Taj Hotel (Marrakech)

Yes, okay, it was the backdrop for where the SJP and the girls stayed in SATC2 (though in the movie, they were supposed to be in Abu Dhabi), but let’s not focus on that. The Taj Palace Marrakech is the ultimate in exotic luxury, with five large alabaster domes topping its façade, its enormous green Guatemalan-marble pool, three restaurants (Moroccan, Pan-Asian, and Mediterranean), two hammams, and nearly two miles (yes, miles!) of gold leaf that line the hotel ceilings and accents. The 161 guest rooms start at a massive 860 square feet — each including a private veranda — and are adorned with a jewel-toned color palette straight out of an opulent Arabian night. It’s due open in early 2013, but we can still dream about it, right?

Taj Palace Marrakech.

Photo: Courtesy of Taj Hotels