Riad le Clos des Arts

This place was a lovely sanctuary in the middle of the bustle of Marrakesh. Upon arrival we were greeted by a very friendly host who took a lot of time to help us understand how best to get around the city. This was useful and appreciated. Breakfast on the terrace in the sunshine was a real treat. There is a sun deck with a pool (although that’s freezing!) the room felt authentic and was well appointed. Definitely worth staying at if your looking for a Riad in Marrakesh.

Just 100m from one of the busy passageways that lead visitors and traders into the busy market place in the centre of Marrakesh is a place of tranquility and serenity. We were met at the taxi stand about 200m from the hotel our luggage placed in a trolley and escorted the short distance to the hotel. We arrived at an unimposing brown door which opened at the ring of the bell and we were transported into history. soft music was playing inthe background with the soft trickling of water from a wall mounted feature. The architecture resemblent of Morocan history and as we to discover later designed by the owners, Giorgina & Massimo. We took mint tea with biscuits and were showed where we were on the map and given focus points to help steer us back to the hotel, when we went exploring . Our ensuite room was stunning with wooden shuttered windows and a large comfortable bed. The team felt like a family and nothing was too much trouble, with a great breakfast on the roof terrace and dinner if required. For my wife and I it was one of the nicest hotels we have stayed in and look forward to a return in the future.

The Riad le Clos des Arts is situated in the walled area of Marrakech and is ideal for exploring the Souks and Mosques and gardens and palaces that give Marrakech its unique vibe. Although a short walk from the nearest taxi point, that was no problem because the hotel kindly sent a member of staff to carry our cases back to the hotel. On arrival Massimo sat with us and gave us a map of the area whilst explaining the best things to see of interest and those to not bother with, which was informative. There is a lovely rooftop terrace where we had a fulfilling breakfast of fruits yoghurt pastries etc every morning and also an area for sunbathing with a dipping pool for when it gets too hot. The hotel also provides an excellent Hammam onsite which I would recommend. An evening 3 course meal can be arranged at the hotel if desired and is traditional food cooked with a different daily menu posted in the foyer. The rooms are mainly arranged around the courtyard of the Riad and are spacious and perfectly adequate. All in all I can’t fault the hotel and it’s staff, everyone was exceedingly pleasant and helpful. If returning to Marrakech I would happily use Riad le Clos des Arts again.

This was our first stop in Morocco. The owner spent a lot of time acclimating us to the area and it made the whole area feel much more approachable. Service was great. We felt a tremendous amity to the owners. We were sad to leave. This felt like we were being invited into a home.

The staff were fabulous at this beautiful Riad. Nothing was too much trouble. Evening meal was beautiful and we were looked after impeccably from start to finish. Very friendly and eager to make us feel welcome. Would not hesitate to return or recomend .

My wife and I feel privileged to have spent 5 days staying at this wonderful Riad at the end of February. We had an absolutely amazing time. We had arranged for an airport transfer via the Riad as we wanted to avoid haggling with taxi drivers, particularly as we had heard many horror stories of people being overcharged. We were met at a small square by Abdel who led us the short walk to our stunning Riad. Upon arrival we were introduced to the manager Valeria who spent about an hour showing us a map of Marrakech and highlighting what to see, places to go and places NOT to go. She also helped to remove any apprehension we may have had about walking around the markets and souks by giving us a few tips on what to say and how to say it courteously . All of this very useful information was shared with us whilst we enjoyed some delicious mint tea and homemade biscuits. The Riad is owned by Giorgina a Swiss architect and her husband Massimo, an Italian businessman. They have done a stunning job of renovating, decorating and furnishing the Riad and turning it into an oasis of peace and tranquility a short walking distance from the hubbub of Jemaa el-Fnaa square and the souks . We had booked the ‘Nacre’ suite for our stay and Giorgina herself gave us a tour of the building. Our suite was absolutely stunning and included original intricately carved plasterwork on the ceiling, antique furniture and a wonderfully comfortable bed and spacious en-suite toilet and shower. We spoke with Giorgina and Massimo a few times during our stay and they gave us some amazing insights and tips on places to visit and restaurants to eat at. They have done a wonderful job in pulling together a ‘family’ of 15 staff members who obviously are very happy working at the Riad. This shows in their pride of working there and the smiles on their faces. We ate dinner at the Riad on our first and last evenings in Marrakech- the food is freshly prepared in their own kitchens and was the best we had during our stay. On our last night, as a special treat- we were served an amazing dinner in the library with a log fire burning. It felt like we were in a Michelin starred restaurant and we were served by Sadeq. (Other fantastic staff members names to mention are Abdel, Mohammed and not forgetting Heba- one of the chefs in the kitchen). Everything about the Riad was perfect and we will definitely be returning to stay. In fact, we have shared photos and details about the Riad with friends and family and recommended that they visit too. A maximum rating of 5 stars is NOT enough for Riad Le Clos Des Artes. The location, accommodation, decor, food and staff customer service is top class and our stay was truly memorable. We will return.