L'Iglesia El Jadida
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Hotel Details
Location
El Jadida
Morocco, Africa
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Key Highlights
- ✓Rooftop Terrace**: A popular feature providing ocean views, perfect for relaxation.
Expert Review: L'Iglesia El Jadida
L'Iglesia El Jadida, a Michelin Key Selected property, offers a distinctive and atmospheric stay within the historic Cité Portugaise of El Jadida, Morocco. Housed in a beautifully restored 19th-century Spanish church and a former American consulate, the hotel blends Portuguese and Moroccan aesthetics with Art Deco influences, creating a unique and charming ambiance.
1. Overall Rating & Sentiment
The general sentiment for L'Iglesia El Jadida is largely positive, with guests often describing it as "very special," "unique," "charming," and "atmospheric". It holds a "good" rating with an overall score of 7.5 out of 10 based on 78 reviews on Booking.com. However, recent reviews indicate some mixed experiences, particularly concerning maintenance and amenities.
2. Key Highlights
Guests are particularly drawn to the hotel's:
- Exceptional Design & Ambiance: The transformation of a former church and consulate into a boutique hotel is a major highlight, with its vaulted ceilings, intricate detailing, Art Deco furniture, and Moroccan antiques creating a dramatic and captivating interior. Many feel an "impression of sleeping in a film set".
- Prime Location: Situated directly within the UNESCO-listed Portuguese Citadel, the hotel offers views over the historic ramparts and the Atlantic coast. It's a short walk to El Jadida Port and El Jadida Beach.
- Intimate Atmosphere: With only 14 rooms and suites, the hotel maintains a private and uncrowded feel, allowing for a more serene experience.
- Rooftop Terrace: A popular feature providing ocean views, perfect for relaxation.
3. Room Quality
The 14 rooms and suites are individually decorated, typically featuring high ceilings and wrought-iron beds, with a 1930s or 1950s style enriched by antiques sourced from around Morocco. Rooms are generally described as clean, tidy, and spacious. Most guest rooms are located in the old convent, while some are in a newer annex called the Capitainerie. Each room includes a desk, free Wi-Fi, and a private bathroom; some also offer a seating area and wardrobe.
However, some guests have noted issues such as dampness in the church building, with one room even having a dehumidifier, which could be a concern for those with respiratory conditions. More recent feedback highlights a lack of air conditioning, making rooms uncomfortably hot in summer, along with reports of peeling paint, a musty smell, and a general need for better maintenance and cleaning in certain areas. Some deluxe suites, despite being advertised with "extra large beds," were found to have queen-size beds, and some rooms reportedly lack safes, fridges, or TVs.
4. Dining Experience
The hotel's restaurant, La Capitainerie, offers alfresco dining with Mediterranean and North African cuisine, often featuring fresh seafood, and boasts ocean views. While some guests praise the food as "delicious," others have found it "tasty if a little unspectacular" or "correct but not outstanding" with limited choice.
Breakfast, which is included in the booking, is served on the terrace each morning and typically consists of standard Moroccan fare like bread, pancakes, and fruit. It's generally well-received as "tasty and enough," though some suggest more variety for longer stays. The Café do Mar offers lunch and drinks with ocean views, and there is also a bar for evening cocktails.
5. Service & Staff
The staff at L'Iglesia El Jadida consistently receives high praise for their kindness, friendliness, attentiveness, and hospitality. Guests often feel genuinely welcomed and appreciate the "spectacular service". There have been isolated comments regarding housekeeping attentiveness and difficulties with management responsiveness to complaints, particularly concerning refunds for unsatisfactory stays.
6. Location & Accessibility
L'Iglesia is ideally situated within the ancient walls of the Portuguese Citadel, offering an "exceptional" base for exploring the historic city. Key attractions like El Jadida Port are a 2-minute walk away, and El Jadida Beach is just 9-10 minutes on foot. The hotel provides free self- and valet parking. An airport shuttle service is available for a fee, and the train station is a 10-minute drive away.
However, the immediate area outside the property has received some criticism, with one reviewer describing it as a parking lot in the medina with "weird people around at night" and being "very smelly". Another mentioned the UNESCO Citadel appearing "derelict" and "garbage strewn".
7. Value & Pricing
Rates for L'Iglesia El Jadida generally start around 1400 MAD (approximately €130-€140) per night, with Superior Luxe rooms going up to 1700 MAD (around €160). A city tax of MAD 11 per person, per night, also applies.
The perception of value is mixed. While many find the unique experience "really worth the detour," some recent guests have expressed that the price-to-quality ratio is "shocking," suggesting the hotel should cost significantly less given reported issues like lack of air conditioning and maintenance concerns. Booking.com rates the value for money at 7.1 out of 10.
8. Common Complaints
Recurring issues and criticisms include:
- Lack of Air Conditioning: This is a significant concern, especially during hotter months, leading to uncomfortable room temperatures.
- Maintenance and Cleanliness: Some guests have reported dusty rooms, peeling paint, and a general need for refurbishment and better cleaning, suggesting the hotel's actual condition may not live up to initial impressions from photos.
- Dampness: Rooms within the church building can be damp, potentially affecting guests with respiratory issues.
- Noise: Complaints have been made about noisy rooms, loud music from the foyer, and children playing football outside late at night.
- Inaccurate Room Descriptions: Misleading information regarding bed sizes in suites has been reported.
- Limited In-Room Amenities: Some rooms reportedly lack essential amenities like safes, fridges, or televisions.
- Surrounding Area: The immediate vicinity outside the hotel has been described as unappealing, with a parking lot, unpleasant smells, and questionable activity at night.
Sources
Points to Consider
- •Recurring issues and criticisms include:
- •Lack of Air Conditioning**: This is a significant concern, especially during hotter months, leading to uncomfortable room temperatures.
- •Dampness**: Rooms within the church building can be damp, potentially affecting guests with respiratory issues.
- •Noise**: Complaints have been made about noisy rooms, loud music from the foyer, and children playing football outside late at night.
