There are many options for staying in Marrakesh, including international hotels, riads, and farmhouses on the city outskirts. Personally, I am always drawn to traditional riads for a more authentic stay.
In this post, I have chosen beautiful riads in Marrakesh connected to some of the world’s leading designers who have had a lasting impact on the city, including Bill Willis, Jasper Conran, and Vanessa Branson.
I have also picked out some other beautiful reasonably priced riads to suit different types of travellers and budgets.
El Fenn
El Fenn is best suited to couples or solo guests looking for a trendy riad in the heart of the Medina. In my opinion, El Fenn is one of the most beautiful riads in Marrakesh, but it’s also the most expensive option featured in this blog.
Richard Branson’s sister, Vanessa Branson and her friend, Howell James, originally purchased it. They have expanded the original purchase to 13 interconnecting riads. It now has 41 rooms and suites and a 1300-square-meter rooftop bar.
In 2018, painter-turned-designer Madeline Weinrib and her husband, Graeme Head, partnered with Vanessa and Howell. Madeline ran a textile brand for more than 20 years, blending the beauty of traditional crafts with her own unique aesthetic. Her husband is the president and vice chairman of a US carpet and home store. Their experience in textiles and furnishings has influenced the riad’s design.
You do not need to book to visit the roof garden, but queueing early before it gets busy is advisable. The roof garden has a chic, upmarket atmosphere. You enter through the shop downstairs, which is full of beautiful, unique home pieces. Once upstairs, you will be greeted by staff in cardinal red uniforms and El Fenn straw hats. The bar area is trendy, with red-striped furnishings and coordinating floral chairs. Guests visit for cocktails and light bites in the sun, overlooking the Medina.
Downstairs, has a different vibe – relaxed and opulent. The riad has a series of colour-popping spaces. Some areas are a mix of earthy tones in plush green, mustard and purple velvets. The courtyard has contrasting vibrant fuchsia-pink fabrics. This is my favourite area, not for the décor but because it is open with large established trees and bird song echoes around the courtyard. I could sit here for hours with a book, listening to the birds. It’s in the middle of the Medina but feels a million miles away.
If you are looking for a retreat outside Marrakesh, you could also try The Kasbah Tamadot owned by Richard Branson. It’s an hour’s drive from Marrakesh, in the Atlas Mountains. I’ve not stayed here, but it’s renowned in the industry as a beautiful place to stay.
Riad Izza
I have selected this riad because of its connection with Bill Willis. Originally from the US, Bill arrived in Morocco in 1965 and made it his home until he died in 2009. He mixed in high society, was a showman, and was a talented interior designer. He lived in excess, and his exuberant lifestyle reflected his interior design style. He was known for his limitless imagination, mixing colours and textures in a lavish meets modernist style that impacted the aesthetic in Marrakesh.
Izza is a fourteen-room sophisticated hotel in the Medina that pays tribute to Bill. The riad has a bar named after him, containing photographs and memorabilia showcasing his life among stars like Grace Jones, Mick Jagger, and Yves Saint Laurent. These precious items were sourced from his former home, Dar Noujoum, which IZZA’s proprietors take pride in owning.
The hotel is an airy riad full of plants and over 300 works of art (worth about £5M). These contain arguably one of the world’s most significant physical exhibitions of printed NFTs (Non-Fungible Token artworks). Mixed within the art are rich forest green textiles and terracotta pots, providing a sophisticated, elegant, exclusive feel.
L’ Hotel Marrakesh
This charming retreat is owned by Jasper Conran. L’Hôtel Marrakech combines superb Moroccan craftsmanship with pieces of Jasper’s antique furniture, textiles, lighting and art – some of which were acquired from the personal collections of Bill Willis and Yves Saint Laurent.
This riad is for you if you like quiet luxury. It’s a retreat with only six suites all named after Moroccan cities, with exceptional service. Its position is surrounded by a derelict site in an alley – which is hard to find. Once you arrive, you are greeted by a sturdy, masculine-looking green door. But once inside, it’s a stylish paradise. What struck me the most was how peaceful it was. It’s in the heart of the Medina, yet you can hardly hear a sound. The odd Bulbul signing from the palm tree that towers through the middle of the courtyard, the crow of a cockerel, the odd footstep of the staff. But, minimal noise for a riad in the heart of a bustling city.
As you’d imagine from a designer like Conran, it’s a beautiful riad. Walking into the courtyard garden, you notice many mature banana, orange and lemon trees and a central fountain surrounded by authentic zellige tilework. There is a beautiful pool with towels and robes waiting for you. The resident tortoise is likely to be your company.
There is a dining area downstairs, but you can also have lunch and dinner in the roof garden. The tables are expertly set to restaurant standards, with thick white tablecloths wherever you choose.
Riad Al Fassia Aguedal
I’ve chosen Al Fassina for different reasons. It’s attached to one of the best traditional restaurants in Marrakesh, run by an all-women team. It is very reasonably priced, a short distance into Marrakesh, beautiful, and spotlessly clean. It’s a great all-rounder for all types of guests.
The hotel has two riads with a Moorish vibe surrounding a central courtyard. The grounds are full of striking red, violet, orange, and white Bougainvillea, which climb the hotel and walls. Out in the front in the evening, the trees are lit up with fairy lights, welcoming guests to the restaurant. It is beautiful.
Outside, it has a good-sized pool, which is a bonus, as many of the riads only have small plunge pools or are covered from the sun. Each guest is provided with pool towels, cushions, their own table for lunch service alongside a lounger, Al Fassina straw hats for sunny days and impeccable service.
Riad BE
My last option is central in the Medina and has a bohemian, trendy vibe. It’s best suited for young couples, solo travellers, those on a girls weekend, or people looking for a space for yoga.
The top floor has a good size roof garden with lounge beds, hanging chairs, rest areas and yoga mats. The middle floor has a plunge pool with bright yellow loungers and rooms. The bottom level has a plunge pool (although this area doesn’t get the sun) and seating with rooms around the courtyard.
We organised a cooking lesson at Riad BE which we really enjoyed. The lesson started with a trip to the souk to buy fresh ingredients from the farmer stalls. We then took the food back to the riad’s rooftop, where with help, from Maleekah (meaning queen in Arabic – she was the queen of cooking!) we cooked tagines and a vegetable pastry starter. It was a fun experience for an overcast day, and we learned a new skill. It’s not until you get home, you realise how much you miss tagine!
Read our blog providing inspiration in Marrakesh for places to visit based around art and culture.
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