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 various bedrooms which are dotted between various buildings. The sprawling roof terrace - its views pure magic at night - offers a dipping pool, hanging gardens, and scattered daybeds with piles of cushions. There are also 3 courtyard gardens, 2 heated marble swimming pools, treatment rooms for massages and a fabulous bar and restaurant boasting a hand-blown glass chandelier - pure Moroccan decadence.
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, many with 17ft-high ceilings, powerful showers and deep tubs
- Great aesthetics. Treasured works of modern art - Bridget Rileys, Fred Pollocks - grace walls which are otherwise pleasingly bare
- The option of booking the Private House for groups
- Plenty of private spaces to relax around the verdant courtyards and pools, and spoiling extras like scented candles and an array of babouche slippers to choose from
Lows
- This a popular hotel, so the prime poolside spots are often taken, but there are plenty of other nooks to unwind in
- Smallish portions of, it must be said, very delicious food
- No in-room TVs or DVD players - a plus for some!
- Open-plan bathrooms in some rooms may not be to everyone's taste
Best time to go
Marrakech is at its best in spring and autumn, when it's warm but not oppressively hot. The city bakes in the summer months of July and August. By the end of October the evenings are cold, although the midday sun is still warm enough to bask in. The weather in winter, from November to March, ranges from cold and rainy to balmy and clear.
Our top tips
There’s a touch of Arabian Nights about the riad’s palatial rooms and indulgent suites, and the views from the roof terrace are spine-tingling - all in all, this is a great choice for a honeymoon or a romantic treat.
- Riad Hotel
- 28 rooms + 1 house (for 10-12)
- Restaurant and bar (open daily)
- Under 12s accepted with prior arrangement
- Open all year
- Heated Pool
- Spa Treatments
- Beach Nearby
- Pet Friendly
- Disabled Access
- Car not necessary
- Parking
- Restaurants Nearby
- WiFi
- Air Conditioning
- Guest Lounge
- Terrace
- Garden
- Gym
- Concierge Service
Rooms
Originally created from 3 riads merged together, El Fenn’s main building now holds many varied rooms and suites. In addition to this, there’s a nearby 6-bedroom Private House which can be booked exclusively for up to 12 guests.
All are a generous size, with high ceilings, sitting areas and, in many cases, open-plan bathrooms so you can chat while you splash. A cool mix of oriental furniture and vintage pieces from the 30s to 70s - carved wooden doors, antique mirrors, Moroccan rugs and Art Deco chairs - offsets the modernism and reminds you where you are. Most have fireplaces and all come with slippers, iPod docks, robes and powerful yet discreet air-conditioning/heating.
In the main hotel, some rooms look onto the courtyard and therefore feel less private, while others are off a more quieter colonnade. The various Large Rooms (and above) are vast, with 6-ft wide beds. The Plunge Pool Rooms are more like 2-storey apartments, with roof terraces and plunge pools.
The Private House, a 3-minute walk from the main hotel, holds 4 Double Rooms and one 2-bedroom Family Suite. Guests staying here get a more peaceful experience, with an on-site pool, roof terrace and library, plus access to all of El Fenn’s facilities if needed.
Features include:
- Bathrobes
- Hairdryer
- Minibar
- Safe box
- WiFi
Eating
Dinner is a very civilised affair, usually laid out in the riad’s palatial theatre-style bar and restaurant, where you dine under a mirrored ceiling which reflects the sparkle of a glass chandelier and the flicker of candlelight. The other option is to dine on the roof terrace, as we did, where tables are dressed with white cloths and twinkling candles. Either way there’s an a la carte menu offering European dishes (risotto with lightly spiced king prawns and lemon dressing, perhaps) and more traditional Moroccan cuisine. We plumped for the latter and enjoyed delicate bowls of Moroccan salad, chicken tagine with dried fruit, couscous and zingy preserved lemons. Vegetarian meals are also always available.
Lunch is simpler but no less tasty - typically a daily fish or chicken dish with salad, staples like club sandwiches or burgers and fries, and fruit and cheese - taken in the courtyard or up on the roof terrace. In the afternoons, a help-yourself high tea of cakes, sweet pastries and mint tea is served, and you can order from the room service menu any time you like (until 10pm).
In the morning, it’s bliss to wake up to sweet pastries and coffee outside your door. This is followed by a bountiful breakfast, served on the roof terrace or in your room, with eggs to order, fresh baguettes, the best homemade granola we’ve ever eaten, cinnamon porridge, homemade yoghurt, and fresh fruit and juices.
Features include:
- Bar
- Restaurant
- Restaurants nearby
- Room service
- Vegetarian options
Activities
- The souks provide endless hunting grounds for fabrics, rugs, woodwork, metalware, custom-made furniture, handcrafted toys and local foodstuffs (dried fruit, herbs). To reduce the hassle-factor, ask the riad to arrange a guide, or check out El Fenn's own interiors and fashion emporium which sells pieces that infuse traditional techniques with a chic modern aesthetic
- Explore the medina’s historic sites, including the ornate El Bahia and Dar Si Said palaces (the latter is now a museum dedicated to Moroccan handicrafts), the crumbling El Badi Palace, the lavish Ben Youssef Medersa (a former Koranic school), and the Musée de Marrakech, a 19th-century Mnebbi palace given over to art exhibitions
- Head to Djemaa el Fna, the medina's vast main square, for an exotic melee of storytellers, snake charmers, food and juice stalls, dancers and musicians
- Escape the city heat with a stroll around the Jardin Majorelle in Marrakech’s new town. Created in the 1920s by French artist Jacques Majorelle and later owned by Yves Saint Laurent, it’s filled with banana trees, giant bamboo and cool cacti set against striking cobalt blue architecture
- In between bouts of shopping and sightseeing, unwind on the roof terrace with a good book and a sunlounger, and take a splash in the plunge pool - or a bigger splash in one of the 2 marble swimming pools
- At the end of the day, unwind further with the help of a masseur, or spice yourself up with beauty treatments
- Book a session in the riad’s own hammam (i-escape guests staying 2 nights or more get a free one), for an invigorating hour of steam, soapy exfoliates, cold water and lemon rinses, rose water and essential oils
- The riad has arrangements in place with nearby sports clubs for golf, horse riding and tennis, while breath-taking hiking and biking is only an hour away in the Atlas Mountains
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Golf
- Hiking
- Historical sites
- Horse riding
- Mountain biking
- Museums / galleries
- Plantlife / flora
- Private guided tours
- Shopping / markets
- Tennis
- Traditional cultures
- Trekking
- Well being
Kids
The main hotel building is more suited to couples than children, and under 12s can only stay with prior agreement, that said many rooms have space for a family...
Best for:
Teens (over 12)
Family friendly accommodation:
We think the best family option is the Private House, which has 4 double bedrooms and a 2-bedroom family suite, and plenty of privacy so kids can play freely without the risk of disturbing other guests.
Cots Available, Extra Beds Available, Family Rooms
Babysitting:
Babysitting can be arranged on request.
Baby equipment:
Baby cots are available on request.
Remember baby and child equipment may be limited or need pre-booking
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
El Fenn lies in the medina (old city) of Marrakech. It's a short walk from Djemaa el Fna, the main square.
By Air
Fly to Marrakech Menara (5km away), which is served by a range of flights from Europe and beyond; click on the links below for a list of airlines.
From the Airport
You can take a taxi from the airport or arrange a transfer with the hotel (see Rates). The drive takes around 10 minutes.
By Train
Rail travel in Morocco is pretty good and extremely cheap. Marrakech is one of the main hubs, linked to Fes, Casablanca and Tangiers. Transfers from the station can be arranged.
By Car
We don't recommend hiring a car in Marrakech; you won't be able to drive within the medina, and parking is extremely difficult. However, if you want to hire a car for your travels outside Marrakech see our car rental recommendations.
Detailed directions will be sent to you when you book through i-escape.com.
More on getting to Morocco and getting around
Airports:
- Marrakech Menara 5.0 km RAK
Other:
- Beach 175.0 km
- Shops 0.1 km
- Restaurant 0.2 km