Angsana Riads in Marrakech (3 others) – Morocco (7 others)

the hotel: In step with the medieval authenticity of the Marrakech Medina, the hotel is a collection of six ultra-opulent riads.
the room: An architectural masterpiece distinguished by vivid, brilliant colours.
the bar: These are exquisite houses, not hotels, so the bar is wherever you want it to be. Whilst you are in residence it is your home.
the restaurant: Si Said features traditional Moroccan cuisine, and Bab Firdaus offers a Thai menu. Both are open to guests of the other riads, and each riad also offers an all-day in-house dining menu that includes salads, sandwiches and international specialities.
the location: Throughout history, Marrakech was one of the world’s most exotic cities. Thanks to a self imposed 400-year exile that commenced in 1493, the city has managed modernising forces and has been preserved in a way that makes it arguably the most exotic city on the planet.
the pool: Riad Si Said has an outdoor plunge pool
the spa: Angsana Riads Collection features the Angsana Spa – Asian healing combined with the Moroccan culture of the hammam.
the view: As with all riads in the Medina, the view is from the rooftops. The best time to be on these extravagantly decorated rooftops is at sunset, when the sky goes red and the call to prayer echoes hauntingly through the inner city maze.

You absolutely must…

Must eat:
At a genuine secret location. Enjoy Pastilla (pigeon pie), one of Morocco’s great culinary delights, at Al Baraka, just next to the police station on Jamaa El Fna – the famous open square that serves as the gateway to the souks.

Must shop:
You must shop til you drop. The souks may have become more commercial, but it is still one of the best places in the world to buy rugs, pottery, lanterns and exotic mother of pearl inlaid wooden furniture.

Must visit:
You must must must visit Yacout for an evening that is the Marrakech Medina at its best.

About Angsana Riads

The intoxicating allure of one of the world’s last truly exotic places. Authenticity and opulence tenfold!

The Whole Story

To understand the appeal of the Angsana collection of riads in Marrakech you need to grasp the overpoweringly exotic experience of staying in the heart of one of the world’s few authentic medieval cities.

With streets the width of a donkey, arranged in a labyrinth-like puzzle that confuses and confounds even the locals, the Marrakech Medina is an intoxicating mix of sounds, smells and sights with the added edge of being so foreign and so different. Do not however confuse exotic with poor.

This ancient city was built on the wealth of the gold and slave trade with Sub-Saharan Africa. For more than a thousand years people from all over the globe made their way to the city’s massive red walls to trade for slaves, gold, ebony, spices, pottery and rugs in the city’s famous souks.

Riads were the opulent inner city palaces built from the proceeds of this trade. Disguised by plain walls and plain doors on the outside, these palaces are the oriental personification of A Thousand And One Arabian Nights on the inside Angsana’s riads give you a chance to experience a healthy slice of authentic oriental fantasy.

The Rooms

This is a case of which house, not which room. Riad Si Said is an ornate vision in tones of cream and gold. Riad Bab Firdaus is more about traditional artefacts and hand-woven carpets. Riad Dar Zaouia has a rooftop garden overlooking the Atlas Mountains and the iconic Koutoubia Mosque. Riad Blanc marries modernity with tradition. Riad Lydines is a unique Moorish experience with lots of fireplaces, and Riad Tiwaline is discreet and private, with a cedar-panelled library and a fountain.