Marrakech holiday house

Our first visit to Marrakesh and we chose Riad Maroc on friend's recommendation . We were very happy with the Riad it is really pretty and a cool oasis of calm to return to after a day in the heat and mayhem of the souks and the square. Jalil and Amina the housekeepers were lovely and looked after us well. Amina cooked us some wonderful tajines and made us great breakfasts each morning. The Riad was cleaned regularly and tidied, all we had to do was relax and take in the ambience and atmosphere. We had a few forays out of the medina to the Atlas Mountains and Marjorelle Gardens, but mainly stayed within the old city walls. We wanted to experience the culture of Marrakesh and we were not disappointed with our choice of accommodation. Riad Maroc is charming, enchanting and magical, and we would happily recommend it to anyone wantiing somewhere memorable to stay - we loved it.

This is a fabulous oasis away from all the bussle of Marrakech and you are looked after to perfection by the housekeeper Amina and her husband Jalil. The Riad is simple, beautifully furnished, scrupulously clean, the rooms quite small but incredible value for money and I would recommend it to anyone looking for a tranquil holiday in the Medina. The cooking is fantastic and better than some of the best restaurants in Marrakech!

Riad Maroc is an oasis of peace and tranquillity, within the unique geography of the Medina walls and only 10 minutes walk away from Jemaa El Fna and the souks, as well as Gueliz - don't be put off by the twists and turns on the way in, which in fact you will master immediately. Michele has created a beautiful and elegant home, in the traditional style with original features and gorgeous objects. We particularly liked the bathrooms with their carved wooden doors and stunning beaten copper basins (and the giant bath!). We stayed during the heat of late July, but it was amazing how cool the riad always was when we returned with our purchases, to be revived by Amina with a tray of freshly-made mint tea.

You get to know a country through its people, and Jalil and Amina could not be better ambassadors for the Moroccan traditions of grace, warmth and hospitality. Amina’s cooking was staggeringly good: we particularly enjoyed her tajine, but everything she made was legendary. A keen cook myself, I came away with detailed instructions and bags of spices to try to recreate the magic at home. When she’s not in the kitchen, Amina takes very good care of the house: it is always spotless. Jalil speaks excellent English and is a fountain of knowledge, everything from how much to pay for your lanterns and kilims, to current restaurant ratings. He is also a great tour guide: our favourite outing was to the Atlas mountains, including breakfast at a real village home where three families and three cows contentedly share the same indoor living space, to Setti Fatma where we climbed a waterfall (Cascade d’Ourika – there are seven waterfalls, but we only attempted the one). After our “strenuous” exertions, we sat in the cool of a local purveyor of carpets, drinking "Moroccan whisky” and languidly bargaining. It was a very special day.

We were really impressed by the ways in which we were looked after at Riad Maroc - not just the superb service but the discretion and sensitivity with which it was provided. We came away feeling entirely rested and relaxed, laden down with wonderful Moroccan artefacts for our home, full of Amina’s wonderful food, and itching to return as soon as possible.