2 November 2026
A Golf Retreat in Marrakech: Villa Soukarya and the Greens of Amelkis
Staying at Amelkis Golf transforms how you experience a golf getaway: you plan your days around tee times, not drive times. Here's how I craft a retreat between fairways, the pool, and the medina.
A golf retreat in Marrakech is composed as much before the first tee-off as after the final putt. From Villa Soukarya, nestled on the Amelkis golf course, you can organize your days around playing times rather than around the road. Here's how I build these stays with my guests.
Sleeping Beside the Course
The first difference shows itself in the morning. No shuttle to watch for, no alarm clock set too early to cross the city: you have breakfast in the garden, check the sky, and head out to play. The 1,700 m² garden already feels like a preview of the course, with its palms, olive trees, and closely mown lawns.
In the evening, the reverse journey is equally pleasant. You return, set down your clubs, dive into the heated pool, and the conversation about hole 14 begins over a glass of mint tea.
A Typical Day, November to April
This is the finest season, with cool mornings and mild afternoons. Here's the rhythm I most often recommend:
- tee-off between 8 and 9 a.m., when the light is low and the Atlas Mountains still stand out sharply on the horizon;
- light lunch at the clubhouse or villa, depending on the group's preference;
- free afternoon: pool, siesta, or a few practice shots for those who haven't had enough;
- dinner at the villa with a chef, or in town for those wanting to see the illuminated medina.
Eighteen holes typically take four and a half to five hours. It's best not to schedule anything tight afterward, especially if the group has players of varying abilities.
Amelkis, and Beyond
Amelkis alone can occupy several days: an 18-hole layout, lakes, grand trees, and those views of the mountains that remind you this isn't a European golf course. Yet Marrakech offers enough variety to alternate.
The Royal Golf de Marrakech is a historic course in the city, more classical in spirit. Assoufid and Al Maaden offer more open landscapes and contemporary layouts. For a week-long stay, I recommend two days at Amelkis, one elsewhere, then a return to the course you've come to know: you play better the second time, and it's quite satisfying.
For Those Who Don't Play
There's almost always someone in a group who prefers not to walk five kilometers behind a ball. It's not a problem—Marrakech knows how to fill a day without effort.
- Jardin Majorelle early in the morning, before the tour groups arrive;
- a stroll through the medina, between Jemaa el-Fna Square and the souks, with a guide if you want to avoid getting lost;
- a hammam, traditional or more refined, for late afternoon;
- a day at the villa, simply, with a book by the water.
In the evening, everyone reconvenes, and everyone's stories intertwine.
A Few Host Tips
Book your tee times in advance, especially between February and April, when the courses fill up. Plan for light layers in the morning: it's cool before 10 a.m., even in spring. In summer, the heat means playing very early or abstaining entirely, and the pool reclaims full priority.
Don't forget sunscreen and a hat, even in winter: Marrakech's sun makes no distinction between January and May. And if you're traveling in a group, arrange foursomes by skill level rather than friendship—everyone plays better that way.
A Stay That Organizes Itself
Villa Soukarya, with its five suites and 750 m², works well for groups of friends or families where some play golf. Everyone has their own space, you gather in the garden, and the Amelkis course literally begins at the edge of the property. If you'd like me to help arrange your tee times or choose a second course, I'm happy to do so: it's the part of the work I enjoy most.