Travel With Me
With its mountain-framed old town, storied Islamic architecture, and market filled with carpet sellers and spice merchants, Marrakech, Morocco feels like something out of a North African fairy tale. No wonder it has inspired novelists, rock musicians, interior designers, and legendary fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent.
Oh, and me. I’m Jenn Barger, a seasoned travel journalist who worked as a Washington Post fashion editor and National Geographic travel editor. I’m also the creator of the popular design and travel newsletter, The Souvenirist. Plus I’m a dynamo vacation planner who knows and loves Marrakech.
That’s why I’m launching a small-group retreat, Marrakech Design & Desert Delights, January 8-14, 2027. With expert assistance from my friends at boutique hotel Peacock Pavilions, eight to 14 of us will spend a week exploring the culture, crafts, cuisine, and history of the famed “Red City.”
HIGHLIGHTS: Tours of Marrakech’s old city / shopping in the markets / a day trip to the Atlas Mountains / a traditional Moroccan spa visit / delicious North African food / lots of mint tea
What does it cost?
7 Days / 6 Nights; Jan 8-14, 2027
Inclusive retreat price: $3,800 (shared room*)
$4,500 single supplement
Deposit to hold space: $1,000**
Number of guests: 8-14
* Solo travelers can choose to share a room. We’ll match you with a roommate based on guest feedback. Rooms are spacious with separate beds and private bathrooms. Note that shared rooms will not be confirmed until both spaces are filled.
** The initial deposit to hold your space is non-refundable unless we fail to get the required number of participants. For details on this and other policies, see our full cancellation policy in the Terms & Conditions.
**50% of final balance due August 15, 2026 ($1,400 shared room; $1,750 single; other 50% of balance($1,400 or $1,750) due November 15. Payment by Venmo is preferred. See terms and conditions for refund and cancellation policies.
Note: You must purchase travel insurance protecting the cost of your trip (and airfare to Morocco) within 14 days of booking in case of cancellation or changes. If the trip is cancelled before your second deposit, you will receive a full refund. We recommend Faye and Allianz.
WHAT’S INCLUDED:
Accommodation (spacious bedrooms with private bathrooms, linens). Rooms can be set up with two twin beds or one king bed.
Daily breakfast at Peacock Pavilions
All dinners and lunches at Peacock Pavilions; most meals offsite except two lunches and one dinner in town as outlined below
Welcome drinks
Airport transfers
Transportation to and from day trips
Use of estate premises (terraces, pool, etc.)
Tour guide on various day trips
Walking tour of medina & souks
Day trip to Atlas Mountains for hiking, lunch, and a visit to a weaving cooperative
A conversation about designing your home with Peacock Pavilions creator Maryam Montague and retreat host Jenn Barger
A session with Jenn on packing stylishly for any trip.
Henna and cocktail farewell party
Movie night at Peacock Pavilions
Spa treatment day at luxury hammam
Morning visit to Jardin Majorelle + YSL Museum + Berber Museum
Taxes
OPTION ADD ONS: Yoga: ($15 a class) We will have the opportunity to do yoga several mornings. Sessions are $15 each U.S. cash; let us know at the time of booking if you are interested; Perfume making workshop: ($60 each). On January 11, after visiting several small museums related to designer Yves St. Laurent, we will have the option to shop in Gueliz, a French-influenced section of town, or do a two-hour perfume making workshop. Please let us know if the perfume class is of interest when you book; other guests will have free time to shop or café hop in a charming area; Alcohol: Wine and beer are available at many restaurants in Morocco, and we will enjoy cocktails and mocktails on our final night at Peacock Pavilions. You can also purchase alcohol from the in-room at Peacock Pavilions. You may drink it in your room, in common areas, or bring tipples to dinner at the hotel. Tips: We will send details on tipping both at Peacock Pavilions and for small services with your welcome packet.
Itinerary
ARRIVAL: Jan. 8, Arrive in Marrakech by plane or train, transfer to Peacock Pavilions
Welcome drinks, dinner, and a discussion about incorporating exotic finds into your home and wardrobe by host Jenn Barger and Peacock Pavilions founder, interior designer Maryam Montague.
Jan. 9, Get to know the “Red City”
After lunch at Peacock Pavilions, go to Marrakech to see the souks, bustling Jeema el-Fna square, and masterpieces of Islamic architecture such as the 12th-century Koutoubia Mosque and Bahia Palace. Dinner in town.
Jan. 10, Weavers and wild mountains
After breakfast and optional yoga, we’ll board a shuttle to the Atlas Mountains, where we’ll have a short hike and a plush lunch at Kasbah Tamadot, a restored mountain retreat owned by Sir Richard Branson. On the way back to Peacock Pavilions, we’ll stop at a women’s weaving cooperative to learn more about the methods and magic of Berber crafts. Dinner at Peacock Pavilions
Jan. 11, Fashion and flowers
After breakfast and optional yoga at Peacock Pavilions, we’ll shuttle to Marrakech’s Gueliz neighborhood, a 20th-century French colonial zone where fashion designer Yves Saint Laurent lived for many years. We’ll visit the cactus-stuffed, blue-walled Majorelle Jardin as well as the stunning Musee Yves Saint Laurent Marrakech full of fashion, photos, and artifacts related to the legendary French designer.
In the afternoon, you’ll have free time in Gueliz to grab lunch, shop, or join an optional perfume-making class. A late-afternoon shuttle takes us back to Peacock Pavilions for dinner and a special movie screening by the fire.
Jan 12, Shopping the souks and the industrial zone
Maryam Montague wrote a great book on Moroccan style and runs the stylish Peacock Pavilions. So who better to guide us through Marrakech’s legendary markets and chic design boutiques? We’ll hunt for carpets, leather slippers, and tribal jewelry in the pink-walled old city and travel onward to the sleek industrial zone for more contemporary finds.
We’ll also pause for lunch and a visit to MAP, a museum loaded with over 3,000 pieces of jewelry and other adornments.
Dinner in Medina from the famed food stalls of the main square. Try brochettes (kebabs), seafood, or even snails!
Jan. 13, A Moroccan spa day and free time
After breakfast and optional morning yoga, we’ll shuttle into Marrakech for a morning at a beautiful spa located in a restored riad (Moroccan house around a courtyard). On the menu: Traditional mud scrubs and massages.
Your afternoon is free to enjoy the medina for lunch and any last-minute shopping or touring. Peek at the 16th-century Saadian Tombs with their intricately carved maseoleums or pop into the legendary five-star hotel La Mamounia for a highball.
At 5 p.m., our shuttle heads back to Peacock Pavilions for a final celebration with cocktails, a henna application party, and a final dinner with live entertainment.
Jan. 14, Transfers to airport, train station or departures for further travels
Breakfast and departures.
All illustrations @ Lindsay Sheldon/The Paper Darlings