Riad Due

Mr & Mrs Smith have just returned from a review trip to this Marrakech boutique hotel, and just as soon as they've unpacked their silks and spices, a full account of their stay in Morocco will be with you. In the meantime, just to whet your wanderlust, here's a swift snapshot of Riad Due…

The third in Giovanna Cinel’s triumphant triumvirate of Marakshi riads (Riad 12 and Riad 72 are its siblings), Riad Due is every bit as smooth, stylish and modern as its sisters – it just has a slightly more colourful dress sense. Lime green chairs dotted around the courtyard and bright green and blue cushions artfully posed on the patterned bedspreads, add flashes of colour to the sandy marble surroundings. Thanks to Giovanna’s background in Milanese fashion and design, Due is more Italian in style than the typical Marakshi riad, although it does make use of original features such as towering pillared arches and reclaimed carved-wood doors.

For such a small boutique hotel, the must-lounge-on roof terrace is unexpectedly huge; ideal for lazy afternoons supping mint tea and gazing out over the rooftops to the Atlas Mountains beyond. It’s the perfect mid-medina retreat for runaway couples in search of secrecy and, with just four spacious guestrooms, intimacy is guaranteed.