Palais Ronsard Relais & Châteaux review: our verdict
The swimming pool at Palais Ronsard is no mere decoration: with its thirty-metre heated pool, it allows for genuine laps. This Relais & Châteaux member in the Palmeraie cultivates a very British colonial charm, with dizzying coffered ceilings, rattan armchairs, marble throughout the bathrooms, and cement tile floors framed with zellige. There are twenty-seven rooms in total, including suites with terraces and fireplaces, some villas even having their own private pool.
The fresh, flowered gardens invite a stroll, the 200 m² spa aligns hammam, sauna and treatments, while the well-equipped gym stays cool. You are welcomed with tea, fresh fruit and Moroccan pastries, and breakfast is ordered à la carte rather than from a buffet. Couples and travellers at the end of their circuit are at home here. Not for a family with young children: those under 12 are not admitted.
The good deal: lunch in the gardens, or the Sunday brunch, to enjoy the setting for the duration of a meal. The pitfall: expecting the restaurant to match the decor; cooking and service rhythm have not always kept up, a piece of beef arriving tough, then overcooked.



