Review of Riad Lotus Perle, by Jeroen Bergmans

Riad Lotus Perle is a glamorous, art deco-style bolthole that feels more like a boutique hotel in Miami than a luxury riad in Marrakech. Like the other luxury riads in the Lotus group, namely Riad Lotus Privelege and Riad Lotus Ambre, there are only five rooms which gives Riad Perle an intimate air and ensures the friendly staff are ever-attentive. The discreet entrance of this luxury riad is a stone's throw from the medieval bustle of Marrakech's famous souk but once you're through the door, you enter an oasis of luxury and opulence.

The facilities

Van Doorne installed a marble plunge pool in the central courtyard presided over by an eight-foot high bevelled deco mirror and a portrait of a handsome young pasha. Decadent chaise-lounges upholstered in the luxury riad's signature monochrome palette surround the pool. For guests averse to pool-side posing there are two small salons just off the courtyard for private dining, smooching and escaping the African sun. The roof terrace is the second, sun-drenched retreat for guests and with butler service, a set of sun-beds for two, a Jacuzzi (unheated), shower and views of the Atlas Mountains, world-weary urbanites often find there's little reason to move.

The rooms

Flamboyant interior designer Antoine Van Doorne has opted for a theme of retro decadence in the five rooms with prints and faux-Warhols that reference the iconic celebrities and cities after which they are named - Coco Chanel, Newton, Gatsby, Kennedy and Manhattan. Bed linens, Bang and Olufsen sound systems, satellite TVs and large baths are of the high standards you'd expect from a luxury five-star hotel. Leopard-print carpeting adds to the luxury riad's Versace vibe, but with traditional Moroccan fare served up every day for lunch and dinner you'll always be reminded that this is Marrakech and not Miami.