Riad De Tarabel

The riad hotels of Marrakech, by their very nature, are small — these walled residences simply don’t scale up to grand-hotel proportions. So if you feel like there too many riads to keep track of, you’re not wrong. But within the endless repetitions of the form there’s plenty of subtle diversity, and what sets Riad de Tarabel apart is two things: its sheer grandeur, and its aristocratic French Colonial style.

What’s perhaps most notable about its interiors is that it doesn’t go in for much in the way of North African kitsch, trusting instead that the simple fact of a courtyard mansion in the heart of the medina is enough to establish a sense of place. The sheer elegance of the guest rooms is the overriding experience here — the Second Empire furnishings set a genteel tone, and so do the freestanding Victorian bathtubs.

And like any riad hotel, the services and facilities are more residential than resort-style. A courtyard pool offers a welcome respite from the daytime heat. And the restaurant feels rather more like a private-chef situation, with dinner served just about anywhere you please. No need to reinvent the wheel when you’ve got centuries of hospitality tradition at your back.