All language subtitles for Amazing.Hotels.Life.Beyond.the.Lobby.S05E01.Kasbah.Tamadot.Morocco.1080p.HDTV.H264-DARKFLiX[eztv.re]_track3_eng

I've got myself a new work buddy.

So this is where we take
the staff bus to the hotel?

I may have got the wrong place.

I hope we're not late.

I think that's
the least of our worries.

I mean, running out of water
and being in the middle of nowhere.

Maybe it's this one.

That looks...that looks
like a minivan.

"Transport du personnel".

Hi, everybody.

Oh, they're waiting.

Hello.

Assalaamu Alaikum.

We're hitching a lift on the bus

the staff from our hotel use
to get to work.

Is it very far, the hotel,
from here?

Yeah. It's about
two kilometres from here.

Could have walked.
We could have walked, yeah.

Mind you, the terrain here,
it's so rugged.

Look at that, Mon.

It's so beautiful.

We're really in a rural area now.

That must be it. I hope so,

because otherwise
we've got on the wrong bus.

Wow!

We're visiting remarkable hotels
right across the world.

It's just amazing.

What a stunning, stunning room.

Look at where we are, Rob.

Gosh. Yeah.

Creating the perfect sanctuary
is all down to the hard work

of the people running these hotels.

And we will be working
alongside them.

There's people waiting for us.
Right, off to work.

There are monkeys
taking people's breakfast.

I work here, do you mind?

Have a good day, Rob.
Yeah, thanks, Mon!

We get ellies that
come and drink here.

Right here? Right here.

So the menu is
anything you want it to be.

Service!

I've been a chef in the top end of
hospitality for well over 25 years,

so I know what it takes to deliver
excellence, day in and day out.

And I've stayed in hotels
right around the world.

But exactly what goes on behind the
scenes, I can't wait to find out.

OK, what's your advice? Just be you.

Whoa!

Each hotel is born
of a unique vision...

..that takes dedication,
talent and creativity to achieve.

This is it, right?
It's the ultimate.

So join us as we explore
life beyond the lobby...

..in yet more of the world's
most amazing hotels.

The Atlas Mountains.

Spanning the northwestern
edge of Africa,

they separate the Mediterranean
from the Sahara.

The highest peaks
are found in Morocco.

And that's where Monica and I
have come to join a team

at a remote clifftop hotel,

the Kasbah Tamadot.

Shukran.

We're here.

Shukran. Excited.

That is some gate.

That is a real oasis, isn't it?

Gosh, it's just extraordinary it's
here in the middle of the mountains.

Our very own red carpet.

I mean, everywhere I go has got
a red carpet, to be honest.

Does it? Yeah.

I feel like
we've discovered a hideout.

It's like James Bond.

Like an upmarket lair.

The hotel has been built
in and around a traditional kasbah,

the Arabic word
for a high-walled fortress.

It's situated in central Morocco,
around 50km from Marrakech...

..one of the country's
biggest and oldest cities.

But once you leave the noise
of this bustling metropolis

it takes only
a couple of hours' drive

before you climb the mountain roads
into a different Morocco entirely.

Oh, wow. Oh, wow.

Welcome to my mountain retreat,
Ms Galetti.

You'll be working hard
in this retreat!

That's right, Monica.

We're not here to luxuriate
in that heated infinity pool

with panoramic views,

as tempting as it looks.

We'll be joining the staff that look
after this tranquil luxury resort

to find out
what makes this place tick.

Hi, Monica. I'm David. Hi.
I'm the general manager.

Lovely to meet you. Hi, Rob.

Please welcome to Kasbah Tamadot.
Thank you.

Nice to be here. Nice to meet you.

And really pleased to have you here
and for you to join the team.

I'm curious, David,
how big is your team here?

We are 140 team members,

and I can proudly say
that we are 100% locals.

It took us about 15 years to reach
the point where we can hire

the 100% locals.

But you guys are kind of ruining it,

because now we are back to
98% locals and 2% expats.

We haven't even started
and we've ruined something!

We've ruined something already!

The people that work here
are from nearby Berber communities.

Today's Berbers are an ethnic group
with the oldest known culture

in North Africa,
one that predates Arab settlers.

Those identifying as Berber
are thought to make up around half

the population in Morocco today.

These mountains
have always been their homeland.

And they've become famous
for their warm welcome to visitors.

When staff arrive
and they begin to work here...

Yeah. ..what's your message to them?

My biggest message is

the hospitality that you have
in you that your ancestors

transferred to you,
just share it with our guests.

Because we are really proud

of showcasing and sharing
our Berber culture and hospitality

with our guests.

None of the staff live on site.

Instead they use a 24-hour
staff bus service that got us here

to travel to the hotel
from the nearby villages.

It takes a small army to look after
the 27 acres of gardens,

grounds and facilities
that create this luxury retreat.

Accommodation ranges
from rooms to larger suites.

And at the more exclusive end,
there's a three-bedroom villa

with its own private pool.

A level of opulence
that feels a world away

from the small rural settlements
it overlooks.

The Kasbah has only 15 rooms,

but nestled along the cliffside
is another ten canvas structures,

which is where I'm lucky enough
to be staying in between shifts.

A peacock is next to my room.

This is my room.

Oh, my word.

This is what they call a tent.

What a stunning, stunning room.

It's the most stunning tent
I've ever been in, that's for sure.

The Berber people are known
for their crafts, and every guest

receives locally-made gifts,
including leather slippers...

Here we go.

These are cute.

..and the traditional straw hat.

Ha!

That's so great.

This isn't the kind of camping
I'm used to.

Oh, that's a lovely soft bath mat.

It feels more like a marquee
than a two-person tent.

Oh, wow.

Hot tub.

Look at that.

Not a sound.

No glamping for me.

I'm staying in one of the suites
in the main kasbah.

Well, it's Morocco.

I mean, it's the first thing
that comes to mind.

All these really lovely
little beautiful touches,

which you have to be
a bit careful about.

If you go to Morocco, it can feel
a bit like a student living room.

It's incredibly tasteful and classy.

The only thing that's a bit funny,

you know, you're going to share
your room with your loved one

and you want a bit of privacy
for the loo.

You know, like...

I'm just not sure.

Can you still hear me?

On the plus side, there's
so much space in my suite

that I could easily avoid
any cohabitants entirely.

There's a secret passageway!

I've got my own staircase.

Well, Monica, you may have
a hot tub, but I get two floors.

And there's more.

Yes, so I ordered the view.

My own private terrace provides
the perfect vantage point

to take in
the incredible surroundings.

So far, this feels like a luxury
hotel that's attempting

to celebrate these ancient mountains
and their culture.

I always wonder how
committed to it they really are,

investing back in the community
and that sort of thing.

Yeah, how authentic it is. Yeah.

Local people, you know,
are they affronted by a castle

like this, overrun by tourists
from different countries,

you know, or do they embrace it?

Does it support them?

What does hospitality mean
for Berber culture?

I'm really interested
to know about that.

Also, I'm wondering what jobs
they're going to have us doing.

Because I saw some camels.

I could see you working with camels.
That'd be fun, don't you think?

People come here, you can tell,
to just breathe in the air

and they get me
taking them on a camel ride.

To give us a clue of how we might
be spending our time here,

our uniforms have been delivered.

Oh, no...

I think they've mixed
mine and Monica's up.

You know when you get that portent

of things that aren't
going to go well?

Cooking anything would definitely
be best left to Monica.

Hello. Hello, Monica.

Oh, I know what these are.

I am the HR here at the Kasbah,
so I bring some uniforms for you.

You're the HR manager? Yes. Lovely
to meet you. Lovely to meet you too.

Thank you for these. They're
beautiful. Look at the detail.

They are made locally and all
the designs are Moroccan designs.

Any tips, Fatima,
on what I need to be doing?

Actually, if you speak English,
French, it will be good.

But if you learn some words in
Berber, it will be perfect.

English and a bit of French,
I can do. Berber?

What can I say
to someone in my team?

Timnsiwin. In the evening.

Slower? Timnsiwin.
Tea-min-see-min?

Timnsiwin. Timnsiwin?

It sounds a bit
like a song, isn't it?

Timnsiwin. Timnsiwin, azul.

Timnsiwin, azul. Azul.

I think my Berber will be
a work in progress.

The hotel's restaurants offer
the sophisticated fine dining

you might expect to find
in a five-star hotel.

But there's a strong influence
of local flavours, too,

from classic tagines
to traditional Berber bread.

The hotel serves over 250 loaves
of this bread every day to guests.

And I'm going to be helping
to bake them.

For better or worse, I've donned
my apron for my first job,

but I'm not headed
for the hotel kitchen.

So when they said, "Let's make
bread", I thought there'd be

some sort of Aga situation
happening, some oven.

This is the oven.

Deep in the hotel gardens, there's
a bread kitchen unlike anything

I've seen before.

Sbah algir. I'm Rob.

Today I'm working with Mina,

who travels to the hotel every day
from a nearby village

to make the bread in the traditional
wood-fired Berber bakery.

It's like this?

All the different breads made
here use the same raw ingredients.

So we've had the white flour
and now we're putting semolina in.

Oui.

OK. Yeah. A tablespoon of salt,
a tablespoon of yeast.

And we've got some warm water.

With so much bread to prepare...

Oh, yeah. OK, you're really...

..there's no time
for a delicate touch.

OK, so I needed to be
more muscly with it.

You can get really fit doing this.

This is very satisfying.

In Mina's kitchen,
it's less chat and more work,

because we've got three different
types of bread to make.

Mina's now made a flat patty
of the dough and she's putting

her hands in the boiling oven.

It's just amazing to watch.

Mina, do you ever burn your hands?

When the dough is cooked vertically,

it naturally sags downwards,

creating the elongated
flatbread shape.

Mina also makes
two other types of small loaves

that are cooked either on
a hot terracotta pan...

Oh, you just sling it in.

..or inside one of
the scorching clay ovens.

Yeah, I'm getting...
I'm going shiny.

She said my face has gone red.

After a sweaty couple of hours
in Mina's bakery...

Ah, thank you. I'll sit, after you.

..it's time for a break.

And at long last, a taste.

So good.

I feel like that means
we've got to go back to work.

You know when you see local bread
on the menu and you kind of think

maybe it's a bit gimmicky.

But I was inside there with Mina -

who's done that every day of her
life, she learned from her mum -

in a kitchen permeated
with smell and smoke.

I felt that special brand
of magic from Mina.

The food at the hotel undoubtedly
reflects who's cooking it.

And while I often find that
high-end hotel kitchens

are headed up
by international chefs,

here the whole team comes
from the surrounding area.

For sous-chef Mustafa,
local ingredients are important,

and today he's invited me to the
nearby town of Asni to find out why.

Today, Saturday, is a very special
day here in Asni

because it's a weekly market.

So people, they have a chance
to come here and get all their meals

for the week.

As it's only open once a week,

the souk attracts shoppers
from all across the region

who stock up on fruit, veg and meat.

So are we needing to get things
for the kitchen? Yeah.

So we have our supplier based
in Marrakech, but if we need

something in urgent, we can
come to the souk and get it.

Especially the olives, preserved
lemon and herbs. Preserved lemons?

Wonderful. I'm so excited.

I can't wait. Yeah.
Let's do this. Let's go.

The souk is alive with smells...

Wild thyme.

That's the wild one.

Oh, my God.

..flavours...

Look at that, it's like toffee,
isn't it? It's quite crunchy.

Oh!

It's based on sesame,
flour and sugar.

..and local farmers
selling their produce.

It's a million miles
from the manicured luxury

of the Kasbah Tamadot.

Yeah, so now we're going to buy some
preserved lemons. Preserved lemons?

Aren't they beautiful?

Really ripe.

Shukran.

At the back of the market is a row
of small restaurants serving food

the traditional way.

Azul. Salaam.

Mustafa's favourite joint
is a glorious shade of pink.

I just love this.
I'd never get bored of this.

And as school's done for the week,

we're joined by Mustafa's
young son, Saeed.

So that's the big interns...

Uh, tripe? Yeah, tripes.

Oh! With white beans. White beans.

Hearty, warm food. Yeah.

Wow.

You like? Yes. Yes!

Would you ever serve this
at the Kasbah?

I mean, for me, this is delicious.
This is as authentic as it gets.

Ah, it seems to the guests
like a weird food.

But for us,
after you taste it, it's fine.

It's so delicious.

Mustafa has worked at the hotel
for 17 years, during which time

the kitchen has
significantly changed.

So when we start the Kasbah,
the chef is always from other

countries, not from...not
Moroccan chef.

But recently we, with the
management, they decide to...

..to hire like a Moroccan chef.

So now we are all Moroccan
at the Kasbah, 100%.

You're able to bring that influence
of the Berber culture,

the Moroccan food and flavours
to the food. Exactly.

What does he think of you
working as a chef at the hotel?

He said he's proud.

Proud of me.

Oui. Si?

Mustafa was born and bred
just outside of the Kasbah Hotel,

so he knows this region better
than anyone, and he wants to bring

more of that culture, more
of the food that you have here

into the Kasbah menu.

Just amazing.

Whether it's the food or the way
the hotel is staffed, there's

a great effort made to celebrate
a culture that for a long time

was pushed to the margins.

The word Berber is derived
from barbarian,

a name used by successive
colonisers of Morocco,

including the Romans,
Arabs and French.

Today the term is used
even by the communities here.

But they also call themselves
Amazigh, meaning free men,

a symbol of their long struggle
for representation.

Only in 2011 did theirs
finally become

one of Morocco's official languages.

Even the Kasbah
wasn't always so integrated

with the local Berber communities.

This building is 102 years old.

Kasbah means like a small fortress
or like a small fort.

And it was built on purpose

like in a high spot where there
is, like, a lot of visibility

for the local governor, and it was
away from all the local villages.

I mean, no pool at the time,
but at least you could see

the enemies coming.
Exactly. Exactly.

It was sold to like an antique
dealer called Luciano Tempo,

and he used Kasbah
as a platform to collect antiques

from all over the world.

So it was like an upmarket
warehouse. Exactly.

Things changed when the current
owner bought it with the idea

of turning the place into a business
operated by local people.

He's about to arrive for one
of his regular visits,

and apparently likes
to keep a low profile.

In fact, there's very little sign
at the hotel of who he is.

Unless you know where to look.

In 1998, the Kasbah Tamadot
became the latest addition

to British billionaire
Richard Branson's business empire.

Richard Branson is here.
I see, the big boss, is it?

What do you do when you
own a place like this?

Does he blend in and just, you know,
shuts himself off and relaxes,

goes to the spa?

Makes the bread? Yeah.

Or can he switch off, you know,
is he here and he's the boss?

He's got to visit everyone,
make sure everything is OK?

He may be known
for his record label,

airline and even his spaceships,

but the Kasbah is a particularly
personal venture for Branson.

How's everybody? Good to see you.

Yes.

All right? Sir, how are you?
Nice to see you. Yeah.

And you get the sense the hotel
feels like a home from home.

Thank you. Thank you, sir.
Thank you so much. Cheers.

How did you discover this place?

Well, I didn't discover it.

My mum and dad discovered it.

I was foolishly
trying to fly around the world

in a hot-air balloon,

and the best place in the world
to take off in a hot-air balloon

is Marrakech, because you've
got very powerful jet streams.

We were waiting patiently for
the wind conditions on the ground.

My parents got bored of waiting

and they headed
off into the mountains,

and they came
to this house.

They just fell
in love with the place,

you know, the second they walked
through the door.

When the owner put
the building up for sale,

Eve Branson encouraged her son,
Richard, to make an offer,

and they were successful.

Establishing the hotel became one
of many projects she took on

throughout a colourful
and industrious life

before her death
from Covid in 2021.

After joining the Wrens
during the war at just 19,

Eve explored many careers,

including working as
a professional ballet dancer

and a commercial air hostess.

Like her son, she had a keen
business sense

and realised that to bring
high-level hospitality

to the valley, they had to offer
training.

This was my mum's baby.

You know, one of the first things
she did was to find the most

wonderful teacher
and start just teaching

the local community English,

because she knew that
if we ever opened up a place here,

that people would need
to be able to speak English.

Soon, the local Berber people took
on the challenge of the language

and skills training,
helping to ensure

that their legendary warm welcome
was kept at the forefront.

See, I don't think an amazing hotel
is bling,

marble floors and gold,
you know, gold-plated stuff.

I mean, to me, that is a complete
put-off.

What we try to do is create places

that fit in with the local community
and, yeah,

just make you feel at home.

MONICA: Although the hotel was
conceived of by outsiders,

it is now very much
managed and run

by people from this part of Morocco.

It's down to HR manager Fatima

to make sure each department
has the right team.

So, Monica, I will show
you some of our back of house.

So here we have the laundry
and it's open from six o'clock

in the morning until midnight.

Goodness, OK. Yeah.

With so many locals working here,

the hotel has become knitted
into community life...

So, here is our staff canteen.

Oh, nice.

..which becomes very apparent
when Fatima shows me

something quite extraordinary.

What is this?

It's like a staff chart.

We are all from
the same village,

so we have a family
relation between us.

That's why you've got the arrows?

Yeah, you can see
it's different colours.

So, father, mother, sister.
Step-sister.

That's me. Yes.

Why have we got number two?

You've got two family members here?

Yes. Mohamed. Mohamed Gouansa
from the housekeeping.

OK. And that is your...

Brother, as well. Your brother.

And then you have Houssien. Yes.

And that is...an uncle.
Maternal uncle.

A maternal uncle. Yeah.

Honestly, I've never seen
a chart like this.

And I'm guessing, you know,
it really does bond the team.

You know,
if someone needs help somewhere,

it's not too much of a favour.

It's actually very natural
for everyone here

to help each other out.

Am I right? This is the point,
that we all feel that we are home

and we are always
with the family.

It's very special and very unique.

The steep valley in which the hotel
is located is particularly peaceful

in the mornings.

But occasionally,
there's a break in the silence.

GOATS BLEAT

So, no breakfast service
this morning.

I've been told to report to
the mule shed.

In the surrounding communities,

animals remain an important
part of life and work...

..something the hotel is keen to
show to the guests.

In charge of the hotel's animals
is stable master Mohammed.

Mohammed? Hey, yes. Assalaamu
Alaikum. Wa alaikum assalam.

Mrahba. Mrahba. Nice to see you.
Nice to see you.

So why are the animals here,
Mohammed?

Yeah, for children
and for the guests.

They come here for feed them,
to have pictures.

Oh, so it's a petting zoo?

Yes. And you look after them?

Yes, I look after them.

The stables opens to guests
in one hour

and it's down to me and Mohammed
to get the whole team ready.

How many animals are there
in this petting zoo

and what type of animals?

We have two mules.

Two mules. Two donkeys.

Two donkeys. Two camels.

Two camels. And four goats.

Cashmere goats. Cashmere? Yeah.

Oh, cashmere goats?
Yes. Expensive goats?

Yes.

Of course, Richard Branson
wouldn't have just any old goats.

The petting stable may not
offer rides,

but it does help visitors
understand how integral

animals are in the region.

Mules in particular
have been central to life

in the Atlas Mountains
for centuries.

Mule is half donkey and half horse.

Half donkey, half horse.
Yeah. Mules, they can't have baby.

Never. Yeah, it's extraordinary,
right? Yeah. Yeah, never.

Due to their cross-breeding,
mules are almost always infertile.

But they're stronger than a donkey
and more nimble than a horse,

making them ideal for working
in rugged terrain.

In Berber culture, you use more
mules than donkeys? Yes, yeah.

Because in the mountains,
carrying the luggage

to the highest
mountain in Morocco.

Oh, really? To the Toubkal.

Having introduced myself...

Quickly. Quickly, yeah.

Oh, yeah. Sweet. Yeah.

..it's now my job...

Just in here? Yeah.

..to get the animals into
the correct pens.

Some more successfully than others.

No, wrong way! I've lost a donkey.

ROB HEAVES

Come on, donkey.

There we are. There you go. OK.

I'd say that went well.

This being a luxury resort,

the animals get their own
housekeeping service...of a sort.

This is the... Donkeys.

Donkeys' poo?

Yes.

Yeah, good.

He's a good one.

But a little slow. He's not fast.

Oh, OK. Yes.
Sorry, sorry, sorry.

OK, I need to be quicker. Yes.

OK. OK.

Now, I know Mohammed loves
his animals,

but this I didn't expect.

You first.

You.

I mean...

It's one way to meet a camel,
I suppose.

So it looks like the place
is ready for guests.

You're welcome. Welcome any time.

OK. Yeah. Let's go. OK. Let's go.

Another popular activity
for tourists in the Atlas Mountains

is learning about Berber
craft making.

Nearby workshops sell crafts
to visitors, but also to the hotel.

From the restaurants'
plates and bowls

made by local woodcrafters...

..to bath mats, cushions and rugs.

Richard has asked me to help him
pick up some new rugs for the hotel

and not by the mode of transport
I had in mind.

Richard, what are we doing?
RICHARD CHUCKLES

OK, we're going for a ride,
clearly. We are going for a ride.

And cycling about is something
you always do when you're here?

I go cycling as much as I can.
I love cycling.

Yeah, it's the best.
Right, let's go.

Blimey, it's been a while since
I rode a bike.

Wait for me, Richard!

At 72, Richard still prefers
two wheels to four.

He's taking me a few kilometres
into the valley to visit

a weaving workshop.

Oh, what a view. Not bad, is it?

Oh, it really is the best way
to get around, isn't it?

THEY LAUGH

Morning. Morning.

Azul.

And when you're cycling
through here,

do you find
the locals recognise you?

MONICA CHUCKLES
They...they do.

I mean, you know, a lot of them
have worked at the Kasbah.

Come on, Richard. I'll race you.

I like a race!
THEY LAUGH

What a great start to the day
that is.

After making it
to the weaving workshop

in one piece,
there's a familiar face.

Hello. Fatima, hello.
How are you?

Hi. Welcome to our weaving centre.
Oh, wow.

The hotel's HR manager, Fatima,
also serves as president

of this craft foundation.

I am from the village here.

And all the women are just
from the villages around.

So what are they making?

I mean, I can see camels there.
They're making camels,

cushions, small rugs.

Oh, look at these. Small towels.

Aren't they fabulous?
Look at this fabric.

So, when Eve visited Kasbah Tamadot
from the first time,

she had this idea to create
new centres in different villages

to take care of these girls

and to give them some things
to do in their lives.

It was Eve Branson who wanted to set
up these craft businesses to provide

opportunities in an area
of high unemployment.

And this workshop has now
trained over 75 women.

The mats that you have in your
bathroom are recycling the bags.

Oh! Look at that.
RICHARD CHUCKLES

That is just genius. Yeah.

Yeah, so this is a bag that you get
maybe rice in, for example?

It serves food for the animals
that we have in our houses.

I didn't expect an old sack
to end up in a luxury bathroom,

but the weavers here use all kinds
of leftover materials to make

these beautiful products.

Yes, and this is what I've seen
in my bathroom. Yes.

And inside
that is one of these bags.

Yes. It's so, so fantastic. Yeah.

The project has been so successful
that the women have started

exporting their products overseas.

Wow.

I'll have a go. Come on.
MONICA CHUCKLES

Da-da-dum!

Oh! All right.

She makes it look so easy,
doesn't she?

It takes years of experience
to master these techniques.

There's no short cuts,
even for billionaires.

So there we go, yeah.

That's nice. Yeah.

If I knew what I was meant
to be doing!

Thank you.

Not bad. Not bad.

It's getting rarer and rarer now
in Morocco to find someone

who can do this kind of thing.

It's extraordinary.

The workshop is clearly special
to Fatima and the other women

who rely on it for income.

Hi, there. Hello. Morning.
Thank you.

But I wonder, what's it
like for Richard to visit a place

where his late mother still
has such a strong presence?

Do you get to come back
and visit the foundation often?

I mean, I came here with her,
just the two of us,

just before she died.

And, yeah, she'd be in there
weaving with them and...

..and she had an idea a minute.

I mean, I suspect a little bit
of my entrepreneurism came from her.

She's sorely missed...

..with yourself. As is every mum.
As every mum, yes.

Yeah, yeah. I think it's something
that we do have in common.

I found it very hard to share
my pain of losing my mum,

but I did name my restaurant
after her, you know,

sort of to honour her.
Yeah. Yeah, yeah.

No, well, you wrap up these,
yeah, these moments

and then you see a picture
occasionally or something

and you feel...
It gets you in the throat.

Yeah. But with Mum, she's left
this wonderful foundation behind

and you know, I think if you,
you know, if you can...

If you can just touch one
or two other people's lives

in your life, then you've had
a worthwhile life.

It's back to business.

Fatima, look at this.

We can't forget the items the hotel
sent us for,

which unfortunately for us
are two large rugs.

Oh, look at this. Yeah.

Do you think we can get this back
on the bike?

I think YOU could get that back
on a bike.

OK, I'll take that one
on my bike.

I think we can get them back.

Make our seats more comfortable.

Ah! Monica, what you do to go
shopping.

I will get this to the hotel!

Despite his global fame,

Richard has helped his team
here create

a surprisingly low-key feel
at the hotel.

I can see why it appeals
to guests in search

of somewhere truly restful.

ROB EXHALES
That's how I feel.

This is so tranquil here, isn't it?

It is calm.

You've got the mountains behind us,
snow-capped and just peaceful.

And you just see, people
come here, just want to relax.

It's got all of that retreat feel
without it screaming RETREAT!

It just feels really relaxed.

It's sort of billionaire
without the bling, which I like.

It's been a great few days.
What's next?

Are you going to make wine now
you've made bread?

Unusually for me, I'm resisting
the suggestion of wine.

Instead, I'm jumping at the chance
to explore the incredible mountains

that surround the Kasbah,

which happen to be the highest
in North Africa.

I'm joining one of the hotel's
trekking guides, Fouad...

Fouad? Yes. Good morning.

..who grew up in the Atlas
Mountains.

What are we doing today, Fouad?
We are going for a hike.

We're taking guests, aren't we?
Yeah.

We're going to take it easy
on the guests,

depending on their fitness level.

How do we tell...? But you are
going to help in this.

You'll be doing the briefing.

You have to ask if they have any
kind of breathing problems.

Breathing problems, right. Yeah.

And we'll check them up and see if
they are wearing the proper gears.

What altitude are we going up to
today? OK.

The start village is
at 1,500 metre high. OK.

And we're going to around 2,000.

Let's go and meet the guests.
All right, let's go.

At an altitude of 2,000 metres,

some people can experience
breathing problems,

so guides like us need to make sure
our trekkers are looked after.

We'll be in charge of a small group
made up of mother and daughter

Bella and Kat,
and Chris, all from the UK.

Can we check everybody's got
comfortable footwear on?

Everyone's happy? GUESTS: Yep.

We're going to be going up
to 2,000 metres. Splendid.

So if anyone has trouble
along the way, let me know.

Everyone happy? Yes. OK.

I'll take Fouad's silence as a sign
that I'm on the right track.

Let's go. It's going to be
a great day.

Ladies. Thank you.

We'll start in the nearby
town of Imlil

and we'll hike to Aroumd,

one of the highest villages
in North Africa.

The hotel's treks take guests
deep into the Atlas range.

And as I have no idea where
we're going,

I'm focusing on health
and safety instead.

Can I just check that everybody's
had some water? Yes.

Stay hydrated. Good.

So just watch your step down here.

But...

ROB EXHALES

I'm just breathing it all in, right?

He's keeping the group focused

and getting the instructions
straightforward.

Just watch your step down here.

He actually has it by instinct,
I would say.

He's doing a great job.

Mind the hole on the right.

In recent years, life has changed
in the small villages

we trek through.

Many homes have been converted
into craft shops

or Berber-run guesthouses.

The number of tourists visiting
the country

has tripled in the last
two decades,

and the Atlas Mountains have become
a trendy travel destination.

What brought you to the
Atlas Mountains in the first place?

It's so different in
the Atlas Mountains

to the rest of Morocco. Yeah.

So that's what really
brought us here.

It's lovely to see the contrast
between the Kasbah and here

and to see the beautiful scenery.

Fouad is keen to point out
that the rise in tourism

isn't the only change felt by locals
in this part of Morocco.

Three years ago,
this valley was - the same day -

this valley was white with snow

all the way down to Kasbah Tamadot.
Same day?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

That's extraordinary, isn't it?
Yeah.

And is that the same
with the water, as well?

Surely, down away
from the mountains,

a lot of people are struggling
with the water.

Yeah. Everything is affected
by the...

..the lack of rain and snow.

And what's been the impact on
the people and the animals?

It's really hard on farmers mostly.

People grow things to live
on and feed themselves

and their animals,
so it's really hard on them.

Guides like Fouad don't shy away
from highlighting the problems here.

Explaining the impact of
an increasingly unstable climate

is as much part of the trek
as the scenery.

After a couple of hours of climbing,
we reach our destination...

Assalaamu Alaikum. Assalaamu
Alaikum.

This is our host, Saeed.
Hi, salaam, welcome.

..and our first glimpse of the
biggest Atlas peak

of them all, Toubkal.

Assalaamu Alaikum.

Oh!

Wow. It's magic, isn't it?

At over 4,000 metres,

Toubkal is the second highest
mountain in Africa

after Mount Kilimanjaro.

We should climb it next time.

We should. I'd love that.

Anyway, lunch is served.

Ooh, exciting.

After you. Thank you.

Fouad and I leave the guests to
enjoy a well-earned Moroccan feast

organised by the hotel.

We are staff, after all.

So, Fouad, you've been a guide
for nearly 15 years.

How have you seen tourism grow?

The numbers are just exploding
right now.

It brings a lot of money
to the country,

but a lot of money
to these villages.

Yeah. You see now a lot of
families are benefiting actually

from the tourists.

Is it all good?

Well, like everything else
in the world,

it has a downside to it.

A lot of tourists leave
behind garbage and trash

and that's not good for
the environment

and not good for the valley itself.

And that leaves a negative impact,
as I said,

on the community
that they are visiting.

Seeing the mountains through
Fouad's eyes has been so special.

I mean, the grandeur of it all,
you know, of course,

is, well, magical.

But also to understand a little bit
about how tourism impacts

on the locals and how the landscape
has changed.

And, you know, it's not all perfect,
but despite everything,

he's positive,
and more than anything else,

he completely delights in showing
what's, well, his home to everybody.

For trekkers returning to the hotel
in need of refreshment,

there's a typically Moroccan
thirst-quencher available

that's become
a popular experience for guests.

In a quiet corner, amongst the
hotel's warren of courtyards,

Mohammed Senior can be found serving
a unique blend of Berber tea.

Today, I'm his apprentice,

and it all begins with fresh
ingredients from the garden.

You start off with fresh mint.
Some mint.

Mint tea is extremely popular
across Morocco and a big part

of hospitality here.

The mint, the smell is so great.

It's so nice to come and get your
own ingredients.

Thank you very much.

But this particular Berber blend
combines mint with strong herbs.

Absinthe? Yes. Absinthe is...
It's not like the alcohol.

Oh, that smells wonderful.

Love rosemary.

Sage, yes? Yes.

Little bit of bay leaf. Sure.

In Berber culture, it's taking the
tea five times every day,

the first breakfast,
the second breakfast, lunchtime,

afternoon tea and dinner.

That's a lot of tea.
A lot of tea, yeah.

This is the green tea. Green tea.

Rosemary, thyme, bay leaf.
Rosemary...

I'm quickly learning...

Cut it small. Cut it small? Please.

..this is much more complicated
than dunking a teabag.

Just like that?
Yes, please. Absinthe.

It's a recipe with balance
and finesse.

A little bit more.
Yeah, enough. OK. That's good.

That much mint? More, more.
This is mint tea. Mint tea.

Mmm. Mmm.

Once brewed, the tea is poured
from height.

The bubbles help to further infuse
the herbs.

And Mohammed performs it
with grace...

..and accuracy.

Mohammed, you might want to stand
back in case I burn you.

Up. Take... Aah!

Bravo, Monica! It's making a mess.

I can take it? Yes.

Cheers. Cheers.

Oh, nice!

The mint, isn't it? Yeah. You smell
all the herbs. All the herbs.

Oh, that's so wonderful.

The ceremony lulls you into a kind
of tea trance...

..until Mohammed reminds me
that all that training

wasn't for nothing.

Now, Monica, you can try to make
the tea for the guests.

To serve some guests? Yes. Are you
sure you want to do that?

Yes, it is. It's nice. Nice.

Graciously sampling
my very first brew

are Barbara and Ben from the USA.

Hi, Barbara. I'm Ben. Hi, Ben.

The first two or three cups
need to go back into the pot

to get the mix and the herbs
all the way through it.

Oh, my gosh! I can feel Mohammed
just watching me there.

No pressure! He's a proud teacher.

I hope so.

Well done. Thank you. There we go.

Thank you. Welcome.

I'd like to think I've picked up
some of Mohammed's expertise,

but perhaps not his modesty.

Ooh, I think she makes a mean
cup of tea.

You did very well.
That was excellent.

Was that OK? Yes, it's fine. Yeah?

I'd say "fine" from the master
is praise indeed.

You can make it at home. I will.
Yeah.

As Morocco's tourism industry
continues to grow,

more and more hotels are opening
in the Atlas region.

In an increasingly crowded market,

the Kasbah Tamadot
has to constantly think of new ways

to stand out.

So, this evening, we're joining
the events team, run by Mohammed,

for the hotel's outdoor movie night.

For tonight, we will start
the cinema for our guests.

The cinema? Exactly. Excellent.

We'll be doing it here?

Exactly here, yeah.

And the guests are sitting
here, are they? Yeah.

Oh, how neat!

With the stars... Exactly, yeah.

So there is some...few work to do
before we start the screen. Oh.

So, if you don't mind, you can help
us here.

With the mountains
as the walls and the roof of stars,

the gardens make an extraordinary
setting for a movie.

But, as the light fades fast,
we need to move quick.

Here we go. Like this? This OK?
Like this, exactly, yeah.

Rob, so we will move as well the
tables. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

If I break it, does it come out
of my salary?

Exactly, yeah. Yes.

Luckily, we have a couple
of extra pairs of hands

to set up the giant screen.

That is so neat. OK. I love it.

OK.

Once the screen is stretched
across the frame and stood up,

it starts to feel like a proper
cinema, albeit with some

luxurious bespoke comforts.

So, please, just to put the blanket
in each seat here, please.

OK. So they are over there.
So good luck. OK.

See you in a few minutes.

Temperatures in the mountains can
drop considerably in the evening...

..so there's blankets
from the weaving workshop.

The team really has thought
of everything.

Would you like a hot chocolate?
Yeah?

Here we go.

So clever, the headphones, a bit
like a silent disco,

so you can watch it. It's a hotel
and there's rooms around here.

If it's going to be too loud,
it could upset some of the guests.

So it's very clever.

Put your headphones on and enjoy
the movie. Excuse me.

The guests have got their
hot chocolate, popcorn.

Can we sneak in the back row, Mon?

Do you think they'd notice?
Let's do it. Cool.

That's it.

They won't find us here. No.

Just in time for the trailers.

And it's no surprise which film gets
played most at the hotel.

The meeting place of adventurers,
fugitives, criminals.

There's always been this
Hollywood-ised view of Morocco

in the public consciousness.

You've got the Hollywood version
of Morocco there.

It's nice to get to know a real bit
of it.

It really is, isn't it?

Here's looking at you, kid.

This is the beginning of
a beautiful friendship.

Aw! Well, we're not done here yet,
so let's hope it lasts.

It's our final day at the hotel,
and I've been invited to visit

stable-master Mohammed at his home
in a village nearby.

And I've turned up with a typically
understated British gift.

Mohammed! Good morning. Hi.

Azul. Azul. Welcome.

I bought you a present.
Oh, thank you so much.

Um, shortbread.

How long have you lived here for?
All my life.

Born here. You were born here? Yes.

Mohammed and his brother, who also
works at the hotel,

live here with their families.

It's a small house for so many
people,

but he's made plenty
of space to host me

and to show me his Berber coffee.

Here is coffee.

I've learnt Moroccans can't do
anything without herbs and spices.

In this case, the coffee beans
are ground

with lavender, black pepper
and thyme.

Amazing.

Is it heavy? Yeah. You want to try?
Yes, please.

Be careful your fingers.

It's so difficult to describe
just how beautiful this smells,

like a cacophony of perfumes.

And a gym workout!

What about you? You prefer coffee
or tea? Coffee. Yeah.

You're a coffee man. With milk.

Like me. Yeah. With milk? With milk.

And the milk doesn't come
much fresher than this.

Mohammed's sister-in-law milks
it straight from their cow

in their own stable.

Good health to you.

Oh!

It's like no coffee I've ever
tasted.

So all of those different
flavours... Yeah. ..coming through.

The herbs are delicate and the milk
almost salty.

It's delicious.

Besseha. Besseha.

Historically, villages
like Mohammed's relied on vegetable

and grain farming in a tough
economy.

Poverty is twice as high in rural
regions than in Morocco's cities.

But the rise in tourism
has brought new opportunities.

Has the hotel changed the lives
of all of the villages

around the hotel?

Yes. OK.

Before, they didn't have a job.

Now the Kasbah gave them a job. Mm.

And now everyone helps the families.

And is everybody here happy
with tourists coming?

Yeah.
Anyone that passes the village,

they can invite him into your house.
The Berbers have a big heart.

Yeah, I think you do.

Yeah. Thank you.

I think a big heart pretty much sums
up the Berber hospitality

we've experienced here.

I'm about to head back to the hotel
when Mohammed insists I see

something else, something
I honestly did not expect.

Oh, wow!

This is very modern. Welcome.

It's beautiful.

Next door, Mohammed has recently
built a new, plush, spacious house.

He'd wanted to show me his childhood
home first

but, thanks to their income
from the hotel, this is where

he and his brother now live
with their families.

In old house, I have old stories
there,

and a new story.

And this is the new story.
New story, yeah.

Wow!

This is our terraces. Nice view.
Nice view.

This is a terrace, my friend.

I work hard to build a new house
for my family.

Before, I have a small nest.

Now, I have a bigger nest.

Mohammed's modern house is built
on the roots of the house

he was born in.

You know, the stories of his past
and the story of his present,

like the hotel,

and he's proud of it, to be sure,
and he's right to be.

And the coffee is amazing too.

When you think of a luxury retreat
owned by a world-famous billionaire,

many things come to mind.

But perhaps not this.

Richard and Eve Branson's
deeply personal vision

for a small, locally run boutique
hotel...

..evolved into an economic
engine for a rural community.

It may attract a premium
clientele...

..but it swaps out glitz and glamour
for history and homely hospitality.

You can see why the boss
likes to visit.

Sir Richard. No, he prefers Richard.
Richard.

He seemed like he was coming home.

Like, this is a sanctuary of very
special memories with Mum.

It's as if everything's big,
you know, big in space, big trains,

big planes, all of that stuff.

But this is quiet and real.

In other places around the world

with high staff turnover and all the
bling and all of that sort of thing,

I'm not sure you get that sense
of people

welcoming you into their culture,
not just cos they're proud,

but because that's just what they
do.

They entrusted it to the Berber
people to make it their own.

And I think they really did. Yeah.
Yeah.