You might smell the Sofitel Marrakech Palais Imperial before you see it, and that’s no small feat, considering the majestic façade that looms over a large cul de sac. We mean that in a good way: the sweet, soapy orange blossom fragrance drifts out from within to intoxicate you, distracting you as you try to take in the building, a soaring modern-day palace at the end of a leafy promenade. After overwhelming your eyes and nostrils upon arrival, the Sofitel continues on to cosset you in every way imaginable, beginning with a much-needed glass of mint tea served at check-in. The décor is lavish without being gaudy, locally inspired without being in-your-face — a contemporary mural composed entirely of babouche slippers; glittering crystal chandeliers and valance lights; bold accents of red punching up the neutral palette.

If only the lovely scent of the public spaces had managed to waft into our room as well — the there was an acrid, musty smell, and requests to come and do something about it went unheard. But the room does have a small balcony, so we aired it out while listening to Marrakech go by just a few floors below. The décor in the 183 rooms is a sobered take on local aesthetics, with geometrically etched woodwork, a small bench tucked beneath a latticed frame, and a tiled vanity in the bathroom giving the otherwise international-standard hotel room a sense of place. The rooms are great for pampering yourself: the products in the bathroom are Lanvin, and the beds and soft and cloudlike.

The Sofitel one of the best addresses in Marrakech; on one side are a slew of the city’s top clubs (Lotus, Comptoir, SkyLounge, Jad Mahal), fanned out amid the posh houses within a two-block radius; on the other is the hectic pace of the medina. Inside, you’ll find four high-end restaurants, including Le Jardin and L’Orangerie; the So spa and the popular club So; and some luxe shopping, including a Louis Vuitton outlet. There’s also an Art Lounge, a pristine white atrium bedecked with contemporary canvases and sculptures, and comfortable couches in the middle from which to sit and bask in it all.

Unexpectedly, for a hotel so elegant and a clientele so well-heeled, the Sofitel is surprisingly kid-friendly. There’s a Kids’ Suite with cooking classes and fun workshops, a separate kids’ pool, and, the best part, a go-kart track set against a backdrop of one of the ornate gates. But it’s also a place where adults can unleash their inner child. Case in point: the life-size chess board by the pool.