Riad Al Badia

The chaos and noise of the medina disappears inside Al Badia's central courtyard, leaving only the quiet sanctuary of this three-century-old house. Round columns rise from the brick floor to support the open-air halls above. Wrought-iron patio furniture with white cushions match the black railings and billowing curtains, and while the decor is relatively plain when compared with other riads, it's comfortable and welcoming. Tea and pastries are served on arrival. 

Located at the southern end of the medina, Riad Al Badia is near the Mellah, the Jewish quarter, with its age-old spice market, where tapestries, jewelry, and metal objects are also sold. It's not directly reachable by car, so guests have to walk two minutes from the nearest parking lot (or taxi drop-off) through the narrow streets to find it, though the staff will help with an airport or train station pickup. The Bahia Palace is within an easy walk, and Jamaa el Fna square is within a  20- to 25-minute walk. The riad is also within a five-minute walk of Place des Ferblantiers, which has plenty of bars and restaurants that serve alcohol (a drink can be hard to come by in Morocco, even in the cities). Marrakech Menara International Airport is less than 15-minutes away by car. 

There are only six rooms, each arranged around the central courtyard, and all are on the small side. They're individually decorated and are themed around colors -- chocolate, turquoise, pearl -- but are subdued, like the rest of the riad. Old wooden doors hint at the age of the building, but most of the wood, or wrought-iron furniture is contemporary. Rooms on the first floor are bigger, but some can suffer from early morning noise created by the staff and other guests coming and going right outside the door. Second-floor rooms are smaller, with entry from the interior balcony. There's also a room off the top-floor terrace. The bathrooms get more decorative, with colored tiles around the sinks and open walk-in showers. Wi-Fi is included in the rooms. 

The helpful and informative staff at Riad Al Badia is one of its best features, offering welcome drinks to guests and detailed explanations of the city, its history, and places to visit. They will also arrange tours and other off-site amenities as needed.  As in most medina riads, the courtyard pool is tiny and not heated for year-round use, but can make for a refreshing plunge in the hot months. Al Badia Table serves home-cooked meals focused on traditional tagines, with ingredients picked up at the local market each day. Free breakfast includes coffee, yogurt, and delicious pastries served on the rooftop terrace. Dinner arrangements must be made in the morning, because of the small-batch, locally sourced kitchen philosophy. Wi-Fi is free throughout the riad.