Location

Riad Le Rihani is a short but as always hectic walk through the medina from El Fnaa square. Like other riads, it is well tucked away and almost impossible to find the first time. We were met by a man from the hotel who led us there. It took sometime for me to get used to the fact that I could not find the hotel myself and had to trust myself to a man I had never met before and follow him down small alleyways and through deserted side roads to a place I did not know! But this is how it works in Morocco. And it works! As always in Marrakech, the man who picked us upend escorted us was polite, kind and very professional.

Arrival

We were extremely well received. After the brisk walk through the medina, we got to sit down by the cool and beautiful pool to relax while the sweetest lady offered us mint tea. Entering a riad from the medina is such a startling contrast that I am pleasantly surprised every time.

The door to the riad is simple, the building looks impoverished, but inside a small paradise awaits.

The hotel manager, Sarah, tried to reach me a few days before my arrival by email, WhatsApp and Instagram to make sure I would be able to find my way. She told me to contact them when I was at the Café de France on El Fnaa square. This was the best service I received in any hotel I visited in Marrakech. I would even say one of the best welcomes I have had from all of the hotels I have been to. It’s also the the only hotel I’ve been to that gave me a key to the front door so I could be free to come and go at any time of day.

Design and Decor

The setting of this riad is lush and heavenly. Set in green tones, with a pool in the centre and seating along the sides. Personally, this riad is decorated so much to my tastes that I feel like moving in! The style is warm and exotic, the colours and materials are inspired and exciting and everything works together so well. I love it!!!

Ambiance

What I love most about Riads is the super-friendly and welcoming atmosphere. It’s almost like visiting friends- the very polite kinds! The small number of rooms give you a chance to get to know the other guests and staff so that you quickly feel at home. This gives it a high friendship factor, which is an important element for me when I visit hotels.

I could imagine coming back to this exact place with a work project and hanging out for a week. It’s a perfect situation where I can be fully concentrated and yet have the pandemonium outside for the change of pace. The atmosphere is fantastic and the style is so me that I feel completely and utterly relaxed. I love every inch of this place! A hotel such as this is, in my world, close to perfection.

Room

The room was small but exquisite. The walls are painted with the Moroccan Tadelakt technique, using pigment, glue and rubbing the paint in circles with a sponge. The result is like marble and looks amazing! The whole room is painted dark grey, almost black. It’s a bold move to paint a small room so dark, but it really works. It’s sublime! Dark grey curtains hang from ceiling to floor, which is of the same colour and white cushions on the sofa, as well as white lamps, are the perfect accents to brighten it up. Personally, I would love a bedroom exactly like this one!

The bathroom is small and in the same colour. It appears dramatic but exquisite.

The riad has its own product line of creams which are a delicious blend of rose, jasmine and 1001 nights.

Falling asleep in this room, after a long day in the souk, a delicious lamb tagine, a lovely soak in the black bathtub filled with rose petals, anointed in organic cream with a scent so heady it infuses the bed, is the best that I can imagine.

I am then truly ready for a good night’s fairytale sleep in Marrakech.

Spa

I didn’t get a treatment in this spa, although I did check it out. It is a very charming area with the traditional massage and hammam options. They have their own products, made with 100 natural and essential oils. The prices range from 18-65 euros.

Overall

• Style!!! The style and decor was so me that I can’t help being a huge fan!

• Service and ambiance was wonderful

• The entire experience was perfect

RATING OUT OF 5

Comfort:❤️ ❤️ ❤️

Style: ❤️❤️ ❤️❤️

Friendship:❤️ ❤️❤️ ❤️

Taste: ❤️ ❤️ ❤️ ❤️