From US$125 (mid-season), inclusive of breakfast
– No set time for breakfast, eat whenever you’d like
– The foot-thick concrete walls are great for blocking noise … but also block wifi; it is weak or intermittent in rooms
Riad Dar One is a stylish little boutique hotel, in the old part of Marrakech (technically in the Mellah, the old Jewish quarter, rather than the medina, but just meaning the southern part of the old city). There are six rooms, all different, and you can rent out the whole riad if you’re travelling in a group. Dar One has been open for nine years, but it still looks very new.
I loved the fresh roses brightening my atmospherically-lit room with its dark walls and super high ceilings. The thick walls and curtained glass doors were very effective in muffling sound (often an issue in a riad, with the central courtyard and marble surfaces which bounce sound). Some rooms have fireplaces, and some have deep bathtubs. Space heaters keep you warm in the cooler months and there is AC for the summer.
Had the weather been better during my visit, it would have been difficult to drag me away from the two-tired rooftop terrace, particularly the day-bed looking out over the medina and the Atlas Mountains. Instead I enjoyed my pastry-rich breakfast in the courtyard next to the plunge pool with its floating flowers.
There’s a sound system and plasma TV available in the lounge, which is equipped with both fireplace and air conditioning. Unusually for the smaller Marrakech riads, there is a manager on duty 24 hours. Lunch and dinner can be provided upon request. Cooking classes, horseback riding and other excursions can be arranged.
