Black-Owned Luxury Boutique Hotel is Still Going Strong 18 Years Later

Meryanne Loum-Martin, founder of Jnane Tamsna Hotel in Morocco

Meryanne Loum-Martin, a Black woman, has proven that she doesn’t need to be in her territory to excel. She owns Jnane Tamsna, a boutique hotel in Marrakech, Morocco, that is hailed as one of the most fabulous and elegant luxury black-owned hotels in the area. Since its birth in 2000, those who visited the hotel has been raving with 5-star reviews for the hotel’s design, exclusivity, and service.

Getting started

“At that time, I was a black woman in a country with a low percentage of black people,” Loum-Martin, who is half West Indian and half Senegalese, told Black Enterprise. She and her husband was then building the establishment from scratch at the property they just bought in a foreign land.

“I didn’t speak the language and the field of construction was very much a world of men who are known to ignore women. And you know what? We designed everything ourselves. My husband was responsible for the gardens and I was responsible for the architecture, interiors, and floor plans,” Loum-Martin shared.

Eighteen years later, the hotel Loum-Martin personally designed has been featured in various coffee table books and magazine such as Elle, Vogue, Town & Country, among others. It has been venue host of stylish events including The IMARA Retreats: The Colored Girl, a black female empowerment retreat.

Truly, a fabulous retreat

Jnane Tamsna, a fusion of Western modernity and Moroccan tradition, is definitely a fabulous 5-star retreat. It consists of a nine-acre garden, a tennis court, five pools, and 24 guest rooms scattered in 5 houses. Each room has a distinct, striking interior design, but no TV which encourages conversations and relaxing in the gardens instead.

The food they serve, a combination of Mediterranean and modern Moroccan cuisine, is as elegant as the ambiance. They are not after conventional luxury, though. There is no room service which allows for supreme individuality. One of the highlights of the stay in Jnane Tamsna is the tour. They could arrange camel rides, bike rides around the old city, or a sidecar tour in the desert.

No wonder they have a loyal clientele that keeps coming back for the experience only they could offer!

For more details about Jnane Tamsna or to book online, visit www.jnanetamsna.com or follow them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/JnaneTamsna