8 Dreamy Riads In Marrakech

8 Dreamy Riads In Marrakech

Riads are traditional Moroccan houses or palaces with interior gardens or courtyards, often including a water feature. Marrakech is full of them and now is one of the best times of the year to pay a visit to the ever-buzzy ‘Red City’. If you’re after an authentic and atmospheric stay, here are eight of the most stylish riads to book into…

L’Hôtel Marrakech

L’Hôtel Marrakech is a privately owned riad in the Medina district. Built in the 19th century, it was originally the central part of a Caidal palace. Today, five spacious suites surround a wide courtyard garden and swimming pool. Owned by Jasper Conran, the riad combines superb Moroccan craftsmanship with antique furniture, textiles, lighting and art from his collection, making it feel more like a high-end home than a hotel. The roof terrace offers views of the Atlas mountains and the skyline of Marrakech, and is the place to unwind after a day’s foray into the souks. Breakfast, lunch and afternoon tea can be taken under the pergola, and drinks can be enjoyed among orange blossom and fig trees on the terrace.

Derb Sidi Lahcen Ou Ali, Bab Doukkala, Marrakech

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Riad LouHou

This double-fronted house sits on a peaceful square in the Kasbah quarter. It was renovated in 2017 to create a five-bedroom luxury hotel. A pool is located to one side of the terrace with loungers, straw hats and towels on hand for sunbathing. The other side provides a shaded lounge, draped with curtains for taking tea or reading a book. Each night, dinner and music is served by candlelight under the stars. When it comes to accommodation, we love the look of the two spacious suites, which come with high glass-dome roofs for added light and space. The suites come with a natural tadelakt en-suite shower room and a lounge area for taking tea, and are easily made into a triple or family room.

Al Kasbah, Derb Touareg, Marrakech

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Dar Kawa
Dar Kawa
Riad LouHou
Riad LouHou
La Sultana Marrakech
La Sultana Marrakech

Riad Jardin Secret

This pretty hotel was built in the late 1960s by a close friend of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé. A three-storey Moroccan townhouse, it features a private courtyard and pool, a living room with an open fireplace, bedrooms, plus several outdoor areas including a wrought-iron pavilion on the roof terrace. Riad Jardin Secret has a laid-back atmosphere and most of the furniture and design details are picked from flea markets around Marrakech. Each year a different artist in residence create new works for the hotel. Televisions and air conditioning are not available – the riad’s way of encouraging guests to adapt to the city’s laid-back pace of life.

Arset Aouzal, Bab Doukkala, Marrakech

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El Fenn

With its tree-filled courtyards, large roof terrace with views over the Atlas mountains and a family of resident tortoises, El Fenn is a relaxing base from which to enjoy Marrakech. The hotel is just five minutes from the Djemaa El Fna square and the maze of streets that make up the souk. The riad offers 28 stylish rooms and suites, three swimming pools, plus a restaurant, bar, spa and library. When it comes to bedrooms, we like the look of the suites, which come with a private terrace, plunge pool, kilim-covered beds, hand-stitched camel-leather floors and sun loungers. All products in the El Fenn spa have been created by Les Sens de Marrakech and contain natural ingredients ranging from rose water to ghassoul clay, alongside a choice of Argan-based massage oils.

Derb Moullay Abdullah Ben Hussain, Bab El Ksour Medina, Marrakech

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El Fenn
El Fenn
Riad Jardin Secret
Riad Jardin Secret

Riad Les Yeux Bleus

Recently renovated by a team of Marrakech artisans, Riad Les Yeux Bleus offers an ideal getaway for those keen to experience Moroccan hospitality at its best without giving up a certain flavour of modernity. The decor blends contemporary and traditional styles, reflecting the current nature of Marrakech, where vibrant urban life coexists with the ancient ways of the city. Located in the Bab Doukkala district, one of the most popular and picturesque quarters of the medina, Riad Les Yeux Bleus features 11 comfortable bedrooms, each decorated in its own style. These are scattered around two patios, two pools, a library, a full spa including massage and hammam, and a pretty roof terrace with a bar.

Derb El Ferrane, Bab Doukkala, Marrakech

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Dar Kawa

Seventeenth-century Dar Kawa is set within the medina’s maze of souks. In 1999, owner Valérie Barkowski restored the house, getting as close as possible to the original architecture. A neutral palette has been chosen to allow the riad’s grand proportions and refinement to take centre stage. The artwork and design details throughout combine to create a really luxe look. Of all the bedrooms, we like the look of the Suite Mumtaz. On the first floor, this is a private two-room suite with a fireplace, individual bathroom with shower, separate toilet and dressing room, complete with bed linen by Bandit Queen. Dar Kawa also offers a spa, roof terrace, relaxed restaurant and fire pit for the colder months.

Kaat Benahid, Derb Ouali, Marrakech

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Riad Les Yeux Bleus
Riad Les Yeux Bleus
La Sultana Marrakech
La Sultana Marrakech
Le Riad Yasmine
Le Riad Yasmine

Le Riad Yasmine

French couple Gabriel and Alice moved to Marrakech in 2015 to take over the direction of Le Riad Yasmine. They have transformed it into a modern green paradise in the centre of the medina. The verdant Riad Yasmine has eight well-designed bedrooms – each filled with plenty of plants and cacti – a swimming pool, rooftop pool plus a friendly resident cat named Bowie. If you’re after a spot of relaxation, head into the living room and reading nook for a mint tea. What’s more, the whole place can be booked exclusively for up to 16 guests – perfect for family trips or a girls weekend away.

Rue Ank Jemel, Bab Taghzout, Marrakech

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La Sultana Marrakech

La Sultana Marrakech is an ultra-luxe hideaway located in the old city, close to the main attractions and ten minutes from Djemaa El Fna square. The 28-bedroom hotel offers an outdoor heated swimming pool with a jet stream, panoramic terraces, misted solarium, gym, library, spa and on-site cooking courses. Each bedroom has its own design and style of decoration, and is filled with antique furniture, paintings and collections of art. On the spacious outdoor terrace overlooking the Unesco-listed medina, the La Table du Souk restaurant offers cosmopolitan cuisine, a large choice of signature cocktails flavoured with Moroccan spices, and great views of the city.

Rue De La Kasbah, Medina, Marrakech

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