Introduction
Housed in a restored 19th-century building in a peaceful nook of the Medina, luxury riad El Palacio de Las Especias is a decidedly atmospheric spot. Once owned by a family of spice merchants before it fell into disrepair, today the riad has been transformed into an intimate and peaceful 7-bedroom Chic Retreat with cool patios, an inviting courtyard pool, trickling fountains and a rooftop terrace that beckons for a sundowner or two.
Activities
Relax in one of the inviting lounges, take a dip in the swimming pool and at dusk, grab a seat up on the roof terrace to watch the sky turn from blue to pink to black, as the swallows swoop over the city and the muezzin call to prayer fills the air.
Staff at El Palacio de Las Especias can organise day trips to the Ourika Valley, the coastal UNESCO World Heritage town of Essaouira and the impressive waterfalls 150km north of Marrakech, Cascades d’Ouzoud. Within the riad itself guests can also sign up for Moroccan cookery lessons and yoga, among other activities.
Dining
Dinner at El Palacio de Las Especias is a truly special experience, where dishes combine the flavours and spices of Moroccan cuisine with influences from desert gastronomy. The menu includes tagines, spicy lamb casserole, delicate briouats (a sweet puff pastry that is usually filled with meat) and keftas (typically ground beef or lamb mixed with cumin, paprika and parsley).
Why so chic?
Why travel experts chose this hotel
7-bedroom boutique riad
Inviting courtyard pool
Rooftop terrace
Why book with Chic?
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