Travel bucket list idea:
Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco
Bucket List Experience
For the most authentic experience, stay a few nights in a traditional riad in the centre of the old town
Credit Shutterstock.com/Todamo
There’s no better way to immerse yourself in Moroccan life than staying in a riad; the traditionally-designed townhouses that line the twisting alleyways of the medina. Rooms are set around an internal courtyard – traditionally divided into four quarters, with a small fountain at the centre and filled with plants and greenery.
Traditionally, Islam forbids any external show of wealth when it comes to property, so all riads – even the most upscale and ornate – are hidden behind plain walls. This adds to the tantalising sense of stepping into a hidden oasis; riads are designed to be cool and quiet – a cocoon from the frenetic streets outside.
Riads vary hugely in style; many have swapped the traditional mosaic tiling and tadelakt plasterwork for a more contemporary, minimalist feel, but what almost all have in common is a rooftop terrace. These are the places to experience Moroccan a sunset, when the Atlas Mountains shimmer in the distance and the call to prayer echoes up from the mosques; Marrakech at its bewitching, enigmatic best.
Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco
Official star rating:
Place to Stay
One of Marrakech’s most sumptuous riads, with richly decorated architecture and interiors. This opulent complex has five courtyards around which rooms and suites are arranged.
Average £523
Extra beds
Pool
2+ bedrooms
Beach
Kids menu
Fitness center
Kids club
Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco
Official star rating:
Place to Stay
A chic, elegant riad hotel set across seven houses, creating a wonderful sense of space inside the busy medina. It’s also home to a very good spa.
Average £277
Extra beds
Pool
2+ bedrooms
Beach
Kids menu
Fitness center
Kids club
Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco
Official star rating:
Place to Stay
A chic, minimalist riad in the heart of the medina, complete with an on-site hammam, roof-top bar and heated courtyard pool.
Average £251
Extra beds
Pool
2+ bedrooms
Beach
Kids menu
Fitness center
Kids club
Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco
Official star rating:
Place to Stay
A classy, colonial-style boutique hotel with an exquisite spa, set in the atmospheric Dar El Bacha quarter of the medina.
Average £196
Extra beds
Pool
2+ bedrooms
Beach
Kids menu
Fitness center
Kids club
Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco
Official star rating:
Place to Stay
Trendy riad in the Bab Taghzout quarter of the medina with a stylish rooftop terrace and picture-perfect plunge pool.
Average £102
Extra beds
Pool
2+ bedrooms
Beach
Kids menu
Fitness center
Kids club
Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco
Official star rating:
Place to Stay
A rambling riad with light-filled rooms, shimmering plunge pools and small spa, located in the bustling neighbourhood of Bab Doukkala, home to the medina’s liveliest markets.
Average £128
Extra beds
Pool
2+ bedrooms
Beach
Kids menu
Fitness center
Kids club
Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco
Official star rating:
Place to Stay
Idiosyncratically decorated in vintage mid-century furniture, this little treasure is Marrakech’s best budget riad.
Average £80
Extra beds
Pool
2+ bedrooms
Beach
Kids menu
Fitness center
Kids club
Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco
Official star rating:
Place to Stay
Moroccan design and Italian style combine at this elegant hotel, housed in a former manor house with a full-sized pool and chic restaurant.
Average £380
Extra beds
Pool
2+ bedrooms
Beach
Kids menu
Fitness center
Kids club
Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco
Official star rating:
Place to Stay
Trendy boutique hotel in Marrakech’s old city, an easy walk to the medina’s palaces and souks, with the lively Jemaa el Fna just five minutes away.
Average £400
Extra beds
Pool
2+ bedrooms
Beach
Kids menu
Fitness center
Kids club
Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco
Official star rating:
Place to Stay
A lovely light-filled Medina riad, with superb pool and spa (with hammam) is a tasteful mix of Moroccan style and modern comfort.
Average £300
Extra beds
Pool
2+ bedrooms
Beach
Kids menu
Fitness center
Kids club
Destination guides including or relevant to this experience
Marrakech-Safi, Morocco
Destination guide
An exotic time capsule of ancient streets and souks, blending Arab culture and French colonial heritage. Soak it all up in the wonderfully evocative atmosphere of the Jemaa el-Fnaa.
