Is Morocco good for a girls' getaway?

A girls' getaway is one of the trips Morocco was practically designed for, and I plan plenty of them — milestone birthdays, hen weekends, old friends reuniting, a group of women who just need a few days of colour and indulgence. The magic ingredients are exactly what a group wants: serious shopping, a spa culture built around ritual, food that doubles as an activity, and rooftops made for long evenings with a view. It is sociable, glamorous and just exotic enough to feel like a proper adventure.

Shopping is usually the headline, and I make sure it's done well. With a knowledgeable guide, the souks of Marrakech or Fes go from overwhelming to exhilarating — I steer groups to the genuine artisan workshops for leather, lanterns, rugs, ceramics and argan-oil cosmetics, and a good guide takes the stress out of haggling so it becomes a game rather than a chore. Pair that with a group hammam — everyone scrubbed, steamed and oiled together, emerging glowing and giggling — and you have the spa-and-shopping spine that most girls' trips are built around.

I always weave in shared experiences that give the group something to do together beyond the pool. A hands-on cooking class where you make your own tagine and then eat it; a pottery or henna session; a sunset rooftop dinner with a view over the medina; and, schedule permitting, a night in a styled desert camp — chic tents, a fire, drums, and a sky full of stars that turns a fun trip into a memorable one. The Agafay desert near Marrakech is my go-to for groups short on time, with luxe camps just an hour out.

My biggest practical tip for groups is to take over a whole riad. Booking a small riad for exclusive use gives you a private courtyard, a rooftop and a host who cooks for just your party — it transforms the trip from "staying in a hotel" into "having our own Moroccan house," with breakfasts in your pyjamas and dinners under the stars on your own terrace. Add a private driver so nobody's navigating, keep at least one base for a few nights so you can settle in, and let me handle the bookings. Plan it around shopping, spa and shared rituals in a riad that's all yours, and a girls' getaway in Morocco is hard to beat.