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Travel bucket list idea:

Last updated: 27 May, 2023
Expert travel writer: Mandy Sinclair

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.

La Sultana Marrakech

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

|Official star rating:

La Sultana Marrakech

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

Le Farnatchi

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

|Official star rating:

Le Farnatchi

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

Riad Antara

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

|Official star rating:

Riad Antara

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

Riad de Tarabel

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

|Official star rating:

Riad de Tarabel

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

Riad Yasmine

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

|Official star rating:

Riad Yasmine

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

Riad Olema

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

|Official star rating:

Riad Olema

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

Riad Tresor

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

|Official star rating:

Riad Tresor

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

Riad Palais Blanc

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

|Official star rating:

Riad Palais Blanc

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

Riad El Fenn

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

|Official star rating:

Riad El Fenn

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

Les Jardins de la Medina

Marrakech, Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

|Official star rating:

Les Jardins de la Medina

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

Price from: £20
Minimum age: Any
Age suitable: +
When: All year around
Duration: 1+ nights

Destination guides including or relevant to this experience

Marrakech

Marrakech-Safi, Morocco

Ornate, tiled doorway with round door

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.