Evening flights overseas are the thing these days, but they sure screw up your departure day, and first day on the ground at your destination is always a zombie day for me……..not a good aeroplane sleeper. We have a scheduled 10:30 departure for Casablanca, but are advised to be there well in advance because we have to take a bus ride to our plane. Turns out we are leaving from the infield terminal at Pearson…….totally kitted out terminal with a number of gates, but virtually deserted…….only one flight on the board…….ours…….and there is a plane outside so we are in luck. Eventually we find some signs of life in the lounge, and get settled in with some vino, and surprisingly good pasta. Royal Air Maroc is the carrier, and I think this bird has more than a few miles on it……..we have business class seats, booked economically by my agent Go-at-Travel a year ago, but I just cannot get comfortable in this seat…….no way……..I am up all night. I can’t wait to get to the hotel…….screw what I have said in the past about staying up and blending into the day no matter where you land……..I’m hitting the sack baby. Just give me a couple of hours and I’ll be fine.
Tucked away on a quiet side street that you would miss 99 times out of 100 even with directions…….welcome to Hôtel Le Doge. The story goes that a wealthy Italian entrepreneur built this grand estate back in the 1930’s as a romantic gift for his Moroccan wife, and blended finishes, furniture, and appointments from both cultures to create his masterpiece.
Now converted to a hotel the first thing you see when you walk in is a spiral staircase wrapped in red velvet and mirrors that winds up to who knows where. I go over and check it out……..5 floors, spinning all the way to the top (dizzy), and capped with a beautiful stained glass roof window. Very cool art deco vibe.
But here is a cooler thing……….no boring room numbers in this joint. Instead, you check into rooms entirely inspired by 1920s and 30s icons. You can spend the night in rooms supposedly themed on folks like Coco Chanel, Ernest Hemingway, Joséphine Baker, Charlie Chaplin…..we are in the Colette suite, named after Sidonie-Gabrielle Colette (1873–1954), the celebrated French novelist………new one on me!……and Sibby is in the Majorelle suite……. Jacques Majorelle, the French painter (1886–1962) famous for his work in Morocco……..”I’ll take artists I don’t know for $1,000 please Alex”. This hotel comes highly recommended so we are looking forward to a couple of nice days here…….only 16 rooms…….Relais & Chateaux, restaurants on the second floor and the rooftop……..great location, walkable to most of the tourista spots. First impressions are very good and the rooms are super cool.
Yes, I had my nap, and it was wonderful. Totally revived, Jutta and I decide to check out the hood. Sibylle is down for the count, and is not answering her phone, or some pretty aggressive door pounding by her sis. We hit the James hotel a few blocks away and decide to try their rooftop bar/restaurant for a cocktail and a snack. Dinner is not too far off back at our own rooftop eatery at the Doge. Just dawned on me “Doge”, or is it D-O-G-E…..Department of Government Efficiency……..do you remember that farce!…….laughing……
Pretty good first day…….organized tour tomorrow morning…….hitting the sack.
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