Executive Retreat or Mastermind in Morocco: A Planning Guide

To plan an executive retreat or mastermind in Morocco, start from the conversation you want people to have, not from the venue: decide the length, the size of the circle and the rhythm of work and rest, then choose a private site where the group is alone. Confidentiality, well-set working rooms and unhurried meals matter more than any activity list.

Start from the purpose and the circle

An executive retreat can serve very different goals: a strategy reset for a leadership team, a closed circle of founders who meet each year, a board gathering away from the office, or a membership community that wants its yearly meeting to feel different. Write the purpose in two sentences before anything else, because it decides the format. A strategy week needs more working time and fewer outings. A peer-group gathering lives on conversation, and its best moments are often the unscheduled ones.

Then settle the size. Our base formats run from 30 to 300 guests, up to 300 seated, with smaller or larger groups possible on request. Smaller circles benefit from one shared table and one shared room; larger gatherings can run plenaries, then break into workshops and small circles.

Confidentiality: what to ask for

Senior groups care about discretion, and it is fair to ask any venue how it handles it. The Long Table Marrakech is privatised for one group at a time, on a site in the Agafay desert 40 minutes from Marrakech, with nobody else on site. Your guest list and the content of your programme are shared only with the people working on your dossier, and nothing is photographed or published without your written agreement. If your group has specific rules about recording, devices or the presence of outside staff, tell us at the brief so they are written into the plan. For any legal or regulatory questions about confidentiality, take advice from your own counsel.

The rhythm of the days

A good retreat alternates focus and release. A rhythm that works for many groups looks like this:

• Morning: a first working session, when attention is best.
• Midday: a long, unhurried lunch, then a walk on the stone plateau or quiet time.
• Afternoon: a second session, in plenary or in small circles.
• Evening: a peer dinner at one long table, where the day's conversations continue naturally.

Resist the urge to schedule every hour. Leave a clear space each day with nothing planned. Leaders rarely get uninterrupted time, and the retreat's value often appears there.

Working sessions: space and equipment

Sessions need a proper room, not a corner of a dining area. Seating, sound, screens and lighting should be set up around your programme and studied with you from the brief, whether you want plenaries, workshops, small circles or a keynote with a guest speaker. Ask the team what is available on site, what must be brought in and who runs it on the day. Share your session plan in advance: the number of rooms, the layout for each, and the equipment you need.

For groups that mix work with a celebration, a strategy day can close with a dinner under the stars, so that the end of the programme feels like a shared moment rather than an administrative end.

Meals, transfers and accommodation

Food is part of the programme. Menus by guest chefs, from breakfast to dinner, with dietary needs collected early, give the group a rhythm to organise itself around. Private transfers from Marrakech to the site and back are included, and the final stretch is by 4x4 track. Accommodation can be arranged on request, in Marrakech or elsewhere, depending on the format; discuss it at the brief so transfers and timings fit. For a multi-day programme, a different setting each evening is also possible. See our Agafay desert venue guide for the site itself.

Key points to remember

• Write the purpose of the retreat before choosing format or venue.
• Choose a privatised site: one group, nobody else on site.
• Alternate working sessions with walks, meals and free time.
• Share your room, layout and equipment needs at the brief.
• Plan meals and transfers as part of the programme.

Frequently asked questions

How many people can an executive retreat host?

Base formats run from 30 to 300 guests, up to 300 seated. Smaller or larger groups are possible on request.

Can we hold working sessions on site?

Yes. Seating, sound, screens and lighting are set up around your programme and studied with you from the brief.

Is the site private for the whole retreat?

Yes. The site is privatised for your group alone, with nobody else on site.

Can the retreat last several days?

Yes. A multi-day programme is possible, with a different setting each evening if you wish. Share your dates or a window at the brief.

To go further, read about private events for 30 to 300 guests, corporate events in Marrakech and our incentive offer. We take reservations from mid-December 2026. Send us your brief and a written proposal reaches you within 24 hours.