Riad Marrakiss

Forty steps down Derb Dabachi from the nearest cart-accessible lane, Riad Marrakiss sits inside a walled courtyard house off Derb Moulay Abdelkader, deep in the Medina's tangle north of Jemaa el-Fna — a five-minute walk for those willing to lose the GPS signal and ask a shopkeeper for directions.

The plunge pool at the courtyard's center cools rooms without air-conditioning's noise; a rooftop terrace catches evening light over the Medina's satellite dishes and minarets. Porters meet guests at the nearest square, since luggage carts cannot navigate the final alleys.

The address suits travelers who want the souks at the doorstep rather than a taxi ride away.