Pretty, 10-bedroom Riad Adore gets everything just right, from the warm, friendly service to the stylish architecture, modern Moroccan décor, well-thought-out spaces, pint-sized pool and hammam. Opt for the Victoria Suite and you’ll even have your own Juliet balcony.
Situated very conveniently in an upmarket area of antiques dealers, minutes from the Dar el Bacha palace (where you can pick up taxis) and hip Souk Cherifa, where you’ll find some of the Medina’s hippest makers. Set back from the main alley, the house is blissfully quiet, but easy to find. From here it’s a 10-minute walk to the Djemaa el-Fna.
Cleverly restored and brought up-to-date by renowned architect Christophe Siméon, Riad Adore retains all the charm of a Medina mansion while offering thoroughly contemporary comforts. Two courtyards – one centred on a classic marble fountain, the other set with a sizeable plunge pool – merge seamlessly into each other via an open-sided salon set with comfortable fireside club chairs and sofas.
In one house, there’s an additional indoor dining room, in the other a delightful, secluded library in the first floor loggia, while on the roof a jigsaw of terraces accommodate sun-loungers and a Berber tent. The pale sand-coloured tadelakt and oyster-grey paintwork add to the calm, spacious feel which is great to return to after forays in the souks.
Owner Stuart Radcliffe and super-efficient manager Kerstin are thoughtful, friendly and helpful hosts, and are always on hand with maps and recommendations. Want a pot of tea in bed in the morning? No problem. Seeking a perfect carpet but don’t know where to start? They’ll tell you. Looking for somewhere to combine a day by the pool with a civilised lunch? They’ve got just the place.
Or you can simply kick-back at the riad, take a dip in the plunge pool, hunker down for the day in the library or book a dreamy ‘gommage’ (scrub down with olive oil soap infused with rose water) in the steamy hammam.
Unusually for a riad, all of the 10 bedrooms are delightful and subtle, decorated in a contemporary fashion with creamy Berber rugs underfoot, antique kaftans on the whitewashed walls and beautifully embroidered cushions and coverlets. Standard rooms are very generous and a steal at the price, while the Bahia and Victoria Suites are positively spacious with large seating areas. The latter even has a delightful little balcony over the pool, where you can luxuriate over a long, lazy breakfast. All of them are finished with great attention to detail, like fresh flowers, deep tubs in most of the creamy-coloured bathrooms, heated towel rails and televisions equipped with DVD players.
Breakfast changes daily so you won’t get bored and there’s an honesty bar filled with local wine and beer in the library (the Moroccan staff don’t serve alcohol). Although there’s no restaurant you can book dinner in the morning and its magical sitting by the fire on the roof on a cooler evening while feasting on classic Moroccan dishes of cheese-stuffed briouats, smoky aubergine salads and a meltingly tender beef and prune tagine.
Not bad. There are two ground floor rooms off the swimming pool courtyard. Street access is good and a taxi is never more than five minutes away.
Children aged 12 or more are welcome; younger kids are only admitted if part of a group occupying the whole house, but the Pure Riads collection does have sister houses that are happy to accommodate young families.
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