercial and residential, that offer such visual impressions that it seemed as if I was walking in an art gallery. The Petit Socco is the centre of the old town.

It is an amazing experience to shop in the Medina of Tangier.

Before the inception of the “Tangier International Zone” in 1923, many of the consulates of European nations were in the immediate vicinity, as were the main banks. Finally, I ended my stroll at the elegant five-story mansion of the American Legation, established in 1821. The Sultanate of Morocco was the first country to recognize the Independence of the United States.

The American Legation mansion in Tangier.

By decree, the Sultan welcomed American ships “to come and circulate freely in the ports of Morocco” and granted the building to the U.S. government.  Over the years this became a diplomatic residence, a consulate, a museum, a research library and, today, a cultural center. I wandered around the rooms to better comprehend this aspect of Tangier, perusing maps, photographs, historical newspapers, and a collection of paintings by American and Scottish expats who lived in the city.

The author reading in the American Legation sitting room, Tangier.

As I was strolling through the “White City”, enchanted by the vivid blue of the sky, the clear clean colours, the scent of flowers, and the palm trees and bougainvillea, lending it an exotic amphitheatrical beauty, the old world flooded my thoughts and senses. At a bend in the road my gaze fell on the Grand Hôtel Villa de France, a heritage building of the late 19th-century in the middle of what was once the prestigious diplomatic quarter of Tangier. It hosted royals and celebrities, and my most favourite painter, Henri Matisse.

The Grand Hôtel Villa de France, Tangier.

Matisse in the late winter of 1912 seeking a new direction for his art. He was charmed by the cosmopolitan city. His most evocative painting is Paysage Vu d’une Fenȇtre (Landscape Viewed from a Window) which was directly painted from his window in Room 35 of the Villa de France. The colour synthesis is mainly in brilliant blue to bring forth the reflection of the sky on the stark white buildings.

“Landscape Viewed from a Window” (1913) by Henri Matisse, Pushkin Museum, Moscow.

Although Matisse spent only a few months here, Tangier shaped his subsequent art. Later in the 1920s, when he settled in Nice in Southern France, his paintings of odalisques -reclining females set against patterned cushions, and oriental carpets- show the way in which the exotic city affected him.

“Odalisque in Red Trousers” (1924-1925) by Henri Matisse, Musée de l’Orangerie, Paris.

It's true that the light here is distinctive. After the brilliant light of the day, the golden sunset transforms everything into gleaming sparks; and at night, silver studs intone the deep velvet sky.

Oh! my magical memories of Morocco began here in Tangier, the gateway to Africa.

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