Named for the statuesque storks (cigognes) that stand photogenically on the crenellated walls of the King’s palace opposite, this one-time spice merchant’s palace has been reimagined as an elegant, 11-room boutique hotel, which honours the history of the house and immerses guests in sophisticated medina living.
Located in the up-market royal quarter opposite the King’s palace, the riad has direct street access and is situated close to the Saadian tombs, the Badi and Bahia palaces, and the old Jewish spice and jewellery souks. It’s a quiet neighbourhood and a great location for first-time visitors to the old city. The Djemaa el Fna is a 15-minute walk north. Taxis can be picked up at nearby Place des Ferblantiers.
The late, great Tunisian-born architect Charles Boccara renovated and restyled this elegant house, sensitively updating it while retaining its ornate Andalo-Moorish character. The decorative finish is particularly nice: intricated zellij tiling rings the patios and zigzags up staircases while lacy stuccowork frames the scalloped edges of tall Lancet arches. Set around two pretty courtyards, the house feels intimate but is roomy enough to incorporate a restaurant, 11 strikingly decorated rooms, a library, a massage room, and a beautiful, low-ceilinged classic hammam clad in warm cappuccino-coloured tadelakt. The crowning glory is the spacious roof terrace with its casual raffia furniture, beautifully planted pots and stunning views of the nesting storks atop the palace walls.
The experienced manager, Hanane, heads a team of 20 staff, which is a lot for a riad of this size. As a result things work like clockwork and staff are always on hand with delicious little plates of cookies and smart recommendations for shopping trips and excursions. The riad’s regular restaurant is staffed by three experienced dadas (home cooks), while on occasion a guest chef is invited to head-up the showcase restaurant, Salt (dinner only). The original hammam is small, but perfectly formed with a star-studded dome over the plunge pool, while massages are taken in a spectacular double-height room filled with multi-coloured subtle refracted through stained glass windows. Finally, there’s a smart shop stocked with billowing kaftans and a rather good library.
In the bedrooms, the restrained décor of the patio gives way to unique decorative schemes. The Safi room, for example, sports a rich olive-green tadelakt, a beautiful painted ceiling and a fireplace decorated with a mosaic of shattered Safi pottery (hence the name). Other rooms are similarly creative, which means that returning guests can opt for a different atmosphere each time. The three, entry-level Superior Rooms are extremely comfortable and well thought out; then there are seven larger Deluxe Rooms and one vast Orientalist Suite, which comes with its own separate lounge and Palace views. All are furnished with attractive decorative furniture and large comfortable, king-sized beds. Bathrooms, too, are a good size, the majority sporting polished tadelakt bathtubs as well as showers (only two rooms have showers only). Everywhere there are delightful vases of roses and the faintest scent of musk incense.
Having published its own cookbook and won an award for best cookery school in Morocco, you can expect great things from the kitchen. Almost everything here is made from scratch including the breakfast jams, yogurt and breads. Lunch is an à la carte affair with a menu of seasonal Mediterranean dishes, while dinner (which must be pre-booked) showcases Moroccan specialities such as monkfish tagine and melt-in-your-mouth tangia, a slow-cooked, spiced beef stew cooked in a classic clay pot. Dining on the flower-filled roof terrace as the storks come home to roost at sunset is an absolute highsubtle.
Not suitable.
Children under five years old stay free of charge. Extra beds for five to 12-year-olds cost €25 (£23) per night. Extra beds can be placed in the Deluxe rooms only, otherwise there are a couple of interconnected rooms.
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