Riad el Fenn

Sleek, chic and very boutique, this gorgeous 20-room riad is filled with modern British art and ancient Moroccan crafts

British TV programmes never tire of telling nightmare stories about people buying homes abroad, only to find that they don't legally own them. So it's refreshing to hear about someone discovering by accident that the house next door came with the purchase. As if that weren't enough, she fell in love with the place so deeply that she bought 2 more adjoining houses. That someone is Vanessa Branson, who obviously shares the same business genes as her tycoon brother, and the building is a grand Marrakchi townhouse that stood in ruins until she and business partner Howell James snapped it up.

Vanessa approached the décor with equal vigour. Cherry reds and pomegranate pinks greet you as you enter; warm saffrons and azures brighten up the 20 bedrooms. Treasured works of modern art - Bridget Rileys, Fred Pollocks - grace walls which are otherwise pleasingly bare. Not for her the knick-knacks-in-every-cranny approach. Just the best of the essentials: powerful showers, deep tubs, fine linens, scented candles, and an array of babouche slippers to choose from.

The sprawling roof terrace - its views pure magic at night - offers a dipping pool, hanging gardens, and a 60ft putting area with natural turf. There are also 3 courtyard gardens, 2 heated marble swimming pools, and treatment rooms for massages. The bar and restaurant boast a hand-blown glass chandelier plus a stage and piano for occasional live music. And now, bless, there's a baby riad down the alley, perfect for families or groups up to 8.

Highs

• Top location, near the Palace Gate and within walking distance of Djemaa el Fna, but thick walls and generous courtyards ensure total peace
• Gorgeous big bedrooms and even bigger suites, many with 17ft-high ceilings
• Great aesthetics - paintings and drawings from famous British artists, bold wall colours, even a fibre-optically-projected bannister
• Eco-sensitive approach: local bath products, eco-friendly detergents, solar energy and an organic veg garden
• Plenty of private spaces to relax around the verdant courtyards and pools

Lows

• Staff, although delightful, are not always to hand, and room service can be slow or a tad sloppy
• Smallish portions of, it must be said, very delicious food
• No in-room TVs or DVD players - but there's screening room, and you can ask for a TV if you’re desperate
• Open-plan bathrooms in some rooms may not be to everyone's taste
• During our winter 2012 revisit, the courtyard areas were looking a little tired and shabby; not what you'd expect at these prices