Morocco

Spring (March to May) and autumn (October to November) are ideal — warm, comfortable days for the medina and the mountains, with cool evenings. Summer can exceed 40°C in Marrakech, though the coast at Essaouira stays breezy; winter is pleasantly cool in the city and brings snow to the High Atlas, with properly cold desert nights.

Three or four nights in Marrakech covers the medina, the gardens and the souks at an unhurried pace. Add two or three more to reach the Atlas Mountains, a night in an Agafay or Sahara desert camp, or the coast at Essaouira — easy extensions we sequence with the transfers arranged.

Both have their place, and many guests do a night or two of each. The medina's riad-palaces put you in the heart of the old city, while garden resorts like Four Seasons Marrakech and Amanjena offer space, pools and calm just outside the walls. Four Seasons has a private medina entrance that lets you slip into the souks without the traffic — we match the mix to how you like to travel.

In Marrakech, Four Seasons Marrakech sits amid walled gardens with Atlas Mountain views and a private medina entrance, while Amanjena — Aman's serene palace of rose-pink pavilions, colonnades and reflecting pools just outside the city — is the most atmospheric choice for those wanting seclusion and design, complete with a traditional hammam.

You pay the same rate as booking direct and gain preferred-partner benefits — breakfast, upgrades when available, and credits. Morocco especially rewards a guide who knows which door to knock on: private access to the artisan workshops the tour buses never reach, the tables and rooftops worth booking, and the Atlas or desert excursions that give a trip its range.