Traditional Moroccan architecture, homemade food and flawless service
In Morocco there is various kinds of accommodation including hotels, apartments and traditional Riads. A riad is a type of traditional Moroccan and an interior garden or courtyard associated with house and palace architecture. In my opinion, the only place to stay in Morocco to get the most authentic experience.
The Marrakech Riad family have three Riads, Riad Spice, Riad Star, Riad Cinnamon and Riad Papillon.
We stayed in the Riad star which is the brightest Riad in Marrakech known as the Red City. The roof is retractable and let’s in all of the bright sunshine above Marrakech.
The Riad was once the home of vaudeville star, singer and actress, hero of the French resistance and civil rights pioneer, Josephine Baker.
Riad Star offers thirteen guest rooms, and a host of facilities including a dipping pool and fabulous roof terrace with views across the Medina to the snow topped Atlas Mountains.
The Riad also offers cookery lessons, where local chefs share their love of traditional Moroccan dishes, rooftop yoga and hammam and massage suite. the ultimate Marrakech luxury.
James and I were welcomed by Ali where we were dropped off in the midst of busy Marrakech to the closest point you can drive to the Riad. Ali helped with our luggage and we walked the short 5 minutes to the Riad.
Once inside we were welcomed with some mint tea and mouth-watering homemade biscuits. Ali provided us with a map of Marrakech and talked us through all of the key sites and how to get to each one.
We were then shown to our room where the traditional architecture continued. Make sure you continue to look up during your Riad stay as the ceiling details are so intricate and beautifully designed. Our room was simple, clean and best of all, traditional. There was even a meditation room as part of our room for ultimate relaxation.
During our stay Ali was on hand whenever we had a question or query to ask and all of the staff were extremely friendly and helpful. We could not fault the service whatsoever.
Breakfast is included with your stay and you can enjoy fresh fruit, yogurt, breads and jams, fresh pancakes and eggs cooked to your liking. A hearty breakfast to set you up for the day and in the beautiful restaurant or courtyard.
We were also able to sample the homemade dishes made from local ingredients as we stayed for dinner in the Riad. We were served with Moroccan salad and appetisers to start, lamb tagine with rice for the main course and fresh fruit salad in orange juice for dessert. It was great to taste traditional Moroccan food as the locals would have at home.
The Riad is the perfect location sitting in the heart of the Marrakech Médina so great for exploring the old town and the souks. The service was impeccable, the Art Deco style was carried on throughout and tradition and history was bursting from everywhere you looked. The Riad owners clearly take great pride in their Riads and have taken a great amount of care to restore the Riad Star to reflect the glamour and style of its former resident, Josephine Baker.
A wonderful and flawless stay in Marrakech.
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