Passementerie Masterclass with Elizabeth Ashdown in Marrakech 24th Feb - 3rd March 2026

Every detail of your retreat has been carefully curated to ensure a seamless and inspiring experience. From luxurious accommodation to exclusive excursions, this package includes everything you need for a week of creativity, culture, and connection in vibrant Marrakech.

Accommodation
Seven nights at the stylish Radisson Blu Hotel, Marrakech Carré Eden – a contemporary oasis in the heart of the city, offering spacious rooms, exceptional amenities, and a peaceful studio space bathed in natural daylight.

Meals
Daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner included. Most meals will be served at the hotel’s restaurant, featuring Moroccan and international cuisine. One dinner will be held at a carefully selected local restaurant to enhance your culinary experience.

Excursions & Entry Fees
A curated programme of guided excursions designed to celebrate Marrakesh’s rich artistic and cultural heritage – including a private tour of the historic Souks and a visit to the Musée Yves Saint Laurent and Jardin Majorelle. All entrance fees are included.

Studio Access
Enjoy access to a dedicated light-filled studio space within the hotel, equipped with magnifying lamps and designed for your comfort and creativity.

Tuition Fees
Four full days of expert passementerie instruction (24 hours in total) with renowned artist Elizabeth Ashdown. Guests will work on unique decorative trimmings such as rosettes, tassels, and woven embellishments under Elizabeth’s expert guidance. Teaching is delivered in a relaxed, small-group setting to encourage personal attention and inspiration.

While we aim to provide an all-encompassing retreat experience, the following items are not included in the package price:

Travel to and from the retreat venue
Guests are responsible for arranging their own travel to the Radisson Blu Hotel, Marrakech Carré Eden, including flights and airport transfers. Private airport transfers can be arranged upon request, and we are happy to assist with booking this service.

Travel Insurance
Personal travel insurance is not included and is strongly recommended to cover any unforeseen circumstances.

Alcoholic Beverages
Alcoholic drinks are not included in the package and will be charged separately.

Meals Away from the Hotel
Two lunches and one dinner during excursion days will be taken off-site and are not included in the package price, giving guests the opportunity to enjoy Marrakech’s vibrant local cuisine.

Gratuities
Gratuities for hotel and excursion staff are not included. However, there is an option to pre-pay gratuities during your final booking process should you wish to do so.

Project Kit
The passementerie materials kit is not included in the tuition fee. Guests will be required to purchase their kit directly from Elizabeth Ashdown in advance of the retreat. Full details and pricing will be provided.

Frame Loom
A small frame loom is required for the retreat and must be brought by each guest. Specifications and recommendations will be shared prior to the retreat to ensure suitability.

The retreat will take place at the Radisson Blu Hotel, Marrakech Carré Eden, conveniently located in the heart of Marrakech’s modern district, Gueliz, and within easy reach of the city’s main attractions.

By Air
The closest airport is Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK), which is well connected to major cities across Europe. Direct flights are available from numerous UK and European hubs, including London, Paris, Amsterdam, and Madrid.

Airport Transfers
Private airport transfers can be arranged through Creative Experiences to ensure a smooth and stress-free arrival. The hotel is approximately 15–20 minutes by car from Marrakech Menara Airport. We will contact all participants ahead of time to coordinate transfer details if you wish to book this service.

By Taxi
Taxis are readily available at the airport. Be sure to agree on a price before departure, or use the airport’s official taxi service counter for fixed rates.

Travel Assistance
If you would like help arranging your journey or have any questions about your travel options, please don’t hesitate to get in touch – we are happy to assist with recommendations and bookings.

Your retreat base is the Radisson Blu Hotel, Marrakech Carré Eden, a contemporary 5-star hotel combining modern elegance with Moroccan flair. Situated in the lively Gueliz district, the hotel offers a tranquil haven with stylish rooms, lush gardens, a refreshing pool, and a beautifully appointed studio space filled with natural daylight—perfect for embroidery.

Accommodation
Guests will enjoy seven nights in spacious, air-conditioned rooms, each offering modern amenities including free Wi-Fi, tea and coffee facilities, and luxurious bedding. The hotel also features a wellness spa, gym, and rooftop terrace with views over the city and distant Atlas Mountains.

Meals
Your stay includes daily breakfast, lunch, and dinner—most of which are served at the hotel’s acclaimed restaurant offering a blend of Moroccan and international cuisine.

• Breakfasts are continental-style, featuring fresh fruit, pastries, and local delights.
• Lunches are light and varied, ideal for keeping you energised during the day’s activities.
• Dinners are relaxed and sociable, with one special evening meal arranged at a charming local restaurant to experience Marrakesh’s culinary culture.

Please note that two lunches and one dinner taken during excursions are not included, allowing you the freedom to explore local food spots at your own pace. Alcoholic beverages are not included in the package.

Special dietary requirements can be accommodated with advance notice.

To ensure you have a comfortable and inspiring stay in Marrakech—especially in early March, when the weather is typically warm and sunny with cooler evenings—we recommend packing the following essentials:

Basic Craft Supplies
Bring your favourite tools such as scissors, measuring tape, pins, magnifiers, and any other accessories you enjoy using when crafting. Elizabeth will provide a detailed list of any additional equipment required in advance of the retreat. Please note: each participant will need to bring their own small frame loom suitable for passementerie work.

Comfortable Footwear
Marrakech’s souks and gardens are best explored on foot. Pack well-cushioned, closed-toe shoes suitable for walking on uneven surfaces and stone pathways.

Light Layers & a Warm Wrap
Early spring days are generally sunny and warm, but mornings and evenings can be cooler. Light, breathable clothing layered with a jumper or shawl will help you stay comfortable throughout the day.

Sun Protection
Sunglasses, sun cream, and a wide-brimmed hat are highly recommended, particularly for outdoor excursions to the Souks and Jardin Majorelle.

Modest, Lightweight Clothing
While Marrakech is cosmopolitan, it’s respectful to dress modestly when out and about. Lightweight tops with sleeves, long skirts or trousers, and a scarf to drape over your shoulders will keep you cool and culturally appropriate.

Smart-Casual Attire
Include a few smart-casual outfits for dinners, especially for our evening at a local restaurant.

Travel Adapters
Morocco uses standard European plugs (Type C and E). If you're travelling from outside Europe, be sure to bring a suitable adapter.

Camera or Smartphone
To capture Marrakech’s rich colours, textures, and your creative journey throughout the week.

Small Day Bag
Perfect for excursions—pack a crossbody or small backpack for essentials like your water bottle, phone, purse, and sunhat.

Having these items will help you feel prepared, comfortable, and ready to embrace the magic of Marrakech.

We want every guest to have a safe, enjoyable, and fulfilling experience during their time in Marrakech. Due to the nature of this retreat and the setting of the city, we kindly ask guests to consider the following before booking:

• This retreat includes walking tours through the historic medina and souks, which involve uneven surfaces, cobbled streets, and occasional stairs.
• Guests must be comfortable walking at a gentle pace for extended periods, including in warm weather.
• Those with limited mobility or significant medical conditions should contact us in advance to discuss their individual needs.
• While we are happy to explore ways to accommodate different requirements, it is essential that any adjustments do not impact the overall group experience.

We will always do our upmost to support your participation and provide suitable recommendations where possible. Please don’t hesitate to reach out—we’re here to help ensure your time with us is both comfortable and rewarding.

Would you like to learn the art and craft of passementerie?
One of the rarest and most intricate of textile traditions, passementerie is the decorative art of creating ornate ribbons, trimmings, tassels, fringes, and rosettes entirely by hand.

Join us in vibrant Marrakesh for an inspiring passementerie masterclass led by renowned heritage craft specialist Elizabeth Ashdown. Passementerie is listed as an endangered craft in the UK, making this a rare and valuable opportunity to learn directly from one of the country’s last remaining professional passementerie makers.

Set against the rich colours and textures of Morocco, this immersive retreat blends expert instruction with cultural exploration, offering a truly unique opportunity to deepen your creative practice.

In-Depth Workshop Description
Throughout the week, Elizabeth will lead a series of structured, hands-on sessions introducing a variety of traditional and contemporary passementerie techniques. These include:

• Weaving decorative trims using a small frame loom
• Cord spinning using specialist tools
• Rosette making and tassel construction using traditional methods

You will work with high-quality materials and learn specialist techniques to develop your own set of intricate, hand-crafted samples. Over the course of the retreat, you will receive 24 hours of expert tuition, along with inspiration, support, and creative insight to help you refine your craft and develop new ideas.

This retreat also includes curated excursions in Marrakech, offering cultural context and fresh sources of artistic inspiration throughout your creative journey.

Skill Level
This masterclass is open to all. No prior experience in weaving or passementerie is required—just curiosity, creativity, and a willingness to learn.

Cancellation shall take effect only when Creative Experiences receives written notification from the person confirming the booking. All correspondence should be addressed to Creative Experiences, 55 Westfield Avenue, Cupar, Fife, KY15 5AA, United Kingdom or by email to info@creative-experiences. In all cases of cancellation, the deposit forfeit. The following cancellation fees expressed, as a percentage of the total holiday cost, will become immediately payable to Creative Experiences.

Cancellation charge:

Cancellation within 8 weeks; 40% of holiday cost payable

Cancellation within 7 weeks; 60% of holiday cost payable

Cancellation within 6 weeks; 80% of holiday cost payable

Cancellation within 4 weeks; 100% of holiday cost payable

Deposits

For any holiday, we require a non-refundable deposit of 20% of holiday cost. If your deposit payment is not received within 7 days, the holiday may be offered to other interested parties.

Payment of holiday cost

The balance of your holiday cost must be settled 8 weeks prior to the commencement date of your holiday. If your holiday booking is made within 8 weeks of commencement, payment must be made in full immediately on booking. If payments are not made in accordance to this schedule, bookings will be treated as cancellations and deposits will not be refunded.

Insurance

Every person for whom a holiday is booked with Creative Experiences must have adequate insurance cover and must be able to show us proof of insurance upon request.

Cancellation by the client

Cancellation shall take effect only when Creative Experiences receives written notification from the person confirming the booking. All correspondence should be addressed to Creative Experiences, 55 Westfield Avenue, Cupar, Fife, KY15 5AA, United Kingdom or by email to info@creative-experiences. In all cases of cancellation, the deposit forfeit. The following cancellation fees expressed, as a percentage of the total holiday cost, will become immediately payable to Creative Experiences.

Cancellation charge:

Cancellation within 8 weeks; 40% of holiday cost payable

Cancellation within 7 weeks; 60% of holiday cost payable

Cancellation within 6 weeks; 80% of holiday cost payable

Cancellation within 4 weeks; 100% of holiday cost payable

Alteration by Creative Experiences

If in the unlikely event that there have to be any alteration made by Creative Experiences, we will notify you as soon as possible and offer you one of the following options.

1. I) To accept the new arrangements
2. II) To cancel your holiday and receive a full refund.

We will not be liable for refunding any expenses, which have been occurred as a result of the booking.

Our holidays require a minimum amount of guests to be able to to continue with the holiday. We reserve the right to cancel or postpone the holiday in case the minimum number has not been achieved.

Changes

Should you wish to change your booking, Creative Experiences will endeavour to accommodate any changes subject to any differences in price and availability, but cannot guarantee that changes can be made. Creative Experiences will make an administration charge of £50 for any change in booking. Bookings cannot be changed within 2 weeks of the start of your holiday.

Responsibility

Creative Experiences will not be liable for any loss or damages occurred to any client as a result of:

Any event or circumstance which could have been avoided if the client had taken reasonable care.

Any circumstance or event which Creative Experiences or its suppliers could not have foreseen or prevented even with all due care and attention.

Circumstances out of the reasonable control of Creative Experiences such as strikes, wars, civil or political unrest, quarantine restrictions, terrorism, government actions, natural or nuclear disaster adverse weather conditions including injury or illness to staff thus reducing level of service.

Injury, illness or death due to any activity at any time during your holiday, except where such injury or death is caused by the negligence or fraud of Creative Experiences.

Loss of, theft of or damage to any of your belongings at any time of your holiday, whether within the chalet, in the neighbourhood or otherwise.

Injury, illness or death associated with the consumption of any food or drink we may supply except where such illness, injury or death is caused by the wilful negligence or fraud of Creative Experiences or its directors, officers or employees.

Excursion days

We do not accept responsibility if an artisan or person does not show up or cancels private booked excursion such as walking tours, artisan lessons, cooking lessons, wine tastings etc. Should this situation arise, Creative Experiences will try their very best to book another excursion and find an alternative at no cost to the client.

Our suppliers

Creative Experiences is working with third party suppliers such as hotels, villas, transfer companies and others. We are more than happy to discuss any of your requirements such as food allergies with hotels, specific room allocations, pick and drop off times with transfers companies, however we cannot guarantee that your request can be fulfilled. In case of special client requirements not being accepted by the third party, we will be contacting you at our earliest convenience to let you know.

Complaints and Problems

In the unlikely event that you have any reason to complain or experience any problems with your holiday, you must immediately inform the Creative Experiences representative and the supplier of the service(s) in question. Any verbal notification must be put in writing and given to our representative and the supplier as soon as possible. Until we know about a problem or complaint, we cannot begin to solve it. Most problems can be dealt with quickly. If you remain dissatisfied however, you must write to us within 28 days of your return to your home country giving your booking reference and full details of your complaint. We regret we do not accept any liability in relation to any complaint or claim which is not notified entirely in accordance with this clause.

Website Accuracy

Please note that the information and prices shown on this website may have changed by the time you come to book your holiday. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the website and prices, regrettably errors occasionally do occur. You must therefore ensure you check all details of your chosen holiday (including the price) with us at the time of booking. The website is the sole responsibility of Creative Experiences. It is not issued on behalf of and does not commit any independent organization/carriers whose services are featured in it.

Emergency

Creative Experience will provide you with assistance in case of emergency during your holiday with us. We can help you bringing you to health services, working with local authorities and international consulate in case you lost your passport or important papers.

If you have an emergency because of your own negligence, Creative Experiences may ask you for a fee occurred during the process such as extra transfers, missed bookings with third parties and more.

Conduct

When you enjoy your holiday with Creative Experiences, you are responsible for any damage or loss caused by you. In case of damage in a hotel or villa (third party supplier), the client has to pay the damage charges directly to the supplier.

We do reserve the rights to cancel your holiday, in case you put others in danger through your actions, verbal abuse and by causing significant distress to other holiday makers who are joining that group. We do not tolerate violence or abuse in any form to our clients or staff members.