There is no patch of the globe more deserving of the adjective ‘exotic’ — and
now, Morocco has the boutique hotels to match. Many riads — the traditional
Moroccan houses with an interior courtyard — have become stylish hotels.
Owners use materials such as tadelakt, the ubiquitous smooth stucco, in pale
pinks through to dark chocolates, often mixed with wrought-iron latticework
and colourful zellij mosaics.
Add luxurious fabrics, mountains of cushions, and an infusion of orange
blossom, and the allure of the country’s lodgings is unrivalled.
Here, Juliet Kinsman, editor of the Mr & Mrs Smith hotel guides,
picks the 20 most stylish places to stay in Morocco.
Prices are per room, per night, based on two sharing, and include
breakfast.
MARRAKESH
Caravanserai, Palmeraie
Hip, utterly Moroccan — this retreat on the edge of a Berber village,
olive groves and desert is an example of the simplicity of form that makes
structures here so special. The marble-hard tadelakt lends itself perfectly
to
the sprawling layout, incorporating cushion- festooned terraces and an
impressive hammam and indoor plunge pool, ideal for couples keen
to spend their time as a twosome.
Best room: The Pool Suite is like a private apartment, with a
corner lounge, circular boudoir and party-sized terrace.
Best meal: Don’t blanch at the word “buffet”; here it means
mouth-watering banquets at breakfast and lunch.
What to pack: Bikini and binoculars.
Contact: 00 212 24 300302, www.caravanserai.com; £156-£265.
Dar Les Cigognes, Medina
Here, Charles Boccara, the Parisian architect responsible for some of
this city’s chicest retreats, applied his Midas touch to this 17th-century
former merchant’s home opposite the Royal Palace. He transformed it into a
boutique bolt hole ripe to lure couples, young and old, from around the
world.
Best room: Fans of four-poster beds earmark ruby-hued Harem,
or the
Silver deluxe room, with its huge bath and palace view.
Best meal: Learn to cook like a local, thanks to a pre-dinner
tutorial in making the perfect couscous.
What to pack: Forget reading matter — a library provides
books to enjoy on the bougainvillea-draped terrace.
Contact: 382740, www.lescigognes.com; £95-£180.
Dar Zemora, Palmeraie
There’s no better representation of souk fabulous than this roomy
edge-of-desert hideaway. Guests are global, from newborns to nonagenarians,
and it is a popular place to book as a whole for weddings and birthday
celebrations.
Best room: Provided stairs don’t bother you, perch in the
rooftop Perla suite, overlooking the gardens and palm groves.
Best meal: Take a 15-minute cab ride to designer hangout,
Bô-zin(388012). Set up by the former manager of Le Comptoir in Paris, it’s
as slick as can be (with prices to match).
What to pack: Your entire family, for a special occasion.
Contact: 328200, www.darzemora.com; £165-£255.
Jnane Tamsna, Palmeraie
If in your dream of a Moroccan sojourn, you’re relaxing under palm
fronds poolside, or inside a chic art-filled retreat that feels more aristo
residence than hotel, then consider Meryanne Loum-Martin’s three-villa
property the place for you. The many interesting objêts d’art are the ideal
complement to her just-so approach to interior design.
Best room: Each is utterly different, so opt for your
favourite colour. If luxury, for you, means space, pick the Blue Animal
Room. The Syrian Room is green on the inside, and in its olive-grove view.
For a private pool, bookmark Moussafir House.
Best meal: Here, it’s all about the liquid delights at
cocktail hour.
What to pack: Multiple swimwear options.
Contact: 329423, www.jnanetamsna.com; £170-£306.
Ksar Char-Bagh, Palmeraie
Never has “purpose built” been so misleading. This three-year-old
sprawling Moorish-style pleasure-dome on the edge of the Atlas mountains
exemplifies “attention to detail”: weighty silver door keys, private hammams
perfect for couples, and bespoke toiletries in cut-glass bottles.
Best room: If budget allows, room 14, an apartment in its own
right, has private terrace and pool. Room 3 is super-spacious.
Best meal: It would be foolish not to sample on-site Alain
Ducasse protégé Damien Durand’s French/Med/Maroc cuisine.
What to pack: Gear to take advantage of two heated pools, a
tennis court, spa and gym facilities.
Contact: 329244, www.ksarcharbagh.com; about £400-£660.
Kssour Agafay, Medina
Just like all dignified members’ clubs, there’s little to indicate
that the heavy wooden doors to this 15th-century riad are an entrance
to the city’s most exclusive, highbrow social hub. Intricately tiled walls,
leather armchairs and bulging bookshelves make this three-storey, six-room
hotel the perfect bolt hole for bohemian travellers.
Best room: For a spectacular view of the famous mosque from
your private terrace, check into the Koutoubia suite.
Best meal: If you eat at one restaurant in Marrakesh, make it
Casa Lalla at 16 Derb Jamaa on rue Riad Zaitoune Lakdime (429757). Just make
sure to book weeks in advance and that you’re punctual. Arrive a second
after the 8pm Euro/Moroccan six-courser kick-off and you’ll incur the wrath
of the British chef Richard Neat.
What to pack: A yearning for cultural nourishment.
Contact: 427000, www.kssouragafay.com; £237-£271.
Palais Rhoul, Dar Tounsi
Hide away in acres of lush gardens for the ultimate romantic escape.
These six sumptuous Arabic-tented suites and 12 art-filled and mod-con
enhanced guest rooms are fit for royalty.
Best room: A sunken pool and open fire make Harem the tent
for honeymooners. With oil paintings and two huge beds, Chambre du Maître is
the grandest poolside suite.
Best meal: Fancy à la carte offerings from the French chef at
the helm of the in-house eatery, L’Abysinn.
What to pack: Fitness-related kit for the spa, gym and
spring-water pool. Or ditch all health-related sentiments and bring posh
loungewear for the cigar room and cocktail bar.
Contact: 329494, www.palais-rhoul.com; £156-£334.
Riad 72, Medina
High, intricately carved ceilings and eye-catching copper lanterns
enhance this Asian-accented homely-but-hip riad. Pull up an enormous
cushion, and recharge your batteries in the banana tree and fountain-filled
courtyard or on the uncharacteristically high-up pool terrace, ready to hit
the colourful souks, a stroll away.
Best room: Of the four rooms, the spacious-yet-cosy Karma
suite is most special; extra eye candy comes in a cupola above the enormous
bed.
Best meal: To enjoy wonderfully traditional cooking, reserve
a garden table at Dar Moha at 81 Rue Dar el Bacha (386264), former residence
of Pierre Balmain.
What to pack: A fistful of dirhams to blow in the market.
Contact: 387629, www.riad72.com; £85-£187.
Riad 12, Medina
Airy and elegant, this little sibling to Riad 72 has only two doubles
and a single room — perfect for couples craving the most intimate of stylish
stays. As chic as its sister, with a gorgeous green garden, perfect for lazy
afternoons.
Best room: If for you big is better, Chambre Camelia is
really sizeable, down to its huge marble bath.
Best meal: Feast on all the local favourites from tajines to
briouats (sweet almond pastries) at Dar Zallej at 1, Kaasour Sidi Ben
Slimane.
What to pack: Elasticated waistbands, so you can over-indulge
on their afternoon offering of sweet mint tea and irresistible biscuits.
Contact: 387629, www.riad12.com, £119.
Riad Lotus Ambre, Medina
A meander from the main square, the Warhol-style works in the five
boudoirs of this modern-minded riad determine the rooms’ names. Other than
the pop-art portraits from Marilyn to Mao, the interior is quite masculine,
while the white-styled roof terrace with cushion-laden daybeds and hot tub
give it a Miami feel.
Best room: For Jackie O fans travelling en famille: Suite
Kennedy. It includes a TV lounge and twin-bed cabin adjoining the master
bedroom.
Best meal: Moroccan in the garden café at Les Jardins de la
Koutoubia Hotel near Jemaa el Fna.
What to pack: A compass. The labyrinthine lanes are tricky to
navigate.
Contact: 441405, www.riadslotus.com; £126-£170.
Riad Lotus Perle, Medina
If you’re after contemporary cool, this is one heck of a glossy
designer departure from the normal school of riad decor. It’s black and
white throughout and Art Deco inspired. The only problem with this
immaculate five-bedroomed pad is that you might feel guilty messing up its
photoshoot slickness.
Best room: When staying somewhere so monochrome and à la
mode, the Coco Chanel room is most fitting, especially if you adore bling
bathrooms; with a marble tub and open fireplace, ablutions have never been
so glam.
Best meal: Fill your belly, next to bejewelled ones dancing
at Dar Marjana at 15, Derb Sidi Tair (385110).
What to pack: A French phrasebook.
Contact: 375460, www.riadslotus.com; £153-£177.
Riad Mehdi, Kasbah
It may be in the heart of a teeming 1,000-year-old metropolis, but
this orange blossom-infused, flower petal-festooned hideaway is as soothing
as can be. Red rugs and billowing coral-coloured fabrics lead to a covered
courtyard of snow-white loungers, where guests await more pampering in the
second-to-none spa.
Best room: Internal rooms are windowless; plump for one of
the four opulent suites overlooking the pool and garden.
Best meal: Amble over to Kosybar on Place des Feblantiers and
enjoy pasta or salad on the roof terrace, or while away an evening in the
ground-floor piano bar.
What to pack: The Sheltering Sky or The Spider’s House by
Paul Bowles for those sunlounger moments.
Contact: 384713, www.riadmehdi.net; £68-£170.
Riad el Fenn, Medina
It’s a world away from the ruin bought by Vanessa Branson and Howell
James in 2002. Antique wood, marble walkways, leather floor tiles;
traditional and contemporary furnishings are complemented by high-tech and
audio-visual enhancements. Appropriate that the name of this most stylish
abode, brimming with artworks by Bridget Riley and Fred Pollock translates
as “fine arts” in Arabic, and in slang means “hip”.
Best room: Each room of this ten-roomed property has its own
charm, but the most impressive is the duplex Douira suite, with its
mezzanine bedroom and private patio with plunge pool.
Best meal: They’ll give you a tour of the tiny, but top-notch
kitchen, and let you steal secrets to their mouthwatering organic
Mediterranean cuisine.
What to pack: That unfinished film script or novel — where
better to find inspiration?
Contact: 441210, www.riadelfenn.com; £217-£339.
Riad Farnatchi, Medina
Top-spec technology, bespoke furniture and excellent service: all
hallmarks of hotelier Jonathan Wix, who intended this three-part riad as his
holiday home. Thankfully, he resolved to open his doors to five sumptuous
suites. An emerald-tiled heated pool and touch-of-a-button movie library are
among the indications that this pristine hotel is a temple devoted to
pleasure.
Best room: Cream-toned Suite 1 boasts a limestone fountain as
a bathtub.
Best meal: A new dining room is on the cards; until then,
follow cloaked men with lanterns around the corner to super-chic Le Foundouk
at 55, Souk Hal Fassi-Kat Bennahid (378190, www.foundouk.com); its mod-Maroc
cuisine gives top Euro eateries a run for their money.
What to pack: Slippers and djellabahs (kaftans) provided,
leaving suitcase space for souk finds.
Contact: 384910, www.riadfarnatchi.com; £220-£320.
Talaa 12, Medina
All riads have thick walls to keep out heat in summer and cold in
winter, with rooms facing inwards into a central courtyard promising
tranquillity, a world away from the hubbub of the Medina. But what isn’t
standard is child-friendliness, which you get at this stylish eight-roomed
retreat; under-sixes stay free, cot and beds available, and babysitting can
be arranged.
Best room: For a private balcony, splash out on one of the
two deluxe suites. In chillier months, ask for the open fireplace.
Best meal: You’re just three minutes from the indigo-hued Le
Foundouk.
What to pack: Your sexiest swimmers. In summer, the hotel
provides a free pass to the Moroccan outpost of Nikki Beach in Palmeraie, 20
minutes away.
Contact: 429045, www.talaa12.com; £99-£177.
SOUTH OF MARRAKESH
Kasbah Agafay, Route de Guemassa
The fellow behind the transformation of this 150- year-old fort into
lavish hôtel du jour is also owner of exclusive culture-oriented members’
club the Kssour Agafay. So it is no wonder that this hilltop hotel, 20
minutes’ drive from the medina, draws style seekers and the international
literati.
Best room: The tented Caïdal suites feature four-posters
fashioned from Berber antique wood, and mosaic bathrooms.
Best meal: Enjoy the house speciality of lamb shoulder and
couscous at a table on the ramparts.
What to pack: Your best low-key boho photograph-me threads —
Agafay regularly hosts star-studded parties and is a popular magazine-shoot
location.
Contact: 368600; www.kasbahagafay.com; £270-£340.
Kasbah Tamadot, Asni, High Atlas
Richard Branson’s walled retreat in the High Atlas, 45 minutes’ drive
from Marrakesh, couldn’t be better appointed. There’s nothing as vulgar as
televisions in the rooms, although they do adhere to a “you want it, you got
it” policy, should you insist.
Best room: Money no object? The three-bedroom master suite, a
small-scale replica of the Kasbah, has panoramic mountain views.
Best meal: Who cares that there’s little to lure you beyond
the landscaped grounds; top-notch Moroccan/international cuisine and fine
wines are on the spot, and you can have dîner à deux where you want it.
What to pack: Hiking shoes; swimwear in summer, warm layers
September-February.
Contact: 0800 716919, www.virginlimitededition.com/kasbah;
£230-£879.
ESSAOUIRA
Casa Lila
Like all riads, this pretty husband-and-wife retreat on a tranquil
medina alley is centred on a courtyard. A chic-and-cheerful confection of
lilacs and pastels, it couldn’t be more romantic. Particularly when relaxing
on the roof terrace or in one of the low-key luxe salons.
Best room: Suckers for freestanding in-room baths should book
baby-pink Rose Poudre.
Best meal: Having saved your dirhams on these darling digs,
splash out some fresh-from-the-Atlantic lobster at cosy Le Chalet de la
Plage at 1 boulevard Mohamed V (00 212 24 475972).
What to pack: Your wetsuit; these icy-cold Atlantic waters
are ideal for windsurfing.
Contact: 475545, www.riad-casalila.com; £51-£80.
Heure Bleue
Heure Bleue is a bubble of unexpected grown-up luxury in the medina
of this laid-back ancient coastal town. Polished marble floors,
pin-drop-peaceful salons and Orient-Express-style elegance, with dark-wood
cabin-like bedrooms.
Best room: For views of the old harbour, bag a room on an
upper floor.
Best meal: If you like a snooty supper spot, try the posh
take on Moroccan fare in their oriental salon.
What to pack: Jimi Hendrix and Led Zeppelin CDs. Incongruous
soundtracks in such sumptuous surrounds? Listen to rock stars who stayed a
while in this town.
Contact: 783434, www.heure-bleue.com; £149-£264.
Madada Mogador
Within inches of the Medina walls, a door that seemingly leads to a
flat above a shop takes you to this elegant Parisian-accented abode; more
avenue Foch than Atlantic Africa. Off a central sand-coloured library-cum-
salon are four stylish tadelakt boudoirs, with stairs up to a grand balcon
and two suites.
Best room: Its young Euro couples clientele favour the
right-on-the-ramparts Madada junior suite, overlooking the ocean.
Best meal: Take advantage of a snack service of South of
France specialities and enjoy the unrivalled view of the sweeping coastline
and 16th-century harbour from the terrace.
What to pack: Sunscreen; the sun’s strength is deceptive on
this windy Moroccan swath.
Contact: 475512, www.madada.com; £68-£102.
For more information, or to book any of these hotels, which are all
featured in the Mr & Mrs Smith Morocco collection, go to www.mrandmrssmith.com.
