The Avanti Hotel in Mohammedia has just closed a significant chapter in its history, opening the door to a new beginning. Once part of the assets belonging to the defunct Samir oil refinery, the iconic hotel on Morocco’s Atlantic coast has been sold for 170 million dirhams following a court-supervised auction held this Wednesday in Casablanca. The sale, overseen by the city’s commercial court, ends months of uncertainty and fuels fresh hopes for both the future of the hotel and the revival of the city itself.
The hotel, which belonged to Samir’s hotel subsidiary, was one of the last valuable assets available to help cover the massive debts of the refinery, which has been out of operation since 2015. With 156 rooms, multiple restaurants, a wellness center, and a nightclub, the Avanti occupies a prime seafront location halfway between Casablanca and Rabat. Initially appraised at 165 million dirhams by court-appointed experts, the property ultimately fetched a slightly higher price during the auction.
Getting to this point was anything but straightforward. Back in October 2024, an earlier attempt to sell the hotel to the Aït Menna family—a well-known name in Morocco’s hospitality sector—collapsed at the last minute despite their bid being approved. The sudden failure of that deal caused frustration and brought the entire liquidation process to a standstill. It took several more months, along with a renewed call for bids, before the successful sale finally went through on July 10, 2025.
For Mohammedia, a city that has long been economically tied to the now-idle refinery, this sale represents more than just the transfer of ownership. The Avanti is seen as a key asset capable of breathing life back into the local tourism industry and providing much-needed jobs. The court made it clear that bidders weren’t just expected to purchase the property; they had to present a concrete, sustainable business plan—one that would revive hotel operations, protect employment, and ensure the long-term financial stability of the site.
This sale is part of the broader, slow-moving dismantling of Samir’s assets, a process that began nearly a decade ago. Piece by piece, the refinery’s holdings are being sold off in an effort to settle its colossal debts while giving new purpose to properties once tied to the oil giant’s fate.
