Mandarin Palace Hotel & Spa

Anchored on Avenue Mohamed VI along Tangier's Front de Mer, the Mandarin Palace faces the Strait of Gibraltar directly across the corniche promenade, roughly two kilometres from the Kasbah and old medina walls. The beachfront setting suits travellers wanting resort comforts within easy reach of the historic quarter rather than lodging inside its narrow lanes.

The five-star property runs its own spa and thalassotherapy circuit, drawing on the strait's cooler Atlantic-Mediterranean mix. Sea-facing rooms overlook Spain's coastline on clear days.

Grand Socco's cafés and the medina entrance are a short taxi ride east along the front.