Riad Meriem

Forty steps off Derb El Cadi, in the Azbezt quarter northwest of Jemaa el-Fna, Riad Meriem occupies a restored courtyard house behind an unmarked wooden door typical of the Marrakech medina. Its interior keeps the original tadelakt plasterwork and a central patio open to the sky.

Rooms circle the courtyard on two levels, cooled by the plunge pool below rather than air conditioning alone. Breakfast is taken on the rooftop, facing the Koutoubia minaret across the rooftops.

The medina's souks lie a ten-minute walk south, making this a quiet base for travellers who prefer distance from the square's evening noise.