Riad El Ma

Beside the ancient medina lanes of Meknès, Riad El Ma occupies a traditional derb address at 4 Sidi Besri, where tile and marble floors run through rooms built around a central courtyard garden. The outdoor pool and sun deck sit at the heart of the riad, shaded by mid-afternoon in the way only interior courtyards manage.

The restaurant serves special-diet meals on request and kids' meals are available — practical for families using Meknès as a base for day trips to nearby Volubilis, the best-preserved Roman ruins in North Africa, just 33km away. An airport shuttle removes the taxi negotiation on arrival.

Meknès is the least-touristed of Morocco's four imperial cities, which keeps the Bou Inania Medersa and the monumental Bab Mansour gate genuinely crowd-free most mornings.