Dar Mouassine by Joanna Monkhouse

In a fashionable district in the north-west of the medina is the small but perfectly formed Dar Mouassine, a colourful maison d’hôte run by a Parisian couple. The 19th-century building contains six charming rooms and suites, decorated in a style that is contemporary but has Moroccan twists - pierced lamp shades, low tables, kilims - and respects the enduring original architecture.

Some have four-poster beds, with vibrant silk cushions and throws, and interesting items are scattered around without making the rooms feel cluttered. Bathrooms are behind a screen in each room, rather than being completely separate. 'Paprika' has floor level windows and a low bed with views of the pretty courtyard and fountain through the palm fronds. The newest addition 'Curcuma' is reached via a private staircase leading down from the roof terrace to a private patio. 'Safran' is the smallest, with a double or twin beds, and a shower but no bath. The three suites, 'Badiane', 'Cannelle', and 'Cardamonne' have small seating areas to relax in the room. There are two comfortable salons - one contains a library of music and film, the other a fireplace. Almost the entire second courtyard is taken up with a small plunge pool, but there is also a shower on the roof for those on the sunny terrace for whom the thought of descending the steep stairs is just too much.