Amanjena
Part of the exclusive Aman Group of hotels, the Amanjena is situated three miles from Marrakech on the edge of the Palmeraie - an extensive oasis of palms and olive trees.
The hotel is built in the old Moorish style of architecture, with rose-pink walls, colonnaded walkways and marble fountains creating a peaceful and spacious environment.
Accommodation consists of 32 luxurious pavilions, furnished with king-size beds and decorated with traditional Berber carpets. Each has its own private courtyard, and the suites come with private pools and gardens.
Facilities include a huge 100ft swimming pool, two flood-lit tennis courts and a health and beauty centre with a hammam, gym and a range of beauty treatments on offer. There is also a golf course adjacent to the hotel. Private tours of the historic city of Marrakech or trips to the High Atlas Mountains can be arranged, and there are two excellent restaurants serving Thai and local Moroccan cuisine.
Why We Love It
Amanjena means 'peaceful paradise' in Arabic, and this is certainly how the hotel feels at night when thousands of candles line the edges of the pools and waterways that criss cross the holel gardens.
Angsana Riads Collection
The Angsana Riads collection is comprised of six riads - Bab Firdaus, Blanc, Lydines, Si Said, Tiwaline and Dar Zaouia, the latest addition to the Angsana family - each as exceptional as the next.
There are a total of 41 rooms and suites between them (each has between five to eight rooms), all restored to their former glory by local artisans, using traditional techniques such as tadelakt. Warm colours and Arabian décor add to the authentic Moroccan experience, whilst complimentary WiFi, air conditioning and heating bring the riads into the 21st Century.
Two of the riads - Bab Firdaus and Si Said - have restaurants, the former focusing on traditional Moroccan food and the latter on Thai food. For guests who don't feel like venturing out of their own riad, food can be brought to them either in their room, on the terrace of the riad or even the roof.
As well as plunge pools in the courtyards and a jet pool on the roof terrace of some of the riads, there is a main swimming pool, easily accessible from all of them. There is also a spa and traditional hammam.
Why We Love It
Located in the Medina district, the souqs, sights and sounds of Marrakech are right on the doorstep
Dar Zemora
Dar Zemora is a boutique country house-style hotel set in the leafy surroundings of the Palmeraie, just outside Marrakech.
Reached via a drive lined with olive trees, the hotel has just three rooms and two suites, the latter with four-poster beds and private terraces. Each room is individually designed and all have air-conditioning and marble baths.
The hotel's interiors are a blend of traditional Moroccan craftsmanship and contemporary features. Two spacious sitting rooms lead off the domed reception room, and there is a library and a fan room for chilling out or enjoying evening drinks. Outside is a large swimming pool (heated in the cooler months) surrounded by sunbeds and parasols. Pathways wind through three acres of gardens with orange and lemon trees, palms, oleander, roses and bougainvillea. One of these leads to a massage/treatment room and hammam. Open-air massages and croquet are also on offer.
Typical Moroccan food is served either in the dining room or out on the terrace, which is lit with lanterns at night.
Why We Love It
Dar Zemora's location means that you can have the best of all worlds; relaxation and pampering combined with all the atmosphere and buzz of the city.
El Fenn
El Fenn is a stylish boutique hotel located next to the Bab el Ksour - one of the gateways to the bustling medina of Marrakech and only five minutes' walk from the main square, Djemaa el-Fna.
The ancient walls are over a metre thick, blocking out the noise of the medina and creating a tranquil refuge. The rooms and suites are arranged around a colonnaded courtyard. Each is different, and the top suites come with private terraces and plunge pools.
There are numerous private areas around the house for reading, eating, drinking, sunbathing, or snoozing. A magnificent roof terrace has a large, shaded area high above the city, a rose garden, daybeds, and a good sized plunge pool. There is also has a 60 foot putting green (also suitable for playing boules or croquet) and great views of the Koutoubia Mosque and the distant Atlas Mountains.
Other facilities include two massage and treatment rooms, a hammam, two swimming pools (both equipped with a powerful jet so you can swim against the current) and a screening room. The kitchen uses fresh local produce only, including organic fruit & vegetables from the hotel's farm in the foothills of the Atlas Mountains, and guests can either eat in a courtyard shaded by trees, in the dining room, or on the numerous roof terraces enjoying superb views.
Why We Love It
Owned by Richard Branson's sister, this historic building has been impeccably restored.
Riad Farnatchi
Originally designed as a private home by an award winning British hotelier, Riad Farnatchi is a charming boutique hotel in the central Medina district that retains the intimacy and character of a private home, while having all of the facilities, style and service of a five star boutique hotel.
The hotel started life as three small riads, which were then joined together to make one building, and many of the original features remain in tact, with some of the walls being over 400 years old. There are just nine suites in total, all spacious and airy with Moroccan touches complimented by comfortable European standards - Bose IPod speakers, WiFi and central heating can be found throughout.
Dining however is thoroughly Moroccan, with authentic local cuisine prepared to suit the guest's individual tastes (they are happy to prepare anything from steak to pizza on request but even the fussiest of eaters couldn't not be tempted by the Moroccan fare). The culinary genius behind it all is a Berber chef who also makes delicious home-made bread - known as khybz - and other treats such as pickles and pastilla.
The riad's central position in the Medina district is ideal for exploring the souqs and sights of Marrakech. Take a tour in a horse drawn caleche, or wander around on foot. On return to the riad, take advantage of the complimentary hammam in the afternoon, swim in the indoor pool or indulge in a gommage (Moroccan massage treatments).
Why We Love It
The bougainvillea swathed roof garden is the perfect place to enjoy some home made khybz and jam fresh from the Berber kitchen.
Riad Kniza
Dating back to the 18th Century, Riad Kniza is a charming boutique riad.
Together with a skilled team of craftsmen the owners of Riad Kniza have created a real gem of Moorish architecture and arts.
Built around two roof terraces with water fountains the riad, with its tastefully decorated rooms and suites, is an excellent starting point to explore the city. The owners have recently opened four more rooms, so there are now a total of eleven in total, all with fire places (except L'Oriental) as well as a large swimming pool, hamman, sauna & massage room. The qualified, discreet and fluently English-speaking staff will make every effort to ensure the guests feel at home and their stay is unforgettable.
Riad Kniza is owned and run by the Bouskri family. Mohammed Bouskri has been a professional guide for the past 35 years and will be more than delighted to share his deep knowledge of the city and country, with many valuable tips for seeing the best of Marrakech. His wife Najat is one of the most renowned antique dealers in Marrakech and their son Kamal manages the property.
Why We Love It
Najat Bouskri, the owner of the property, is one of the most renowned antique dealers in Marrakech, so knows where to hunt for the best bits and pieces to take home.
Riad L'Orangeraie
Located on the edge of the Souk in Marrakech's labyrinth of alleys, Riad L'Orangeraie is one of the city's most charming and well located riads.
Just five minutes walk from the Djemaa el-Fna, Riad L'Orangeraie is a peaceful haven away from the hustle and bustle of this vibrant metropolis.
The rooms incorporate both traditional Moroccan and chic French design, and open onto either the garden or pool patios.
The chef is on hand at all times and serves delicious authentic Moroccan cuisine and the friendly staff will be happy to arrange tours of the city and make restaurant reservations for you.
The roof top terrace, which offers unbeatable views over the Medina below and the snow capped Atlas Mountains in the distance, is the perfect place to enjoy a mint tea after a day in Marrakech.
Why We Love It
The riad can be taken over in its entirety for private hire groups, and we highly recommend it as an excellent exclusive option for families and friends travelling together.
Jnane Tamsna
Recently voted amongst the best hideaway hotels in the world, Jnane Tamsna is a collection of five luxurious villas on a peaceful, nine-acre estate in the heart of the Palmeraie, the huge expanse of date palms just outside Marrakech.
Set in a walled estate against the backdrop of the Atlas Mountains, this beautifully designed hotel has the atmosphere of a Moorish hacienda and is a secluded oasis, away from the hustle and bustle of central Marrakech. The style is chic and simple, with a blend of Arabic, Indian and African influences. Two courtyards form the focal points of the property, with archways and shaded arcades leading off them to the gardens, full of bougainvillea, olive and lemon.
The 24 en-suite rooms are each individually designed and furnished, and open on to spacious terraces and verandas. Many of the ingredients for the delicious organic cuisine come from the surrounding vegetable gardens and orchards. There are five swimming pools, a clay tennis court, as well as beauty treatments and massages available on request. Private, guided excursions to the medina or the countryside are also offered.
Why We Love It
Jnane Tamsna is owned and run by Senegalese lawyer turned designer Meryanne Loum-Martin and her American ethno-botanist husband Gary Martin. You can add arbiters of taste and hoteliers of note to the list of their occupations.
Villa des Orangers
A five-star luxury riad in Marrakech, Villa des Orangers is a member of Relais & Chateaux and has a prime location in the medina, just a stone's throw from the bustling Djemaa el Fna square.
Behind the heavy cedar door lies the calm luxury and chic interiors of a boutique hotel, with 27 rooms and suites and one private two bedroomed riad that is ideal for families, all arranged around a trio of typical Arabian courtyards. Two of the courtyards, with their orange trees and fountains, make ideal places for a refreshing break from sightseeing or shopping, while a third contains a decent sized swimming pool and gardens.
All the rooms are air-conditioned and come with marble bathrooms, and some of the suites have private sun terraces. On the roof terrace are sunbeds and a smaller pool, with panoramic views of the medina, Koutoubia mosque and the Atlas Mountains.
Breakfast is served in one of the courtyards or by the pools, and the gastronomic restaurant offers Moroccan and Mediterranean cuisine. There is a small bar and also a 24-hour non-alcoholic bar offering mint tea, Moroccan pastries and soft drinks. Other facilities include a cigar cellar, concierge service and traditional lounges with a fireplace during the winter months.
The Spa Nuxe has five treatment rooms where guests can enjoy a range of massages and facials, and there is also a traditional hammam steam room.
Why We Love It
Villa des Orangers is the perfect place to stay in Marrakech - all the charm of a riad, but with the slick service and facilities more usually associated with the bigger hotels in the Palmeraie.
La Sultana Marrakech
La Sultana, opened back in 1998, was the result of a long partnership with the historical monuments organisation and the vision of an excellent interior designer, and remains one of the best places to stay in Marrakech.
Perfectly located at the entry of the Imperial City's walls and just next to the Royal Palaces, La Sultana consists of five riads designed to feel as if guests are living in one of the city's old palaces. Concealed on the other side of small, decorated wooden doors there are large, spacious and quiet residences where the windows look onto the central courtyard and there are roof terraces where for meals and sunbathing.
Each of the 28 bedrooms and suites has its own individual decoration creating luxurious and very comfortable room - a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of the hot Marrakech streets.
The restaurant at La Sultana serves traditional Moroccan specialities and depending on the time of year, meals are served either on the charming patio or the rooftop with stunning views of the Atlas Mountains. For those interested in learning more about Moroccan cuisine, the hotel also has morning cooking classes.
The Sultana Spa is one of the best in the city, complete with two traditional hammam steam rooms, Jacuzzi, sauna and cabins where guests can enjoy excellent massages after a hard days haggling.
Why We Love It
La Sultana Marrakech is the perfect blend of riad (traditional, intimate, tucked away in the medina) and hotel (slick service, space).
Almaha
Tucked away in The Kasbah - the oldest neighbourhood in Marrakech and once the site of the Royal Stables - Almaha is a boutique 12 room Riad designed by Belgian architect Charles Kaisin.
Almaha fuses the traditions and style of Moroccan craftsmanship with a more contemporary edge, epitomised by 'the pixel room' which is clad in 23,000 diamond shaped silk panels, each printed with an image of life in the bustling Jemaa el Fna.
The 12 guestrooms and suites are individually designed, with features including fireplaces, intricately carved cedar wood doors, and marble bathrooms. Each room offers the usual expected hotel amenities, as well as underfloor heating - a treat during cooler winter nights. Some Suites also offer a private terrace. With just 12 guestrooms and suites, the emphasis at Almaha is very much on a tailored, personalised experience for each guest.
Facilities at Almaha include a central patio and swimming pool at the heart of the riad, as well as a lounge, restaurant and spa with two private Hammams.
Why We Love It
The library at Almaha is the perfect example of attention to detail which runs throughout the Riad - each of the 1083 books have carefully been folded to show a letter on the spine which, together, create a wall size print of the poem 'Invitation to Voyage' by Charles Baudelaire.
