This bijou white-on-beige oasis in the heart of the medina goes against the grain of Moroccan excess in terms of its interiors. The four bedrooms are luxurious — all Italian linens, four-poster beds and Bulgari bathroom products. The holiday home of Italian princess Ruspoli, this place is perfect for group booking.
Located in a warren of derbs to the northwest of the Djemaa el-Fna, Dar Seven isn’t the easiest riad to find. The Marrakech museum and souks are a 15-minute walk south and the Djemaa el-Fna is a 25-minute walk. Taxis can be picked up at the Sidi Ben Slimane mosque.
Pack a duffle bag full of Ralph Lauren’s pristine white camp shirts, khaki chinos and romantic lace blouses and you’ll glide right into the design aesthetic of Dar Seven, which goes against the grain of Moroccan excess. French designer Gérome Vermelin renovated what was once a tired family home set around a central courtyard into a temple of soothing neutral colours. Whitewashed walls, terracotta floors and creamy tadelakt walls provide a canvas for shapely camel-backed sofas, Oriental prints, gleaming silverware and pots of sculptural sisal, bamboo and palm. Downstairs a linen dressed table sits ready for dining beneath the shaded arcade, while upstairs blissed-out bookworms curl up on sofas tucked in the loggia.
While service is seamless, staff make themselves scarce when there’s no immediate demand for them. There’s a TV in the main living room and beauty treatments and souk tours can be arranged on request. A complimentary car will also deliver guests to Le Coin Caché where they can enjoy an afternoon by the pool (entrance £30).
The four bedrooms wrap around the internal patio with three of them located on the first floor and the fourth (the Guest Room) situated on the ground floor. All are similarly decked out in neutral colours, beautiful mother-of-pearl inlaid furnishings and cushion-covered divans. The White Room and the Loggia Suite both have romantic, linen-draped wrought-iron four posters. In all of them spacious touches abound, from nice Italian linen sheets to Bulgari bath products.
Food is a mix of French and Moroccan cuisine and can be served anywhere in the house. Whenever the weather allows, a breakfast of fruit, scones, breads and pancakes is served on the roof terrace beneath the wheat-coloured canopy. Both lunch and dinner need to be reserved ahead. The former consists of omelettes, salads or vegetables stuffed with rice, while the latter is a more formal three-course affair.
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There are no specific facilities for children, but they can be accommodated for a small extra charge when sharing their parents room. The Loggia Suite and Brown Room can be connected to create a family suite, and babysitting can be arranged on request.
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