Tucked beside the Bahia Palace and away from the souk’s commotion, Riad Rosemary is Belgian-born designer, and founder of design house LNRCE, Laurence Leenaert’s labour of love. Like the creative crowd it attracts, the riad is beautiful and endlessly surprising. At its heart stands a spiralling jacaranda tree that showers violet blossoms each spring. Over five years, more than forty of Leenaert's in-house artisans  painted soft, earthy tones, laid bespoke terrazzo, and inlaid hand-cut zellij tiles depicting Leenaert’s own designs. The five suites are among the Medina’s finest - generous in size, originality and comfort, right down to the hand-embroidered percale bedsheets. A simple but plentiful breakfast is served on the rooftop terrace, and in true home-stay fashion, guests are left to their own rhythms, trusted to treat the place as their own. 

At 7 rue Ibn Rochd, Villa Aaron is a 1930s-built family home reborn as one of Marrakech’s most stylish restaurant-bars. Restored by the Amazoz Group with the owner’s granddaughter, the villa retains its soul in patterned zellij, vintage furniture and lush courtyards, refreshed by designer Michèle-Rose with soft light and greenery. Chef Luisma Naranjo’s menu blends Mediterranean generosity with Moroccan flair - from mechoui cannelloni to shakshouka ravioli - while skilled barmen pour playful cocktails from the marble-topped bar. Atmosphere is key here: live jazz, double bass or DJs drift through salon corners and shaded patios. And if you have the stamina, you may find yourself at Marrakech's most elegant house party, as last orders only happen at 2 am.

The Bahia Palace is a 19th century landmark in the heart of the city.The palace is covered with stuccos, mosaics and beautiful patterns that decorate its walls, ceilings and doors. All its rooms, gardens and courtyards are breath-taking, making this site a fascinating example of Moroccan architecture and design, one you can’t miss.