RIAD MAROSKO

Tucked behind a plain wooden door on Rue d'Agadir in Essaouira's medina, Riad Marosko hides a whitewashed courtyard around which its rooms are stacked over three floors, reachable only on foot through the medina's narrow lanes. A rooftop terrace clears the walls for views to the Atlantic ramparts.

Rooms keep tadelakt plaster finishes and cedar-wood shutters rather than standard hotel fittings. Breakfast is served on the terrace, weather permitting.

The fishing port and Skala ramparts are a ten-minute walk, making this a quiet base for travellers who want the medina without traffic noise.