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  oEquity Point HostelHOSTEL€

  (Riad Amazigh; MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 44 07 93; www.equity-point.com; 80 Derb el-Hammam, Mouassine; 8-/6-/4-bed dm incl breakfast €13/16/20; aWs)

  Courtyard pool – yep. Zellij-tastic bhous (nooks), brass lanterns and carved cedar door trimmings – yep. Usual riad price-tag – nope. Equity Point converted this labyrinthine old mansion into a wallet-friendly backpacker's boutique with a bar, a restaurant, oodles of cushioned lounging areas, and on-point dorms (both mixed and female-only), which come with lockers, air-con and ensuite.

  Hotel du TrésorRIAD€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 37 51 13; www.hotel-du-tresor.com; 77 Derb Sidi Bouloukat; incl breakfast s €37-42, d €50-90; aWs)

  This exceedingly good-value riad brims with whimsy and rock-and-roll style from the mod Panton chairs beside the plunge pool to the snug rooms chock-a-block with eclectic razzle dazzle. Behind painted doors are walls of vintage mirrors reclaimed from the Mamounia, crystal chandeliers over a red-velvet-padded bed, and in the terrace Blue Suite, a soaking tub and gold-mosaic fireplace.

  Jnane MogadorRIAD€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 42 63 24; www.jnanemogador.com; 116 Derb Sidi Bouloukat; s/d/tr Dh360/480/580; aiW)

  A 19th-century riad with small rooms cheerfully decorated with plenty of traditional flourishes and a prime location just off Rue Riad Zitoun el-Kedim. There's an in-house hammam, tea salon, double-decker roof terraces and laid-back hospitality from owner Mohammed. Quiet, airy upper-floor rooms are the pick of the bunch. Breakfast is an extra Dh40.

  Riad ElkartiRIAD€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0610 31 32 18; www.facebook.com/riadelkarti/; 8 Derb Tahta; d €25-35; aW)

  Marrakech riad-chic without the price-tag? Step up Riad Elkarti. Owned by young Marrakshi designer Ahmed Abidine, it features five bijou rooms in warm-toned tadelakt, set around a white courtyard trimmed in Majorelle blue. This is a friendly, laid-back place to stay with an arty slant and a lot more style than you'd expect for the room rates.

  Young & Happy HostelHOSTEL€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 38 33 88; www.youngandhappymarrakech.com; 113 Rue de Berrima; 2-6-8-bed dm incl breakfast Dh105/95/85; naW)

  If you can get past the cringe-worthy name, this cosy hostel is a brilliant deal. Neat and tidy dorms come with cheerfully painted bunks and lockers, shared bathrooms are modern and clean, and staff go out of their way to help.

  Hôtel SherazadeINN€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 42 93 05; www.hotelsherazade.com; 3 Derb Djemaa; s Dh220-550, d Dh270-550, ste Dh690, without bathroom s/d Dh180/230; aW)

  Conversation comes easily at this inn run by a Moroccan-German family, with 23 rooms (18 with air-con), sunny terraces and a mellow-yellow courtyard with a trickling fountain. Terrace rooms are bargains, but you’ll want earplugs to sleep through the muezzin’s call and the breakfast rush (Dh50 extra). Light sleepers should ask for rooms in the ivy-covered rear courtyard.

  Hôtel CecilHOTEL€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 44 22 03; www.djemaaelfnahotelcecil.org; Rue Sidi Bouloukat; s/d/tr incl breakfast Dh286/340/440, d/tr without bathroom Dh240/340; aW)

  Cecil's twin courtyards framed by fat pink pillars and comfy sofas offer digs minutes from Djemaa el-Fna. Rooms with bathroom have more pizazz, thanks to brightly painted furniture and the addition of air-con. For those sharing bathrooms there are toilets and showers on each floor while breakfast is on the roof terrace beneath a Berber tent.

  Hotel EssaouiraHOTEL€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 44 38 05; 3 Derb Sidi Bouloukat; s/d without bathroom Dh70/100, r with bathroom Dh380-480)

  No frills, just the cheapest hotel in the medina with 28 rooms still holding on to scraps of lovely tile detail, decently clean shared bathrooms and a roof terrace with breakfast (Dh20) views of the Koutoubia.

  oRiad Le JB&B€€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 39 17 87; www.riadlej.com; 67 Derb el-Hammam; r incl breakfast €75-105; aW)

  What do you get if you cross Italian furniture designers with Marrakshi craftsmanship? An achingly cool hideaway where art deco Mamounia mirrors meet silk kaftans hung as art, and zouak (painted wood) ceilings merge with retro lamps. There are just four spicy rooms on offer – Mint, Saffron, Pepper and Cinnamon – and the welcome is as genuine and personal as the interiors are beautiful.

  TchaikanaRIAD€€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 38 51 50; www.tchaikana.com; 25 Derb el Ferrane, Azbest; incl breakfast r €90-100, ste €150; aW)

  The skinny, winding derb (alleyway) that leads here belies what lies inside the front door. With a Tuareg tent-post bed in one room and African artefacts artfully scattered throughout, Tchaikana is Marrakesh's luxurious pad for travellers with a nomadic spirit. Plot souq forays over lavish breakfasts hosted by English-speaking Belgian owner Jean-Francois, and return at happy hour to plan Sahara eco-adventures.

  Riad TizwaRIAD€€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; www.riadtizwa.com; 26 Derb Gueraba, Dar el-Bacha; r incl breakfast €75-140; aW)

  The Bee brothers bring their signature style to Marrakech with this intimate hideaway, sister to their property in Fez. Pops of colour add a modern freshness to the six quirky rooms, that still have original stucco and antique tile decorative features. Beds are so comfortable you may not want to get up.

  Dar AttajmilRIAD€€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 42 69 66; www.darattajmil.com; 23 Rue Laksour; r incl breakfast €90-110; aiW)

  Lucrezia and her attentive staff offer a warm welcome and an even warmer rooftop hammam at this relaxed and elegant riad of blush-pink tadelakt walls, cosy lounging salons and banana-tree shaded courtyard. Just four rooms – home to softly sumptuous furnishings and wood ceilings – guarantee a personal touch. There are also Moroccan-Italian dinners, a babysitting service, cooking classes and Essaouira escapes.

  Dar ZamanRIAD€€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 37 66 12; www.darzaman.com; 29 Derb Bouelilou, Sidi Ben Slimane; r incl breakfast €95-105; aW)

  What Dar Zaman may lack in size it makes up for in heart, with extraordinary personal attention from Peter, Hassan, Karima and Yassine. Other guests obviously think the same, as dinner dates quickly transform into social events offering opportunities to trade tips on overnight excursions and hammams – certainly, no one seems keen to retire to their snug, stylish rooms.

  Riad UPRIAD€€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0665 36 79 36; www.riadup.com; Derb Boutouil 41, Kennaria; d €65-80, ste €90; naWs)

  Mallorcan chic meets medina living. Elsa Bauza oversaw every aspect of her riad's renovation retaining its handsome central courtyard, installing a plunge pool in the patio and a sleek tadelakt fireplace in the salon, while stripping rooms down to their elegant essentials to create tranquil, minimalist spaces that deserve a spread in Architectural Digest.

  Riad HelenRIAD€€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 37 86 11; www.riadhelen.com; 138 Derb Arset Aouzal; r incl breakfast €65-75; aW)

  This quaint dar (small house), down funky Derb Arset Aouzal and its alley-wall mural art, is home to Maxime and Mario and offers five of the best-value riad rooms in town. There's a breezy style here, using lashings of white-trim with sea-green shuttered windows and French doors, while good-sized 1st-floor rooms are dressed in soft pastels and flooded with light.

  MarhbabikoumRIAD€€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 37 52 04; www.marhbabikoum.com; 43 Derb Lahbib Magni; s/d/q incl breakfast €55/90/115; naW)

  The name means 'welcome', and you’ll feel it as soon as you step through the door. Khalil and Véronique run a mellow, family-style riad, so you’re automatically invited for tea, chats, card games and Moroccan jam sessions already in progress. If you can tear yourself away, rooms – like the atmosphere – are delightfully homey and colourful.

  oRiad L’OrangeraieB&B€€€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0661 23 87 89; www.riadorangeraie.com; 61 Rue Sidi el-Yamani; incl breakfast r €140-150, ste
€180; aWs)

  Substance as well as style. From Moroccan sweets and fresh flowers in your room to top-notch, personal service provided by owner Cyril and manager Ismail, Riad L'Orangeraie gets all the finer details right. Amply proportioned rooms come with bathrooms of perfectly buffed tadelakt walls and massaging showers (the best in town), while the courtyard rimmed by cosy sitting alcoves leads out to a generous pool.

  With five employees looking after seven rooms, excellent breakfasts, soothing hammam treatments, a babysitting service and full concierge services to help you make the most out of your stay, this really is the ultimate five-star boutique experience.

  oRiad AzoulayB&B€€€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 38 37 29; www.riad-azoulay.com; 3 Derb Jamaa Kebir; incl breakfast d €100-130, ste from €170; naWs)

  The restoration of this 300-year-old mansion, once home to the wealthy Azoulay family, who served as advisors to the royal family, was a labour of love for owner Sandro. The result is a haven of casual luxury where original cedar ceilings and plasterwork decor sit comfortably alongside modern art, painted-wood antique furniture and sumptuously coloured kilims.

  Service is sublime, meals mix Moroccan and Italian influences to create a fresh menu of Mediterranean flavours, the private hammam dishes up pampering treats, and the plunge pool in the central courtyard provides the perfect antidote after a long day treading the medina streets.

  Riad Al MassarahRIAD€€€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 38 32 06; www.riadalmassarah.com; 26 Derb Jedid; d incl breakfast Dh1150-1950; aWs)S

  The ultimate feel-good getaway: British-French owners Michel and Michael redesigned this ancient riad to maximise comfort and sunlight, and minimise electrical and water waste, putting the well-being of guests and the planet first. Each guest room is distinct, with original art, handmade textiles, and tadelakt fireplaces. The riad's local engagement and energy-saving efforts have earned it a Travelife gold award.

  Children under 12 years are not accepted.

  Dar HousniaRIAD€€€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 37 66 97; www.dar-housnia.com; 2 Derb Lalla Azzouna, Kâat Benahid; r incl breakfast €135-165, 4-person douiria €340; Ws)

  Tradition and modernity blend seamlessly in Eveline Donnez's quietly stylish dar, where a thoughtful approach to luxury puts the well-being of guests ahead of glitzy frippery. Winding staircases lead to a hammam, a sun-lounger-speckled roof terrace and a secret courtyard with a generous plunge pool. The spacious rooms, meanwhile, feature art on the walls and buffed tadelakt bathrooms.

  For friends, or family travelling together, the riad's self-contained douiria (guest apartment) with it's own lounging salon and terrace, is a suitably suave choice.

  Ville Nouvelle

  Hôtel ToulousainGUESTHOUSE€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 43 00 33; www.hoteltoulousain.ma; 44 Rue Tariq ibn Ziyad; incl breakfast new s/d Dh300/400, old Dh250/300, without bathroom Dh150/220; pW)

  An easygoing hotel arranged around a shady courtyard and run by a kind Moroccan-American family in a prime Guéliz location. There's a variety of rooms (which come in a highly confusing number of configurations); the pick of the bunch is the new 'traditional-style' with their beige tadelakt walls and stained-glass detailing. Older rooms are decked out in classic blue beldi tiles.

  Be aware, upstairs rooms here swelter in midsummer. Mobile fans (and heaters in winter) can be provided, but you need to ask.

  Hôtel du PachaHOTEL€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 43 13 27; www.hotelpacha.net; 33 Rue de la Liberté; s/d Dh330/420; aW)

  Novels beg to be set in this faded colonial hotel, with tall French windows to catch breezes and neighbourhood gossip. Ground-floor rooms come with marble sinks and dark woodwork, while those upstairs are snug, but brightened by stripy red bed linens and drapes. The shadowy stuccoed entry, hidden courtyard and salon club chairs add noir-novel intrigue.

  Blue Sea Le PrintempsHOTEL€€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 43 29 92; www.blueseahotels.com; 19 Ave el-Mansour Eddahbi; d Dh600, ste from Dh1500, all incl breakfast; pnaWs)

  This 140-room hotel, run by the Spanish Blue Sea Hotels Group, is a great alternative to Marrakech's bland mega-hotels. It's a winner for families and travellers seeking full facilities. Check the website for offers; rooms are often half-price.

  Palmeraie & Outskirts

  When the medina seems a bit much, villas in the palmeraie and on the outskirts of the city allow you to chill out. Once your blood pressure dips and you begin to miss the madness of Marrakesh, it's only a 15- to 20-minute drive back to the heart of the action. A taxi into town is the easiest way, but is rather costly (Dh150 to DH250) since you often have to pay for the driver’s round-trip to fetch you.

  oRiad BlednaGUESTHOUSE€€

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0661 18 20 90; www.riadbledna.com; off Rte de Ouarzazate, Km19, N 31°35’46.8, W 7°52’28.5; d incl breakfast €70; ps)S

  Welcome to the garden villa of the Moroccan-British Nour family, who pamper visitors as if they are favourite house guests. With five rooms of spice-toned tadelakt walls and traditional tataoui ceilings, a filtered pool and delicious home cooking (with produce from their organic four-acre garden) this is a peaceful and thoroughly homey cocoon to retreat to after the medina hustle.

  Your hosts can arrange airport pickups, medina transfers, babysitting, desert trips, mountain eco-excursions and hands-on Moroccan crafts workshops.

  You'll find it 19km east of Marrakesh, signposted off the Rte de Ouarzazate. From the turn-off it's a further 2.5km to the house.

  Jnane TamsnaRESORT€€€

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 32 94 23; www.jnane.com; Douar Abiad, Palmeraie; d incl breakfast €195-395; aWs)S

  Sustainability meets style at Meryanne Loum-Martin’s oasis. Paths thread through landscaped gardens (planted by her ethnobotonist husband, Gary Martin) leading to swimming pools, tennis courts and large rooms scattered with antiques, art and Moroccan textiles. A home-away-from-home for discerning jet-setter families, expect organic cuisine, Marrakesh jaunts and lazy days lapping up the secluded beauty of the nine-acre palm-fringed property.

  You'll find it 15 minutes northwest of Marrakesh in Douar Abiad, off the Circuit de la Palmeraie. Transfers from the medina can be arranged.

  For those who can't stay, Jnane Tamsna offers lunch with pool access for Dh400 per person.

  Casa TaosGUESTHOUSE€€€

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0661 20 04 14; www.casataos.net; Rte de Targa, Km8; r incl breakfast €175-235; paWs)

  Hicham and family ladle out lashings of hospitality at this colourful, quirky villa with rooms kitted out in an eclectic fusion melding modern and traditional Moroccan design with art deco. Wipe off the medina dust and loll by the large pool under swaying palm trees. At mealtimes, feast on innovative Mediterranean menus made from this foodie family's organic garden produce.

  With advance booking, non-guests can savour Casa Taos' genial ambience as well as lunch and pool formulas for Dh350.

  Al Fassia AguedalBOUTIQUE HOTEL€€€

  ( GOOGLE MAP ; %0524 38 38 39; www.alfassia.com; 9 bis Rte de l’Ourika, Km2, Zone Aguedal; incl breakfast d Dh1500-1800, ste Dh2250; aWs)

  Want relaxed ambience but a location that's closer to the medina than the luxury pads of the palmeraie? This boutique hotel offers spacious, light-filled rooms decked out with traditional flourishes yet with all mod-cons provided – a spa, pool, restaurant and peaceful garden abloom with flowers. Same owners as the long-running restaurant Al Fassia in Guéliz.

  5Eating

  Marrakesh's culinary scene has improved considerably with a flurry of new restaurants opening in both the medina and ville nouvelle. That said, as traditionally Marrakshis don't eat out often, most medina restaurants are aimed squarely at the tourist market and meals can be hit-and-miss. In middle-class Guéliz, there's more of a local dining vibe with both Moroccan and international restaurants.

  DON'T MISS

  DJEMAA EL-
FNA DINNER THEATRE

  Arrive around 4pm to watch chefs set up shop right in the heart of the action in the Djemaa el-Fna. Djemaa stalls have a better turnover of ingredients than most fancy restaurants, where you can’t typically check the meat and cooking oil before you sit down to dinner. Despite alarmist warnings, your stomach should be fine if you clean your hands before eating, use your bread instead of rinsed utensils and stick to your own bottled water.

  Pull up a bench and enjoy the show: the action continues in ‘La Place’ until after midnight. Berber bands sing songs near dentists’ booths displaying jars of teeth, not far from a performance involving clowns and worryingly amateur boxers. Some of the Djemaa’s evening entertainments haven’t changed much in a millennium, including astrologers, potion-sellers and cross-dressing belly dancers.

  Medina

  Hadj MustaphaMOROCCAN€

  ( MAP GOOGLE MAP ; Souq Ablueh, east side; tanjia with bread & olives Dh70; hnoon-8pm)

  Several stalls at Souq Ablueh offer up paper-sealed crockpots of tanjia, but Hadj Mustapha's is the most renowned for sampling this famed ‘bachelor’s stew’, with basic but clean seating inside a well-scuffed stall. Use bread as your utensil to scoop up tanjia; sprinkle with cumin and salt; and chase with olives.