Ever dream of staying in a palace as an honored guest of a royal family? You’ll come close to living that fantasy at the Royal Mansour in Marrakech, Morocco. The magnificent property, stretching some eight acres within the 12th-century Medina city walls, was conceived by Morocco’s King Mohammed VI, who oversaw its construction and spared no expense. In fact, the cost of constructing Royal Mansour, which took years and involved some 1,200 Moroccan master artisans, has never been revealed. A king’s ransom, we’re sure. The place is stunning.

The experience begins at arrival when a Royal Mansour staff person fast tracks you through passport control. Then, 15 minutes or so later, you arrive by private car at the entrance gate, a massive, four-ton sculptured door, covered in bronze. The welcoming area is an open courtyard, and a showcase for Moroccan workmanship and art, with walls of zelij mosaic tiles, elaborate plaster carvings, and high ceilings of finely-carved cedar fretwork. The furnishings are covered in fine silk and velvet; the rugs are suede and leather, tossed on top of glazed tiles crafted in Fez. The atmosphere is hushed, old world, old money elegance.

A network of tree- and flower-lined paths winds through the property, flanked by gardens, trickling fountains, and open terraces. Forget about booking a simple room or suite; here, accommodations include 53 riads, styled after traditional Moroccan courtyard homes. Each three-story riad includes a private courtyard with a fountain, a living room with a fireplace (some also have dining rooms), one to three bedrooms with opulent marble baths, and a third-floor private terrace, with a sitting area, fireplace, and plunge pool. The same intricate tile, plaster, and woodwork are found throughout each individually-decorated riad.

Service is what you’d expect, but very discreet. We’re told there are some eight to 10 staff per riad, yet you won’t see them until they pop up on your terrace with chilled glasses of Moroccan Rose wine. Most of the schlepping and service grunt work is done out of guests’ sights in the subterranean city of underground tunnels and service elevators.

You’ll be tempted to stay in your riad forever. But you could step out to dine at the two on-site dinner restaurants, under the helm of Michelin-star chef Yannick Alleno. La Grande Table Francaise serves classic French cuisine and the La Grand Table Marocaine serves traditional Moroccan dishes with modern flair; both are fancy, white glove experiences. You really should walk the winding garden paths to the airy, light-filled spa. The 27,000-square foot facility features a welcome lobby with ceilings and hanging walls of white fretwork, that makes you feel like you’ve stepped into a fancy birdcage. They offer a variety of treatments, but opt for the hammam, a luxury take on the traditional Moroccan bath, with a vigorous mud exfoliation and lush oil finish.

The property is a short walk to the Jemaa el-Fnaa, the Medina’s main square. Venture out into the frenetic, fabulous Marrakech, among the snake charmers, dancing monkeys, donkeys, carts, horses, hawkers and hagglers, knowing that you can soon return to the quiet oasis of your riad.

ROYAL MANSOUR Rue Abou Abbas el Sebti 40 000 Marrakech, Morocco, 212-529 80 80 80, www.royalmansour.com

Diane Bair and Pamela Wright can be reached at bairwright@globe.com.