Riad 72 Marrakech

Intimate, unique and welcoming, 72 is much more than a boutique hotel; it is your home in Marrakech and it is a tranquil Eden of peace in the heart of the colorful Medina. Each of the 72’s rooms are individually decorated and styled, but all offer a relaxing and elegant retreat from the outside hustle and bustle you can enjoy getting lost in during the day.

But at the day’s end, climb up to 72’s expansive roof terrace, one of the highest into the Medina, to watch the beautiful sunset and later dine under the stars, enjoying our Head Chef’s contemporary Moroccan creations. Families or friends can treat the 72 as their own by occupying all the rooms and the luxurious grand suite offers couples the ultimate romantic escape.

Giovanna, Stefania and the team behind the 72 pride themselves on their attention to detail and their commitment to making your stay as comfortable, relaxing and special as possible. We look forward to welcoming you to the 72 and to the Marrakech Medina!

72 Riad Living offers several ways to relax before or after diving into the old town or venturing out on an excursion to the Atlas mountain. Relax with a good book on the patio, sunbathe on the terrace or soak in the luxurious hammam spa.

ARTE SUITES TERRACE AND JACUZZI
Incorporating elements of Italian and Moroccan design and arts, the spacious interiors exude a sense of relaxed, cosmopolitan luxury with authentic Moroccan touches such as tadelakt plastered floor etched with antique furniture, hand-woven rugs and delicate lattice work.

Enjoy views of the courtyard from your King sized bed or in your large freestanding cooper bathtub. A separate living room comes with its accompanying bathroom. Step outside to your secluded panoramic terrace and enjoy stunning views of the Atlas Mountains or take a dip in the Jacuzzi.

GRAND SUITE
Each of our luxurious heritage suites feels like a stunning, private retreat. Promising relax, space and serenity, suites enjoy chic and sophisticated art décor furnitures highlighted with traditional Moroccan touches such as tadelakt plastered walls or historical wooden ceiling, hand-woven rugs and soft, patterned cushions.

Bedrooms boast king size bed topped with premium Egyptian cotton linens and spacious living areas offer space in which to truly have a rest. Extra bed available for a third person. Automatic room allocation system.

JUNIOR SUITE TERRACE AND JACUZZI
A haven of elegance and style. Unique with the on-going theme of modernity blended with Moroccan heir. Relax in the private terrace or indulge yourself in the oversized private Jacuzzi and enjoy the view of the majestic Atlas Mountains.

DELUXE ROOM
High-end rooms offering a view on interior courtyard or the pleasure of a private terrace. More than thirty square meters designed for your well-being.

Bathrooms with a large walk-in shower or a lavish extrasized tub. King size beds topped with fine Egyptian cotton linens by La Maison de Blanc. Some details may vary from room to room. Automatic room allocation system.

BREAKFAST
We think breakfast should happen when you are ready for it, some days just go slower than others, and so we offer breakfast all day. We never want breakfast to get dull, so we offer a variety of breakfast foods, and every day we are cooking up a new treat.

The selection begins with a sweet and savory crepes and an assortment of breads including typical local wheat or barley breads, french baguettes, and a variety of toasts. There are beignets and croissants to indulge in, as well as a selection of daily cakes such as carrot, chocolate and orange cake.

LA TABLE DU RIAD

Finally the best meal of the day, dinner. Our Head chef will dazzle you with his ability to bring traditional Moroccan flavors to life in new ways.

You will find yourself in conversation with this food as you and your dinner guest take an odyssey into wondrous new flavors. An elegant and intimate culinary experience, seasonal and natural, respecting traditional Moroccan dishes and flavors reinvented with a unique presentation.

LUNCH ON THE ROOF-TOP
After a few hours of activity you can retreat back to your room to freshen up before a nice lunch on the roof-top and enjoy the view. There you will be able to have a variety of light bites, from fresh vegetable salad, to Moroccan tapas, both full of vegetables and meat. For the hungry,a tajine is always available in wide varieties.

PRIVATE DINING
For those special events, those great celebrations, or those intimate gatherings, you can book the entire restaurant. Enjoy a night exclusively available to you and your dearest with a dedicated chef and the best quality service staff. Even if its just for two, the special service can be arranged for you.

MOROCCAN CULTURE
Morocco is unique in the Middle East and in the world for its distinct blend of cultures. The interweaving of European, Berber, and Arab influences results in an intricate and natural aesthetic shown through its hospitality, peaceful demeanor, and interior décor.

Moroccans take a lot of pride from being good hosts and décor is part of this. The room where guests are received is often the most ornate. We’ve written a few words to give you an idea about Morocco, to make sure you don’t miss even the smallest detail.

As a whiff of musk passes by your nose, the tempo of the prayer touches your ears, and beautiful sunset sets behind a palm tree at the Koutoubia mosque, you know you’re in Marrakech.

MOROCCAN DESIGN
Many places boast of one or two unique artisanal crafts, but Morocco stands apart in the sheer quantity of mediums and styles. There are endless amounts of one-of-kind styles and designs in ceramics, lamps, wood designs, leatherwork, and interior décor.

Many come to Morocco to learn the skills of the complexly designed metalwork, found in the brass vases, lamps and bowls around a Moroccan home. Probably the most memorable aspect of Moroccan design is the attention paid to crafting repeating geometric shapes, which give a kaleidoscopic feel.

Often these designs work with the light, as the sun moves throughout the day, the light reflects through these shapes in different angles on the walls around. Whether sitting in the courtyard of a Riad, or on a bench in the Medina, these designs are an aspect of every part of Moroccan life.

MOROCCAN CUISINE
Moroccan food stimulates the senses as much as its sites and sounds do. Don’t miss out on the traditional and innovative culinary pleasures of this melting pot of cultures. Moroccan cuisine is comprised by root vegetables, nuts and dried fruit, and lamb, chicken or fish all cooked to a tender texture and flavored lightly with olive oil.

The tajine, the main dish of Morocco, is a couscous base dish with lamb or vegetables on top cooked for hours at low heat in a clay pot. In addition to this Moroccan staple, there are street foods, like fried fish and calamari, and countless fresh salads.

At the most lavish of meals, one can find a table filled with countless small plates of vegetables and meat, from eggplants, to cucumbers, to potatoes all cooked and seasoned in subtle and divine ways. Many options and clever ways to surprise and change the palate are commonplace in a decadent Moroccan spread.

WHAT IS A RIAD
A Riad is a Moroccan home, or palace, royal in its artisanship, ecologically friendly and intelligent in its architecture. From the outside, this traditional home is often marked by a basic door in an alley way, unassuming and modest.

However, inside the senses come in contact with the glorious and ceiling-less majesty inside. The courtyard is the centerpiece of this glory as natural light shines down into the building onto a plunge pool, intended to cool the surroundings on a warm day.

Again, playfulness with light is important as the changing sunlight from the day reflects off the rippling water onto the walls of the courtyard. Looking down onto the enchanting courtyard is balcony all along the second floors with latticework windows. The rooms are all connected to this central space.

Courtyards often have gardens as well, representing the notion of a paradise garden in Islam, which is known for its fountains, open sky, and walls encapsulating it all. With the water spring at its floor and the open air at its heights, the structure represents the cardinal directions and a lifestyle integrated with the elements of nature.

This form was designed to safeguard homes and inhabitants from sandstorms and the hot sun. It has an added feature of giving a feeling of being inside and outside all at once.

The architecture of a Riad allows for natural heating and cooling as the cool floors, greenery, pool and shade create a cooler climate than the one outside the building’s walls, while the open sunshine warms the walls for a comfortable sleep on cooler nights.

WHY CHOOSE A RIAD
A Riad provides one of the few opportunities to experience a place and a time past. A guest will have a sense of history that is often now only recreated in films and novels.

A Riad inspires its guests to experience an era when an artisan would spend hours handcrafting the perfect shutter, a beautiful lattice window cover, the tiles of a floor or wall, or the spectacular angles of a room.

In order to have this authentic experience, there are no televisions or distractions in the room, just the quiet of the desert night and the reflected light of Moroccan brass lamps.

ABOUT MARRAKECH
Marrakech is special because it has always been a place for people en route from very different places. Either coming from or going to Europe and Africa, it has had the peculiar position of being a stopping ground for tradesmen, merchants, explorers and travelers.

Many, even Mark Twain were moved by the variety and mix of peoples in Marrakech. It was established as a city in 1062 by Berber rulers and it eventually became the capital of an empire that stretched all the way to Spain. This is when the Spanish Andalucian influence entered Marrakech and formed some of its design and feel.

Around that time the red walls of the Medina were built out of the local mud giving the city its unique peach hue. This tint is one of the many ingredients of the Marrakech magic, as the sun sets and the light reflect of the peach walls, a calm and wonder sets in that is hard to mimic any where in the world.

Until the 1800’s Europeans were restricted from entering the city. Then in the early twentieth century when French colonists took over the country, the French influence was added to the mix. And to this day most Moroccans speak French.

From the 1930s and on, Marrakech became a place for the bon vivants, curious, and intellectual. In Winston Churchill’s words, “Marrakesh is simply the nicest place on Earth to spend an afternoon” Starting in 1966, Yves Saint Laurent found himself in Marrakech over and over again as his love affair with the central gardens, Jardin Majorelle grew and eventually he came to own them to save them from a real estate project.

The Rolling Stones and other celebrities visited and stayed in Marrakech to interact with the community of nonconformist artists and writers that found inspiration and stimulation in the seductive atmosphere of Marrakech.

ITINERARIES AND EXCURSIONS
Once you’ve got your temporary home base in Marrakech arranged, venturing out into this far-flung part of the world can be an illuminating experience. But figuring out where to go on your own can be more adventure than you’d bargained for. We’ve been there.

My friend Alessandro and I came to Marrakech to experience Morocco through the eyes of Riad 72 owner Giovanna Cinel. She’s been living here for 15 years, knows her guests’ personal interests and whims, and has made some important contacts on the ground here.

Over a ten-day stay at Riad 72, we followed her around the medina in Marrakesh, into the foothills of the Atlas, out to the local beach haven of Essaouira—and we even spent an afternoon enjoying her paradisiacal private home with poolside cocktails to boot. These are our favorite moments.

EXPLORING MARRAKECH
Beyond the neighborhoods are the sites and sounds of the city. Between cafes, gardens, history and nature, the variety of experiences is endless. Marrakech is home to a myriad of wonders including its winding souks, the magnificent gardens, and hip neighborhoods of cafes and shops. However you spend your time, you’ll be delighted.

For art lovers, Marrakech has so much new energy to offer. From the lively café Le Jardin, to the Marrakech Biennale started by Richard Branson’s sister, Vanessa Branson, to bring international artists to Marrakech and to showcase Marrakech artists.

There are art cafés sprinkled throughout Marrakech with over 25 galleries in the city now, the melding of old Moroccan design with contemporary methods and approaches result in quite an adventure for the senses.

For gardens, one can never spend too much time in the Jardin Majorelle, a bright cobalt blue building and large tropical plants grow freely in this garden that never ceases to inspire and inform.

Sit in one corner of the garden for a relaxing chat with a friend, or get a coffee in the café, or a lovely scarf in the shop. This is no tourist trap, this is exactly the place that artist were inspired by 40 years ago. The Jardin is the real deal.

EXPLORING THE MEDINA
Meander in the Medina, walk through the souks, bargain and chat with the shopkeepers, bags filled, you can climb up the Cafe des Espices and have a nice long afternoon meal while taking in the sights and sounds above the Medina.

Get geared up and walk up to the tannery section of the Medina and learn about how the leather is made, curve over to the antique section and end up in another ground level cafe to take a break.

Snap photos of the beautiful arches of medina as you walk towards the Koutoubia Mosque, located near the DJema el-Fna. It is a perfect place to walk to and from especially during a slow sunset stroll out of the Medina.

Koutoubia comes from the word koutoubiyyin, which means bookseller, making the mosque known as the bookseller mosque. This name reflect the important bookselling trade that went on in the nearby souks. The pristine pink structure is a pleasure to take in against the blue sky and palm trees.

Another interesting site is The Bahia Palace was built in the 19th century and is known for its beautiful garden and the large courtyard and design are great illustrations of Eastern architecture. The palace was built by craftsmen brought from Fez and took 15 years to build. Known for its many rooms, it is believed it was built to house a grand harem.

EXPLORING BEYOND MARRAKECH
The best part of Marrakech is the close proximity to mountains, beautiful villages, and another way of life. Get on the road and begin your journey. A perfect day is an early breakfast on the terrace, and after that final sip of coffee, hop into a car and head out to the Berber villages around the Atlas Mountains.

Take a good 1-2 hour hike up to a nice picnic lunch. Walk back down after a short rest in the sun or shade and finish the day off perusing the small village before hopping back into the car to get dinner at your Riad and a good night’s rest for the next day of shopping in the souks.

You can find some inspiration and ideas about excursions and places to see outside Marrakech in out itinerary section.

Website: www.riadliving.com

Rooms: 13

Price: from 203 EUR per night