At first, it was a love of golf that made brothers Laurent and Cyril Bernard occasional visitors to Marrakech, but it wasn’t long before a love of Moroccan style made them permanent fixtures. So, fortified with a family inheritance plus a sense of sophistication only hip young Frenchmen seem to possess, the Bernard brothers bought a neglected riad from Marrakech’s influential Tigani family and transformed it into the elegant Riad L’Orangeraie.
Situated in the Mouassine district of the old Medina, a five-minute stroll from the vibrant Djemaa El Fna, the words ‘prime location’ and L’Orangeraie are inseparable. But it’s not just a pretty face in the right place. Inside, this harmonious seven-room townhouse wraps itself gracefully around two expansive patios - one with fountains and aromatic flowers, the other with a mosaic swimming pool and steamy hammam. And, literally topping it off, a dazzling roof terrace with views to the Atlas Mountains. Romantic bliss.
Highs
- Location, location, location - you can’t beat the L’Orangeraie’s position
- Perfect for nipping back to download your parcels and for a post-shop swim
- Cars can stop at the front door, a real rarity in the old medina
- The bedrooms are lovely and the food is incredible
- Very friendly and helpful service from Cyril and his team
Lows
- It gets booked up quickly
- Dinner is only available on request (you need to alert staff you're eating in over breakfast)
- As with all of Marrakech, light sleepers may need to bring ear plugs, but we slept like babies
- Note that credit card payments incur a 4% surcharge
Best time to go
March, April and May are busy months in Marrakech because of Easter and the clement weather. June is fine but it starts getting very warm, and July and August are extremely hot. September is the coolest and most comfortable of the summer months. Christmas is ideal for family or friends who want to hire out the whole riad for the holidays.
Our top tips
Ask to have dinner in one evening, our meal at the riad was better than any food we had out in Marrakech.
- Riad Hotel
- 7 rooms
- Breakfast (+ dinner on request)
- Accepted but not ideal
- 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
Rooms
The seven spicy bedrooms at Riad L’Orangeraie are warm and colourful, like their names. The traditional tadelakts are a cunning combination of Marrakech earth reflecting each spice pigment - so the Saffron room has mandarin tones and the Turmeric is a sunny yellow. Those are the twin rooms on the second floor and along with the doubles (Ginger and Cinnamon), have views to the garden and swimming pool patios.
The two suites on the ground floor, Coriander and Nutmeg, are larger doubles opening onto the patio and garden - their sister suite Paprika is on the second floor.
All the rooms feel fresh and vivid. As you will too, after using the exemplary bathroom facilities. One of Laurent’s pet peeves is below-par plumbing, and one of the reasons the riad re-construction took more than a year is his determination that under no circumstances would this be a hotel where the hot water was unpredictable at best, and tepid at worst!
Features include:
- Hairdryer
- In-room treatments available
- Safe box
- WiFi
Eating
Recruited from the kitchens of the better guesthouses in the Marrakech Medina, Nadia is the chef at the Riad de L’Orangeraie and she will be enchantée to fulfil guests’ gourmet requests.
Breakfast is a Franco-Maroc combo of crepes, breads, fruits and juices and is included in the room price.
Dinner is available on request - just let staff know over breakfast; you can choose from a range of dishes, or tell Nadia if you’re desperate to try something specific, and she’ll head off to the market in order to get all the ingredients she’ll need. Her speciality is pastillas, delicious fold-over filo-crust pastries layered with meat and eggs and laced with cinnamon, almonds and sugar. But she is an equally dab hand with tagines, terjla and, of course, cous-cous. There is a barbecue on the roof terrace which can be used with the assistance of staff.
All meals are served on the patio with the aroma of orange flowers and the tinkling of fountain water ... and perhaps a Moroccan rosé for accompaniment.
If you prefer to dine in town, there are numerous eateries on your doorstep.
Features include:
- Breakfast
- Dinner by arrangement
- Restaurants nearby
Activities
- Hop to the shops - the famous souks of Marrakech are literally on your doorstep
- Spend an evening in the vibrant Djemaa el Fna, the mad must-see marketplace with everything from fire-eaters to snake-charmers
- Relax in the steamy hammam - and let personnel know you’d love a body massage or rub-down afterwards
- Swim in the pretty mosaic swimming pool
- Have a barbecue on the roof terrace ... let Nadia do the grilling, though!
- Plan an excursion to Essaouira or the desert: Riad l’Orangeraie is working with a local agency to help guests organise trips
- Listen to the glorious sounds of ‘gnaouas’: Arabian - Andalusian musicians who play regularly at the L’Orangeraie
Activities on site or nearby include:
- Nightlife
- Shopping / markets
- Swimming
- Traditional cultures
Kids
Children of all ages are welcome, and cots and extra beds can be provided for an additional cost. However as this is a city riad, it is more suitable for older children.
Best for:
Teens (over 12)
Family friendly accommodation:
Tumeric, Saffron, paprika, Coriander and Nutmeg can fit either an extra bed or baby cot, and Ginger and Cinnamon can fit a baby cot.
Cots Available, Extra Beds Available
For more family-friendly places, see our Kids Collection
Location
Riad L'Orangeraie is in the heart of Marrakech on the Rue Sidi-Yamani in the Mouassine district.
By Air:
Marrakech (10km) is the nearest airport. Click on the links below for a list of airlines.
By Car:
Having the use of a car makes exploring further afield easier although you really won't want to drive around Marrakech at all given the narrow labyrinthine streets - far better to walk and get taxis. See our car rental recommendations if you do decide to rent a car.
Detailed directions will be sent to you once your booking is confirmed.
More on getting to Morocco and getting around.
Airports:
- Marrakech 10.0 km RAK
Other:
- Beach 180.0 km
- Shops 0.5 km
- Restaurant 0.5 km
Our guests' ratings...
Based on 18 independent reviews from i-escape guests
Feedback is only from guests who have booked and stayed through i-escape