Kasbah du Toubkal (Mr & Mrs Smith): Bottom Line Review

Last year, my wife and I spent a few weeks travelling through Morocco. One of the most beautiful parts of the country is the High Atlas Mountains near Marrakech, and Kasbah du Toubkal is a unique, restored kasbah in the middle of the peaks that I’ve been interested in checking out for years. Hyatt’s partnership with Mr & Mrs Smith gave us the opportunity.

It’s worth noting that the property, like much of the surrounding town, was damaged in the earthquake that hit the area in September of 2023. The kasbah was completely open and functional when we visited in 2024, but there were still significant repairs underway on some portions of the property.

Kasbah du Toubkal Bottom Line Review

Even before Hyatt purchased Mr & Mrs Smith (MMS), Kasbah du Toubkal is a property that I’ve had my eye on. It’s a restored kasbah located about 40 miles from Marrakesh in the High Atlas Mountains beneath Jebel Toubkal, Morocco’s highest peak. Just getting there requires a 15-20 minute uphill hike from the town below…but don’t worry, your luggage is carried for you via mule. The property is staffed by members of the local Berber community, has an onsite hammam, great food and a plethora of wonderful trails just outside the (sizable) front door. Like many MMS properties, the value with Hyatt points isn’t great, but it’s still a one-of-a-kind mountain retreat. Thumbs up

• • Price: Since it’s a Mr & Mrs Smith property, it doesn’t have an award chart category like Hyatt’s own-branded properties. Generally, standard rooms start at ~16K points/night or around ~€200 cash. When we were there, we spend 26,000 Hyatt points for a Junior Suite with a cash price of ~€380 (~$400).
  • Value: When compared to Hyatt’s own properties, not great (we peg the average redemption for Hyatt points at 1.7 cents each). However, Mr & Mrs Smith redemptions via Hyatt tend to hang out in the 1.1 – 1.3 cent per point range, whereas Kasbah du Toubkal is usually closer to 1.5. So, solely in terms of MMS redemptions, you could say that it’s decent value.
  • Location: The property in (or just above) the town of Imlil in the Atlas Mountains at the foot of Jbel Toubkal, the highest peak in North Africa. The parking area is an hour north of Marrakech and there’s about a 15-20-minute uphill hike from town to get to the property. Once there, a plethora of interesting hikes can be had, including the main trunk trail to the summit of Jbel Toubkal.
  • Room: We booked ourselves directly into a junior suite at a rate of 26K points per night. Like the property itself, the room was rustic, but delightful. It’s an two-level suite; the top floor consists of the a living room, dining area and a lovely patio that’s connected to a covered solarium-like area. The lower level had the bed and bathroom. There was a creek
  • Parking: Attended parking is available across from the check-in office in Imlil in an open, dirt lot. The cost is €2/night.
  • Resort/Destination Fee: None.
  • Internet: Pretty good, all considered. It wasn’t as fast as what you’d normally encounter in an urban hotel. Streaming may not be possible, but I was able to work without issue.
  • Service: The hotel is staffed from the local Berber population and goes to great pains to emphasize that hospitality will be different than a normal hotel. It was for us, but not in a charming way. When we parked our car, there was a man staffing the welcome center in Imlil. He had very little English, but gestured for us to start walking down the main road in town in order to get to the hotel. Luckily, the donkey carrying our luggage passed us, because we would have been completely lost about which route to take to the hotel without it. Upon arrival at the kasbah, the young woman at the front desk seemed be very confused that were there and had no idea what to do with us. Eventually, we were able to get checked-in, but it took 45 minutes or so. During our stay, most of the folks that we encountered were workmanlike, but not exactly warm. In summary, it’s fine, but we didn’t find it to be especially welcoming.
  • Turndown service: None.
  • Dining:
    • Restaurant: There is only one restaurant for the property and it serves family-style meals for dinner and lunch (breakfast is included). If weather cooperates, meals can be had outside on the patio, otherwise it’s in the common dining room that consists of pillow and blanket-covered banquettes oriented around a central, wood-burning stove. The cooks are from the local community and the food is regionally-focused. Many ingredients are grown nearby and the bread is made each afternoon on site. The food is rustic, but very tasty. The hotel doesn’t stock or serve alcohol, but you’re able to bring your own with no additional charge.
  • Spa: There’s no spa as such, but there is a fun, on-site hammam that’s reserved in 30-minute increments for private use.
  • Fitness Room: None.
  • Hyatt Globalist Benefits: 
    • Suite Upgrade: None.
    • Free Breakfast: Breakfast is included for all guests and includes cereals, dried fruits, yogurt, Moroccan bread and eggs. Coffee and tea are served as well. Like many breakfasts in Morocco, it’s filling and unmemorable.
    • Late Checkout: None. We were invited to leave our bags at the front desk and return later if we wanted to hike.
    • Parking: Parking is across from the welcome desk in Imlil and costs ~€2/night. It is not waived for Globalists.
    • Welcome Amenity: None, unless you count the welcome tea and nuts that are served on the patio while you check-in.
  • Would I stay again?  I enjoyed almost everything about this hotel and it has the feel of a true mountain retreat. I’d love to revisit it for a longer stay with more time to explore the surrounding mountains.

Kasbah du Toubkal Pros and Cons

Pros

• Unique, hike-in location in the Atlas Mountains south of Marrakech.
• Atmospheric property based in a restored Kasbah.
• Mountain views abound and excellent hiking is right outside the front door.
• Spacious rooms.
• Communal dining area was warm and inviting.
• Usually a better value on points than most Mr & Mrs Smith properties.

Cons

• No way to get all the way by car.
• Staff isn’t especially warm or welcoming.
• Don’t expect any Hyatt elite recognition at all
• Compared to Hyatt’s own hotels, it’s not a great value on award stays.

Image Gallery

Kasbah du Toubkal Junior Suite

Main Patio

Kasbah du Toubkal Restaurant

Kasbah du Toubkal Arrival

Private Hammam

Kasbah du Toubkal Grounds

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