Sofitel has opened its new hotel at the Essaouira Mogador golf resort in Morocco.

The hotel, which has 147 bedrooms and suites, plus 28 villas with private pools, and was designed by interior designer Didier Gomez, architect Rachid El Andaloussi and landscape artist Isabelle Linski.

The resort’s first golf course, designed by Gary Player’s practice, opened last year. Another eighteen hole course, also by the Player firm, will make its debut later in 2011.

The resort, which occupies a 600 ha beachfront site, including forest and native sand dunes, is located just a few kilometres to the south of the ancient town of Essaouira, famous for its fishing port and ramparts.