Harem Retreat

Harem is a luxurious getaway for women longing to reinvigorate the body, mind and soul. Our guests are invited to escape into an oriental paradise where they leave behind the stresses of the world and let themselves be pampered with massages, facials, footbaths, hammams, body masks, yoga, meditation and deliciously healthy meals. The concept of a harem, which in Arabic means forbidden, or kept safe, has been turned on its head to create a unique experience that is both fun and fulfilling.

How it all Began – Sandra writes:

My name is Sandra and I live in Marrakech, Morocco. I’m from Holland originally but have been living abroad for over 32 years, 15 of which in Morocco. I’ve studied psychology and english literature at Columbia University but never graduated for lack of funds. I moved to Paris, met my first husband, got 2 wonderful boys, moved to Luxembourg where I got into private banking and loved it. Then my first husband at the time, got a transfer to be second in command in an amazing Hotel in Marrakech, Morocco, Hotel la Mamounia, a landmark filled with history and romance.

I arrived one Christmas with the two boys under my arms, took one look at the bright blue skies, the orange trees, the palms waving in the wind, the donkeys, the smells and fell madly in love with this city! We eventually moved to Tangiers where my ex became Director of another great colonial hotel and where I fell madly, passionately and head over heels in love with my current husband, an American from Richmond, Va, 13 years my junior {he was 23 at the time} who was a teacher at the American School there. To cut a long story short, I re-married, happily, and after some years in Paris and Spain, he was nominated Director of the American School in Marrakech, at age 29. Back in this fabulous city I started a Restaurant and second hand bookstore, called Cafe du Livre, which I’ve recently sold after 5 years, to move on to what really fits my personality like a glove: Harem, a luxurious retreat exclusively for women.

I’ve had the luck to meet an incredibly interesting and generous French artist/sculptor called Jean Francois Fourtou, who owns an amazing estate just on the outskirts of town who offered me his home for rent for my retreats. How it came about?

One Sunday afternoon sitting next to a pool in a posh resort I was observing all the other clients and noticed that the men where all reading or having a nap and the women where running after their children, making sure they were safe and entertained.

I thought, hmmm, how is it that we women with all the hats we are constantly wearing, still have no vacation on our vacation? How come we always give and give and give until we are blue in the face and functioning on automatic pilot, desperately trying to keep everybody around us happy, and then even feel guilty when we finally do take some time for ourselves?

Wouldn’t it be wonderful to create a place where women can be themselves, are allowed to completely let go, no responsibilities, no demands, no decisions, just a healthy dose of self-indulgence, lots of high end pampering, great healthy food and the time and space to put themselves first, for a few days, with even clothing provided so nobody needs to worry about their wardrobes. But then of course, how can we not feel guilty?

So the next step was that I am donating eighty percent of the profits of my Harem retreats to local charity, an orphanage to help girls finish their education and set out in professional life. The art of living hand in hand with the art of giving.

I’ve had lots of Harem retreats so far, overwhelmingly successful and my dream is to open Harems in stunning private homes all over the world, to help women recuperate and get back into the saddle, and to help local girls get ahead in the world, which without a helping hand is very hard.