Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / Morocco / Asni / Kasbah Tamadot
Kasbah Tamadot
Asni, Morocco · Virgin Limited Edition · Apex Luxury
Richard Branson acquired Kasbah Tamadot in 1998 at the encouragement of his mother Eve, opening it as one of Virgin Limited Edition's inaugural properties in 2005. "Tamadot" means "soft breeze" in Berber. When the September 2023 earthquake struck — epicentre in the High Atlas, 2,900+ fatalities — the hotel's 160 employees were kept on full payroll throughout the year-long closure; Branson arrived by private jet loaded with relief supplies. The rebuilt property reopened with six new riads, expanding from 28 to 42 rooms.
- 37 rooms
- Opened 2005
- Neighborhood: Province d'Al Haouz ⵜⴰⵙⴳⴰ ⵏ ⵍⵃⵓⵣ إقليم الحوز
About Kasbah Tamadot
- The name "Tamadot" means "soft breeze" in the Berber language — a fact known to almost no traveller staying beneath the Atlas peaks where the actual mountain wind is considerably more assertive.
- After the September 2023 earthquake, all 160 employees were kept on salary throughout the year-long restoration, and the Eve Branson Foundation — founded by Richard Branson's late mother to support local Berber communities — raised $12 million for earthquake relief.
- Branson acquired the kasbah in 1998 from antiques dealer Luciano Tempo; many of Tempo's original collection pieces — antique wardrobes, decorative objects — remain throughout the property, meaning guests still encounter the aesthetic of the building's pre-Virgin life.
- The September 2023 earthquake forced 56 guests to spend the night on the hotel's tennis courts in sleeping bags before roads were cleared at 4 a.m. — a detail that captures the property's extreme Atlas Mountain exposure more vividly than any brochure could.
History
Kasbah Tamadot is a mountain retreat in the High Atlas near Asni, Morocco, in a Berber-style kasbah whose main house dates to the 1920s and once served as a French governor's residence. Antiques collector Luciano Tempo acquired and expanded it in 1989, and it was later bought by Sir Richard Branson's family after they spotted it during a ballooning expedition.
Opened as part of Virgin Limited Edition in 2005, the roughly 28-room retreat blends Moroccan craftsmanship with mountain views and Berber hospitality. Damaged in the September 2023 Al Haouz earthquake, it underwent restoration and reopened as one of the Atlas Mountains' signature luxury escapes.
The setting
27 km from Toubkal National Park. 51 km from Marrakesh Menara Airport.
Experiences
- Activities discovering the Berber way of life — Activities discovering the Berber way of life, offered as part of meetings and incentive stays combining business with pleasure.
Amenities
- Spa
- Infinity pool
- Private pool
- Fitness center
- Tennis
- Cinema
Awards
- MICHELIN Three Keys (2026)
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