Hot Destination: Marrakech by Andrew Eames

Marrakech is unlike anywhere else on the planet. At its core is a giant labyrinth of a souq which opens onto a massive open square full of fortune-tellers and snake-charmers. Both souq and square are surrounded by a high-walled medina (a UNESCO World Heritage site) stuffed with riads - traditional merchant’s houses - many of which have been converted to luxury boutique hotels. The net result is unmistakeable, intoxicating and visually stunning, set against the backdrop of the Atlas Mountains.

It’s also a destination that appeals to the cost-conscious. Being outside the euro-zone, travellers don’t have to contend with high prices. The hippy chic Berber handicrafts, as found in the souq, are far cheaper here, at source, than in designer stores in London.

One such is the Dar Les Cigognes, a beautiful 17th-century riad that lies within walking distance to the Badi Palace. Then there's Ryad Dyor, in the medina, whose panoramic terrace looks out over the old city, over the thousands of roof tops to the mountains in the distance. This B&B style riad is a fusion of modern and Moorish style.

Ryad Dyor doesn’t have a restaurant, but if you’d like to eat in, then head to the Riad Charai, in the north part of the medina. Try the tajine, a succulent clay-pot dish redolent with herbs, lemons and olives. And with breakfast served by the pool in the morning, there’s barely a need to venture out of the front door.

One of the dining experiences of Marrakech, and a bargain to boot, is the main square itself, the Jemaa El Fna. The Jemaa is a theatre of North African tradition, superstition and eccentricity. At dusk, a costume change takes place here, with the snake-charmers and tooth-pullers giving way to an army of white-coated men. For a moment it looks as if they’ve come to take the others back to the sanatorium, but then the evening air starts to fill with a heady mixture of steam and smoke, as basins of snails, skewers of lamb, buckets of couscous, and rows of sheep’s heads are prepared. By the time darkness has fallen the square has become one giant, inexpensive, restaurant.

The Jemaa is by no means a relaxing place, though. You will need a retreat at hand, particularly one like the Dar Seven, a riad in the heart of the medina where you’ll be the guest of Princess Letizia Ruspoli, designer and hotelier.

Besides the exoticism of the Jemaa and the shopping experience of the souq (remember to bargain hard), Marrakech is a place for herbal therapies and spas. Many of the top addresses have hammams within their own walls, particularly the luxurious boutique riad the Demeures d’Orient, with its fabulous vaulted courtyard. Hammam aside, it also has a jacuzzi and massage rooms.

There is a more sedate alternative to Marrakech’s tangle of lanes and riot of sensations. Beyond the old city walls lies the Palmeraie, where birds twitter amongst the date palms and farmers still use donkeys instead of tractors. Several hotels make the best of the Palmeraie’s peace and space, including the five-star Les Deux Tours, set in its own gardens with orange trees, palms, bougainvillea and scented flowers.