Owner's interview : Villa Elo, a warm and familial villa in the heart of the Palmeraie of Marrakech

Written on : 16 June 2021
By : Chloé Girod

Villa Elo is the result of a family project in Marrakech. Sabrina and Philippe Brunet have built the house of their dreams. It is named after one of their daughters, Eloise.

Sabrina Brunet, originally from the Paris region, is a true travel fanatic. With her husband Philippe and their children, they decided to go and live in Marrakech, driven by the desire to discover the treasures of Morocco and to leave their comfort zone.

In 2005, they decided to undertake one of the most beautiful projects of their lives, the construction of their main house, Villa Elo. Located in the Palmeraie of Marrakech, only 15 minutes from the Medina, it is a peaceful haven for family gatherings.

"The project took 4 years. We took our time, as we decided on every detail of the house, to make it in line with ourselves."

Villa Elo, a mix between tradition and modernity

The couple wanted a house that was both traditional with rounded shapes, local materials like tajmaat and bejmat, and contemporary with a clean interior color scheme of gray and white. It was essential to keep a traditional look, blending in with the Moroccan decor while having modern and comfortable facilities.

They decorated the entire villa, taking their inspiration from the riads of Marrakech and browsing the alleys of the Bab el Khemis souk and the stores of Mustapha Blaoui and Soufiane Zarib in search of the most beautiful objects.

The development of the garden was a real challenge, "it was a huge wasteland that had to be completely organized. With the help of a landscaper, they planted hundreds of local plants such as bougainvillea, palm and olive trees as well as a few fruit trees to create different shady and pleasant spaces around the large heated pool.

"The villa is never really finished, we always have many projects to improve it. That's what we love about it!"

Recently the couple had a pool house built, their new "favorite room in the house, because we can all hang out in it both in winter and summer and enjoy the garden together." This 90m2 room is a real asset for the villa and can host small events such as company seminars. They also have plans to redecorate some of the rooms and even expand the villa.

A home designed for the family

When asked what type of travelers would you recommend your villa for, Sabrina answers without hesitation, "It is perfect for families and friends who want a comfortable and intimate stay with hotel services."

"The main advantage of this house is that it is ideal for children.

Villa Elo was designed to be a warm family home. It has many amenities such as a pool table, ping-pong table, and foosball table. It is also close to many activities such as go-karting, horseback riding and tennis. Golfers will also be satisfied, as it is located only a few minutes from the Palmeraie Golf Palace.

Sabrina also talks about the house staff, who are present all year round and "take care of everything, with a warm welcome without fail" and who play a very important role in the upkeep of the house, allowing you to spend a dream stay with your family without having to worry about housework or cooking.

"We hardly go to restaurants anymore, the food there is much better at home."

Marrakech, a destination you can't get enough of

Marrakech is full of opportunities, that's why the Brunet family likes to come back regularly to rediscover the region.

In addition to the must-do's like getting lost in the Medina, visiting the Yves Saint-Laurent Museum and the Majorelle Garden or visiting the Medersa Ben Youssef Koranic school, Sabrina advises to go for a walk in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains and to have a picnic to admire the snow still present on the summits in springtime or to go on an excursion in the Agafay desert.

She loves the Museum of Contemporary African Art - MACAAL, as well as the comptoir des mines which exhibits Moroccan artists and organizes regular exhibitions.

To discover Moroccan gastronomy and have a drink, she recommends several addresses such as the Riad Al Fen, the Royal Mansour or the Café des épices. To end an evening, a last drink can be taken at the Jad Mahal "a fabulous festive place" which proposes live music and shows.