by Paula Hardy, The Telegraph, November 22, 2019
Marrakech is a city of many faces, a trading town that has been welcoming hippies, celebrities, royalty and merchants for centuries. As such, there’s something here for everyone from princely palaces to the cutest budget riads with bijoux courtyards and delicate zellij-tile detailing. What’s more, with their traveller-friendly vibe and small size, Marrakech’s best budget options offer some of the Medina’s best home-from-home experiences with high staff-to-guest ratios, knowledgeable owner-managers and great home cooking.
Riad Le J
9Telegraph expert rating
The Moroccan home of two Italian furniture designers, Riad Le J is tucked behind the Mouassine mosque and combines smart interior design with local craftsmanship. Whichever room you choose from the four themed options – Mint, Saffron, Pepper and Cinnamon – you can lie back and gaze at ancient painted ceilings. They were rescued from the Bab el Khemis market and restored so their careful geometry appears like colourful starbursts above wonderfully comfortable beds. Breakfasts are sensational, consisting of fresh, stoneground bread, fluffy pancakes, and wild-flower mountain honey.
From £67per night
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Riad Berbère
8Telegraph expert rating
A super, 17th-century riad with a lush Islamic garden and five light-filled, minimalist rooms showcasing the period craftsmanship and design of the house. Like the décor, service here is warmly authentic, low key and personal. Manager Ingrid is a mine of information and has an enviable address book filled with contacts for top hairdressers, yoga instructors and local musicians. Just five rooms, three of them with balconies over the garden, run the length of the house, spoiling guests with space in this densely-populated city. Food here is traditional, fresh and tasty. A Moroccan breakfast of fruit and pancakes is served on the roof terrace.
From £82per night
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• The best riad hotels in Marrakech
Riad 42
8Telegraph expert rating
This gem of a riad is hidden down the bottom of a winding derb in Kaat Benahid, a bustling and authentic part of the Medina. Inside, a Zen-like sense of calm and letting the soaring architecture make the riad sing. Right at the top, a super stylish roof terrace with a sail-like tent shading a platform lounging area supplied with handwoven hats if the perfect spot for long, idle afternoons. Rooms are generous, with large comfortable beds, and a convivial breakfast – included in the price – of home-baked bread, cakes, fruit, yogurt and eggs, is served on the starkly beautiful roof terrace at a communal table.
From £85per night
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Riad Tizwa
8Telegraph expert rating
The large, handsome house comes with a flower-filled courtyard, wraparound balconies draped in romantic curtains, and six generous rooms with comfortable, unfussy furniture. Service is highly personal, but unobtrusive. One of the best features of this riad is the cracking roof terrace with its far-reaching medina views. It’s a grand spot for the breakfast banquet of homemade yogurt, fruit, pastries, semi-leavened Moroccan bread, pancakes and eggs. It's superbly located steps from the Dar el Bacha palace (a great place to pick up taxis) and only five to 10 minutes' walk to the souks, the Medersa Ben Youssef and the Djemaa el-Fna.
From £65per night
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Dar Attajmil
8Telegraph expert rating
Set snugly in a kink on Rue Laksour, this cosy riad offers an instant immersion course in Moroccan medina living, from the convivial communal atmosphere, to impromptu music concerts in the courtyard, to souk shopping trips and relaxed cookery courses with the house dada (cook). The four bijou guestrooms are compact in size but are thoughtfully kitted out and stylishly decorated in soft earthy colours. This dar gets high praise for its beautifully executed home-cooked meals, which vary between traditional Moroccan offerings and Italian classics.
From £70per night
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Chambres d’Amis
8Telegraph expert rating
When owner and interior designer Anke van der Pluijm got the chance to buy a riad she shamelessly decorated it in a memorable, multi-layered fashion, filling it with interesting craftwork, kitsch furnishings and upcycled fittings. The house has a large patio garden, a small bar, and a plant-lined roof terrace with a shower. Anke is a wonderful hostess brimming with excellent suggestions for souk shopping, and runs an equally successful online craft shop. The food here is smart like the décor, mixing hearty, three-course Moroccan dinners with long, lazy buffet breakfasts, light lunches and tapas.
From £62per night
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Dar Hanane
7Telegraph expert rating
This six-bedroom courtyard house in the neighbourhood of Kaat Benahid is all about the home comforts. Clever styling and a grey-and-white palette have turned the snug proportions of this historic house into a strength, and four narrow double-bedrooms and two suites are decorated simply with thick-pile Berber rugs, candy-striped slipper chairs and selective decorative objects and pictures. The pièce de resistance is the roof terrace with its multi-functional space acting as dining room, solarium and tented Bedouin lounge. Breakfast is a buffet of fruit, pancakes, yogurt and jam, while lunch and dinner need to be pre-ordered.
From £80per night
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Riad Matham
8Telegraph expert rating
With no unnecessary fuss or frills, Riad Matham serves up a simple, authentic, pared-back experience of medina living in a 16th-century house, right next to the souks. Staff are attentive and happy to make excellent medina recommendations, organise excursions and even plan birthday parties. Aside from the wonderful roof terrace and plunge pool, there’s a small hammam. The six air-conditioned rooms retain their traditional character with high, painted ceilings, grand ‘rtaj’ doors and stucco detailing. Breakfast on the roof terrace is a real highlight.
From £80per night
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Riad UP
8Telegraph expert rating
Located in the bustling Kennaria, Riad UP is a quiet medina haven with a cosy living room, and a courtyard pool. The home of Mallorcan designer Elsa Bauza, it combines a minimalist modern style with earthy Moroccan textures. You can be sure of super personalised service here. The house is organised in two wings, which ensures that bedrooms are private and quiet. Their décor is simple and contemporary. Breakfast on the terrace is a parade of wholesome goodies from mountain honey and Moroccan pancakes to homemade yogurt.
From £90per night
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Dar Al Assad
8Telegraph expert rating
Push through the hotel's brass-studded door and you arrive in a courtyard lined with Moorish arches and cosy bhous (seating nooks). Couples talk in secret alcoves crowded with busts, books and objets d’art. As most of the team has been at the house for nearly two decades things work like a well-oiled machine. Expect generous-sized rooms and modern, marble-clad bathrooms. Breakfast is a feast of baghrir pancakes, butter-fried eggs, homemade yogurt and fresh, flaking pain au chocolat. Dinner is a serious affair with cocktails on the roof terrace, then fine dining in the courtyard.
From £125per night
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This article was written by Paula Hardy from The Telegraph and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.
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