10 Best Hotels in Medina, Marrakesh

At the edge of the medina, with easy access to parking, taxis, and the main Jemaa el-Fnaa square, La Maison Arabe is a stylish hotel offering old-fashioned charm and exceptional Moroccan hospitality. The design is an artful blend of Moorish and European, and each of the four courtyards offers grandeur on an intimate scale. Beautiful carved wooden paneling leads you through the old wing to discover the cool inner patio, reading rooms, piano bar, and an elegant Moroccan restaurant that's one of the best in Marrakesh. Most rooms have a fireplace and a balcony, and the hotel has a small (oddly placed) swimming pool and sun terraces above. There is a luxurious spa and hammam and guests also have access to a country club just outside Marrakesh, with a large pool and gardens. The house was once a famous restaurant, the first to serve Moroccan cuisine to such notables as Winston Churchill and Jackie Kennedy.

With easy access from Bab Laksour and just a five-minute walk to Jemaa el-Fnaa, this luxurious riad is a great base for exploring the medina. The service is impeccable, rooms and suites are beautifully decorated, and the bejmat-tiled patio (local handmade tiling laid in a herringbone design) is a delightful place to sip mint tea while shaded by orange trees. A high wall protects the small patio swimming pool from the sun. Meals are served on the roof terrace, the patio, or in the cozy upstairs salon, which has a huge open fireplace and a library of books and games. For even more privacy, they also have a small, restored townhouse around the corner suitable for two- to four guests. 

This outpost of a well-respected French luxury hotel chain is ideally situated on the edge of the medina but an easy walk from the main sights. Modernist in style, with Moroccan and Oriental touches, the rooms and suites all look out over the hotel's main attraction: the heated swimming pool. Loungers, parasols, poolside bar, pizzeria, and even a lifeguard in attendance make this ideal for families, as do the kids' club (for ages 4--12), babysitting service, and swimming lessons. Rooms in the main hotel are furnished simply in cream, beige, and brown hues, and some suites have twin bathrooms. For a family group or special event, the 26 contemporary-style private riads (from around 7,000 DH per night) can accommodate up to eight people with private patio, pool, fully equipped kitchen, and comfortable living rooms. The hotel also has an excellent spa and hydrotherapy facility.

Despite its location on an unprepossessing street, this hotel is in the heart of the action and has a rather grand and opulent interior that cannot fail to impress. The carved pillars of the garden give the air of an ancient temple, with four salons around an enormous, heated pool and a giant fireplace at one end. The Ambassador suite has great views of the medina and nearby Koutoubia Mosque, but most of the rooms look upon the inner garden and pool area. Elegant sitting rooms, a cigar room, a piano bar, and an additional outdoor heated pool on the roof add to the hotel's charms. There are also plenty of in-house dining options with the Moroccan Koutoubia restaurant as well as Indian and French options. Guests can enjoy the rooftop pool and the hammam with aromatic spa treatments.

With easy access and elevators, this is a good choice for anyone with mobility issues.

This 18th-century palace once belonging to the cousin of King Hassan II is now a luxurious boutique hotel with lush gardens hidden in the kasbah area of the medina. Accommodations are spacious and there's a decent-size pool, making this a great choice for families. Rooms with a garden view open onto a jungle of banana, palm, orange, olive, and jacaranda trees and are deliciously cool in summer. Other rooms open onto private patios, some have sun terraces, and all are decorated with traditional Moroccan finishes of tadlak and tiling, with ceiling fans and air-conditioning. The swimming pool sits at the edge of the gardens surrounded by terraces for sunbathing, and the hotel has a hammam and massage suite. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner and is open to the public.

This Italian-owned boutique riad is near the Dar el Bacha Royal residence, on a street filled with antiques dealers and quality boutiques; it features gorgeous interiors that blend European, Italian, and Moroccan influences. Rooms are arranged around the central hexagonal atrium, which pours light into the central patio. On the ground floor there are cozy alcoves for reading, an elegant restaurant, and a glassed-in swimming pool that opens to a cloistered inner courtyard. The roof terrace has comfortable shaded seating areas and a dining area.

The jewel in the crown of the English-owned Pure Riads collection, Riad Adore is decorated in cool, pale shades of white, beige, and gray, with tadlak walls and subtle lighting—it's an elegant and sophisticated guesthouse close to the main medina action. The property extends over two courtyards joined by a zellij-tile dining room, in keeping with the original character of the house. Rooms are decorated with hand-embroidered cushions, fine white linen, and a scattering of antique rugs; en suite bathrooms are fitted out to a high quality. There's an on-site hammam for guests, and the roof terrace with Amazigh-tent lounging area is stunning.

The Italian owners Georgina and Massimo have blended Moroccan flavors and craftsmanship with European style to create a riad that oozes sophistication. Traditional wood-paneled doors lead to each thoughtfully decorated room. There's also a small on-site hammam and massage area.

You'll get the best of both worlds at this unassuming riad that's close to all of the action of the medina but still secluded. Common spaces include a whitewashed courtyard, with a plunge pool and a roof terrace with panoramic views.

One of the most recognizable riads in Marrakesh, Le Riad Yasmine found Instagram fame in 2016 when an image of its gorgeous green pool went viral. Run by charming French couple Alice and Gabriel Paris, the space is an oasis full of plants and tiled floors. The rooftop terrace is perfect for enjoying fresh mint tea and you’ll often find yourself accompanied by chirping birds and two saucy felines named Bowie and BB, who went from living on the streets to becoming social media sensations who live like royalty inside the riad.