Special report - Casablanca: the highly ambitious "White House

Casablanca: the highly ambitious "White House
Meeting with Otmane Serraj, General Manager of Bull Maghreb

Casablanca: the highly ambitious "White House

By The Editor -

Published on 09/10/2014

As the gateway to the African market and a meeting point for the outsourced services of major global companies, Casablanca is seeing the emergence of new business districts such as Sidi Maârouf and Casa nearshore (pictured here). But it is still at the centre of the city that the key decisions are taken.

Forget Marrakech, Agadir or Ouarzazate. Casablanca is serious business. Behind the gentle Corniche and the faded white of the old medina, there's the stock exchange, the port, the tramway, the main boulevards, the Maârif, Racine, Gautier and Sidi Belyout districts... In short, the epicentre of a metropolis where almost half of Morocco's added value is generated every day. The term 'Greater Casablanca' has taken on its full meaning in recent years with the development of new growth zones on the outskirts of the city, on the way to the airport. Samsung, Nokia, Coca Cola, ABB and Meditel: many of the world's biggest companies have already moved their offices to the new Sidi Maârouf business district, some ten kilometres south of Casa-centre, while the 30 hectares of high-tech offices at Casanearshore are home to call centres and back offices for BNP Paribas, HP, Dell and IBM. However, Casablanca city centre is not deserted, and business meetings are still held in its hotels, restaurants, clubs and business centres. Where exactly? Follow the guide.

How to get there

Air France offers four daily flights between Paris CDG and Casablanca Mohamed V international airport, operated by three-class Airbus A320s, including one Premium Economy flight. The French airline also offers three flights a week from Toulouse and Marseille to the Moroccan capital.

Tel: 36 54 or +33 (0)892 70 26 54. Internet: www.airfrance.fr

Royal Air Maroc offers five to six flights a day between Paris Orly and Casablanca, as well as regular services from Lyon, Strasbourg, Nice, Marseille, Nantes, Bordeaux and Toulouse.

Tel: 0820 821 821. Internet: royalairmaroc.com

Other scheduled services to/from France Paris with Easyjet, Bordeaux with Jetairfly and Montpellier with Air Arabia Maroc.

Getting to the city centre The easiest way to get to the centre of Casablanca is by taxi, which costs between Dhs250 and Dhs300. Another option is to take the train, which leaves every hour from the airport for Casa Voyageurs station (fare: Dhs 40). Note that 100 dirhams is roughly equivalent to 9 euros.

Hotels

Heart of Casablanca

Sofitel Casablanca Tour Blanche

When it opened this resolutely contemporary address halfway between the Place des Nations-Unies and the port at the end of 2012, Sofitel invented a new way for five stars to shine in Casablanca: no stuffy service, no secluded bars or hidden restaurants, but rather bright spaces and high volumes on the ground floor where the Casart bar, La Tour brasserie - featuring French cuisine - and the Asian-inspired Atelier Oriental follow one another without any visible partitions. Other assets of this hotel, housed in a building designed by architect Patrick Génard, include its views - particularly from the luxury rooms at the top of the building - the spa spread over two floors, free WiFi and, above all, its location, in a quiet alleyway that offers quick access to the heart of the action without the noisy side streets. It's important to note that the building is part of an Accor package, with the Novotel and Ibis Casablanca City Centre right next door to the Sofitel.

Rue Sidi Belyout - Tel: +212 (0) 5 22456200 - Email: h6811@sofitel.com Internet: www.sofitel.com

Hyatt Regency

Located on Place des Nations-Unis, opposite the gates of the old medina, the Hyatt Regency is undoubtedly one of the most popular business hotels in the Moroccan business capital, with its 255 key rooms - including a large number of 'Club' rooms with access to a dedicated lounge - its swimming pool surrounded by bougainvillea, and its meeting and restaurant facilities making it one of the major focal points for the local business clientele. Particularly noteworthy are the Café M restaurant and the SixPM Lounge Bar. There is also an excellent Moroccan restaurant, Dar Beida.

Place des Nations-Unies. Tel: +212 (0) 5 2243 1234. Email: sales.casablanca@hyatt.com Internet: casablanca.regency.hyatt.com

Le Royal Mansour Meridien Casablanca

More than sixty years in business, that's a palace in itself. But while the walls and woodwork have retained the patina of time, the legend does not rule out innovation, as demonstrated by the creative cuisine recently offered in the Royal Grill.

27, avenue de l'armée royale. Tel: +212 (0) 5 2245 8888 - Email: reservations.01816@starwoodhotels.com - Internet: lemeridien.com

Kenzi Tower Hotel

Housed in one of the two towers designed by Ricardo Bofill on boulevard Zerktouni, the Kenzi Tower Hotel offers stunning views of the city, particularly from its spaces perched at the top: the Sens restaurant on the 27th floor and the Sky 28 bar just above. And what's more, the Kenzi Tower is the closest luxury hotel to the new Sidi Maârouf business district, which means no traffic jams for those who have to travel there regularly.

Twin Center Boulevard Zerktouni Tel: + 212 (0) 5 2297 8000; Email: kenzitower@kenzi-hotels.com Internet: kenzi-hotels.com

Sheraton Casablanca Hotel & Towers

Six restaurants and bars, 11 meeting rooms and 286 bedrooms: these are American dimensions for this Sheraton on the Avenue des Forces Armées Royales. Guests in Tower rooms have access to the lounge and free Internet.

100, avenue des F.A.R. Tel: +212 (0) 5 2243 9494 - Email: reservations.00307@sheraton.com Internet: sheratoncasablanca.com

Golden Tulip Farah Casablanca

There is one major difference between the Golden Tulip and the Sheraton: at the Golden Tulip, WiFi is free for all! In addition to this detail, this top-of-the-range hotel has everything it takes to attract business travellers, with its 280 rooms and suites and a conference centre that can accommodate up to 600 people.

160, avenue des F.A.R. Tel: +212 (0) 522 45 81 00 - Email: info@goldentulipfarahcasablanca.com Internet: goldentulipfarahcasablanca.com

Anfa Palace

This strategically-located five-star hotel, on the Boulevard d'Anfa, is aimed particularly at a regional clientele, but there's nothing to stop business travellers from further afield enjoying its 156 rooms with their generous light or its large rooftop swimming pool.

171, boulevard d'Anfa. Tel: +212 (0) 5 2295 4200. Email: Resa1@lepalacedanfa.ma Internet: www.lepalacedanfa.ma

Barcelo Casablanca

The main assets of this four-star hotel are its excellent value for money and its convenient location on the corner of Boulevard d'Anfa and Boulevard Mohamed Zerktouni.

Boulevard d'Anfa and rue Hammou, 139. Tel: +212 (0) 5 2220 8000. Email: casablanca@barcelo.com Internet: www.barcelo.com

Mövenpick Casablanca

Thanks to the takeover of the Husa Casablanca Plaza, the Swiss group has recently established itself close to the business district of the Moroccan metropolis. 184 rooms, six meeting rooms and free WiFi.

Rond Point Hassan II. Tel: +212 (0) 5 224 880 00 - Email: hotel.casablanca@moevenpick.com Internet: www.moevenpick-hotels.com

Boutique spirit

The Doge

Art deco takes pride of place at this Relais&Châteaux, housed in a 1930s town house a stone's throw from the Arab League gardens. As well as 16 themed rooms and suites, the hotel is also renowned for the quality of its Le Veyre restaurant.

9, rue du docteur Veyre. Tel: +212 (0) 5 2246 7800. Email: contact@hotelledoge.com Internet: hotelledoge.com

Villa Blanca

The place to sleep on the Corniche: an 'urban hotel' with around forty rooms, a spa, a chic French brasserie-style restaurant (Le relais de Paris), a Lebanese restaurant (Le Loubnane), a trendy bar (Skybar) and even a nightclub (Le Carré Club).

Boulevard de la Corniche - Ain Diab. Tel: +212 (0)5 22 39 25 10. Internet: www.villablanca.ma

Restaurants

City side

The Jean Jaurès

The Harley Davidson parked in front of the establishment is a timely reminder to passers-by: the owner is a striking Johnny Halliday lookalike. But this is hardly the only spectacular detail about this very pleasant restaurant, tucked away in a quiet street in the Gauthier district.

22, rue Jean Jaurès. Tel: +212 (0) 5 2226 3246

Le Rouget de l'Isle

In a very quiet area, an art deco mansion, a welcoming garden and a service that ensures that the charm of the place is not only due to this pleasantly old-fashioned atmosphere.

16, rue Rouget de l'Isle. Tel: +212 (0) 5 2229 4740

Rick's Cafe

When you hear "Casablanca", the first things that come to mind are Bogart, Bergman and the divine screenplay of the "third best American film of all time", according to the American Film Institute. With this in mind, Kathy Kriger set about building a real-life Rick's Café that had previously only existed on celluloid. And it works! The atmosphere is well captured thanks to a host of decorative details, and Rick's Café has become a must for all American tourists. The place is also used by Anglo-Saxon chambers of commerce to organise their events.

248, boulevard Sour Jdid, Place dus jardin public - Tel: +212 522 27 42 07 Internet: rickscafe.ma

Sea side

Le Cabestan

Porsche Cayenne, Audi A7, Jaguar XF and Mercedes cabriolets: the car park at Le Cabestan gives precious clues as to the purchasing power of its clientele. Check inside: it's not cheap, but it's true that the restaurant has a lot going for it, starting with an exceptional view of the rocks and the sea, even from the toilets! Sprinkled with artistic touches, the place achieves an interesting mix between restaurant and cocktail lounge.

90, boulevard de la Corniche (El Hank lighthouse) - Tel: +212 (0) 5 2239 1190 - Internet: www.le-cabestan.com

Worth noting El Hank Lighthouse: there are a number of other quality restaurants within easy reach of the El Hank lighthouse, including
La Fibule, a great Moroccan restaurant, right next to Le Cabestan (tel: +212 (0) 5 2236 0641). A number of other restaurants stand out at the foot of the lighthouse: Paco Small rock (tel.: +212 (0) 5 2236 2626) and El Cenador (tel: +212 (0) 5 2236 4513).

Le Pilotis

Le Pilotis is the Tahiti Beach Club's flagship restaurant. The inside has an original animal décor and the outside offers a pleasant view of the ocean, the beach and everything that goes with it. You can come for a drink or a meal to enjoy the local triple speciality: seafood, paella and sunsets.

Boulevard de la corniche Ain Diab. Tel: +212 (0)5 22 79 84 27. Internet: tahitibeachclub.ma

A ma Bretagne

You have to go far beyond the Corniche, to the outskirts of the Morocco Mall, to reach this seaside establishment considered to be one of the city's best addresses for French cuisine, featuring fish and seafood. Boulevard de l'océan Atlantique.

Tel: +212 (0) 5 2239 7979

At any time

"Chez Paul, Fauchon, Frédéric Cassel: if you go to all three addresses in the morning between 8 and 9am or at lunchtime, you'll be able to attend most business meetings in Casablanca", sums up one businessman. These three top-of-the-range tea rooms are concentrated a short distance apart on Boulevard Moulay Rachid, in the heart of the "Golden Triangle", where Casablanca takes on the air of Bel-Air. A must-see, just for the glittering show of Casablanca's golden youth...

Chez Paul.

On the corner of Anfa and Moulay Rachid boulevards. Tel: +212 (0) 5 2236 6000

Fauchon.

21, boulevard Moulay Rachid. Tel: +212 (0) 5 2295 0911

Frédéric Cassel.

8, boulevard Moulay Rachid. Tel: +212 (0) 5 2294 9382

Traffic

Trying out the new tramway may be worthwhile, with tickets costing Dhs10 (just under €1), but the car remains the most common means of transport for foreign visitors to Casablanca. The first option is taxis, making a distinction between white taxis, which are the only ones authorised to go to the airport, and red taxis or "small taxis". With a pick-up charge of Dhs 2 and a drop-off rate of Dhs 0.2 every 80 metres, a journey within Casablanca rarely exceeds 20 dirhams during the day, provided the meter has been started... There is a quid pro quo for these very low fares: the driver reserves the right to pick up other customers on the way if the journey requested fits in with yours. However, many visitors opt to hire a car with a driver. A white taxi will charge Dhs300 for an hour's hire and Dhs1,000 to Dhs1,200 for a day's hire within Casablanca. Another option is to use a chauffeur-driven prestige car hire company such as S' Tours (+212 (0) 5 2236 1304) or Regency Car (+212 (0) 5 2220 0236).

If you have...

One hour

"The largest mosque in the world after Mecca": since its inauguration in 1993, the Hassan II mosque has become the new star of the Casablanca postcard. A 200-metre minaret and a surface area of two hectares facing the ocean: the dimensions are impressive and the sight seductive, all the more so as the merchants of the temple know how to be relatively discreet on the esplanade.

An afternoon or a day

A number of aesthetic revolutions would take place before Casablanca could lay claim to the title of "most beautiful city in the world". However, the Moroccan metropolis is not without interest, and even - dare we say it - charm. The main attractions are the old medina, the Habous district, the Art Deco heritage around the Arab League Park, the beautiful homes of the Racine and Gauthier districts and, of course, the Corniche, with its beach life by day and its hustle and bustle by night, particularly in the square of restaurants, bars and clubs that separates Tahiti Beach from Miami Plage.