Mr & Mrs Smith

The romance of Marrakech is complimented beautifully by Talaa Talaa, which offers a sanctuary to refresh and relax in. Just outside, the craziness of the souk is in full whirr for the day – perfect if you want to be right in the action yet have a home away from it. Aesthetically, the riad is stunning and punctuated by interesting art pieces in warm oriental tones. However, it is the staff that make this riad exceptional: Laurent, Ibrahim, Mohammad and co went out of their way to ensure Marrakech was a magical experience. They provided quality advice and guidance through the souk, booked tables at the best restaurants and had a knack for being charmingly present yet not obtrusive. I plan to return to Talaa regularly and wish you the exact same experience. For outside the riad, Maison de la Photographie is about a two-minute walk from Talaa and has a private collection of vintage photographs from Morocco. An interesting introduction to Marrakech. You can buy prints for unique souvenirs. Majorelle Jardin was Yves Saint Laurent's house and cacti garden in Marrakech. It is stunning. Be sure not to miss Yves' love-poster gallery which is small and at the back of the garden. Each year he painted a love poster and had it made in to New Year's cards for his friends and family. This room displays an array of his designs. You can buy postcards for years which are meaningful to you. Terrace des Epices is beautiful for lunch. Le Marrakchi is the perfect spot for a cocktail and Moroccan-inspired meal overlooking the Jemaa El Fna at sunset. You can buy a day pass (500 dirham) to the grounds and spa and fitness facilities at La Mamounia (this includes the inside and outside ozone pools, Jacuzzi and sauna). It is a nice way to spend half a day to relax and refresh in luxurious surroundings. I also highly recommend having dinner with wine one night in the Berber tent on the Talaa rooftop terrace. Tres jolie. And of course, wandering and shopping in the souk and joining the circus at Jemaa El Fna after sunset are musts. Enjoy.

Lovely hotel with fabulous staff who really go out of their way to help you out.

For dinner, Le Marrakchi has a fabulous view over the craziness of Jemaa El Fna. It seems to be one of the few places around the market which also serves alcohol!

There are some fantastic restaurants in Marrakech, here are what I would say are the top three. They were recommended to us by friends who have been and they did not disappoint:

LE FONDOUK
55 Souk Hal Fassi, Kat Bennahïd (212 (0)524 378190; www.foundouk.com). A great roof terrace and a good and varied menu – Moroccan with excursions into French and Italian. An average menu would cost £60.

DAR MOHA
81 rue Dar el Bacha (212 (0)524 386400; fax: 386 998; www.darmoha.ma). Has a lovely courtyard with a pool if you can get a table, though there are limited tables (12). There is a set menu where you have the choice of a starter, main and pudding. Also included in the price are pre-starters, so make sure you don't have much lunch before you go. Set menu costs £40 per person. Wine and water is not included in the price.

DAR YACOUT
79 rue Sidi Ahmed Soussi, Arset Ihiri (212 (0)524 382929). This was the best of the three, though you pay for it as well. Here you get a drink on the roof terrace (included in the price) before heading downstairs to eat. There is no menu, they simply bring the food out to you. The portions are MASSIVE so make sure that you haven't eaten any lunch before. Everything is included in the price, including wine and water. The service here was incredible - probably the best of any restaurant I have every been to. The set menu costs £55 per person. This is the place where rich Moroccans and the Prime Minister go to eat – enough recommendation for me.

To avoid disappointment get your hotel to book ahead for you and see if they can get you a table in the courtyard/roof terrace as this will add to your enjoyment of the place.

Just a little tip about one of the 'so-called' best restaurants in Marrakech – Dar Moha. We were expecting great things from this restaurant and its celebrity chef, but were mightily disappointed. The food was distinctly average, the portions tiny and it was overpriced. If it wasn't for the pleasant setting, out by the pool, we would have felt very let down. Le Foundouk is a better bet although still not anything out of the ordinary. The best option is to eat at your riad. We had a fantastic meal at Talaa 12 on our first night – great food, wine and personal service. For drinks I would recommend the Kosy Bar - perfect just as the sun is going down. Good for people (and stork) watching, a nice relaxed soundtrack and discreet service.