The countries in North Africa and the Middle East are often grouped together for their overlapping histories, geographies, and cultures — but, as with any label, that regional moniker doesn’t do justice to the varied contexts that span from Morocco to Egypt to Yemen to Iraq. This richness is especially evident in the region’s cities, where you can find both ancient architecture and futurist design, religious sites and fashion houses, luxurious spas and rugged landscapes. Luckily, this year’s list of the region’s best city hotels offers just as much variety.
Every year for our World’s Best Awards survey, T+L asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Hotels (including safari lodges) were rated on their facilities, location, service, food, and overall value. Properties were classified as city hotel, resort, or safari lodge based on their locations and amenities.
Four Seasons has a significant footprint in this region, and the presence is paying off. It’s the only brand to have more than one property in this year’s top 10. (Three, to be exact.) These include the Four Seasons Hotel Amman, in Jordan, a 192-room tower that came in at No. 4. Readers loved the Four Seasons service — “every guest is treated like their experience is important,” said one respondent — and for the “spectacular views of Amman,” with vistas of the city’s famous hills.
The two other Four Seasons winners are in Cairo, the city that claims four of the best hotels in the region this year — more than any other. Among them: Marriott Mena House, which earned the No. 5 spot for its palm-dotted grounds and views of the Pyramids, and the Nile Ritz-Carlton, a riverside property that ranked No. 3. “Truly luxurious,” a reader said of the latter.
Travelers love cities like Cairo and Amman for their wealth of history, archaeology, and striking landscapes — but many of the hotels on this year’s list are also draws for more contemporary cultural pursuits. It’s no surprise that the Burj Al Arab makes the list yet again (this year at No. 7) as one of Dubai’s crown jewels, with no less than nine restaurants on the property. Coming in at No. 2 is the Norman, in Tel Aviv, a comparatively young city known for beaches and nightlife. “In a city where fun evenings are a given, always start at the Norman’s Library Bar,” advised one reader.
The region’s top city hotel, according to Travel + Leisure readers, is in one of the region’s most popular cities to visit — and the property is a destination for history, wellness, and dining all in one. Read on for the 10 best city hotels in North Africa and the Middle East.
1. Royal Mansour Marrakech, Morocco
This storied property is just a 15-minute walk from the cornucopian souks and Almoravid architecture of the city’s medieval medina. But the Royal Mansour Marrakech brands itself as a sort of historic center of its own — a recently expanded palace estate with acres of gardens, intricately carved arches, and Moorish tiled courtyards. Guests stay in one of 53 private riads, each with a private pool — though the three-story, 27,000-square-foot spa might beckon them to leave their individual retreats for a few hours.
Score: 98.93
2. The Norman, Tel Aviv
Score: 95.00
3. The Nile Ritz-Carlton, Cairo
Score: 93.07
4. Four Seasons Hotel Amman, Jordan
Score: 92.75
5. Marriott Mena House, Cairo
Score: 92.14
6. La Mamounia, Marrakesh, Morocco
Score: 91.86
7. Burj Al Arab, Dubai
Score: 91.52
8. Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at Nile Plaza
Score: 90.00
9. King David Hotel Jerusalem
Score: 89.11
10. Four Seasons Hotel Cairo at the First Residence
Score: 88.75