The Best Riad in Marrakesh
You know those moments when you're daydreaming of a place you've never been to?
I often imagined riding a camel in Morocco. I imagined bobbing my head up and down along with the camel as it maneuvered between desert mounds, raising miniature dust storms that settled deep in my sinuses. I also imagined taking in the history, architecture, and culture that surrounded me while my camel soiled itself with poop pellets.
We landed in Marrakesh with the intention of doing all of the things we imagined — and we did. Exactly as described. But the things we envisioned doing became unimportant as soon as we entered the main doors of our temporary new home. The sound of the busy city vanished like the flame of a suffocated candle as the singing of birds welcomed us into an oasis.
Riad Jardin Secret was the nicest place we have ever stayed in, so we thought It'd be a good idea to dedicate the following paragraphs to it.
For a little history on this place — We were told that this building was one of the oldest buildings in Marrakesh. All of the original zellige tiles and Moorish arches were tastefully highlighted in the design. Every corner of this place was curated with the perfect colors, textures, objects, and geometries. It was as if one of Morocco's greatest ancient architects collaborated with Yves Saint Laurent and Wes Anderson to create something magical.
Right as you step into the riad, you are greeted by the courtyard. This was one of our favorite places to unwind after a long day of exploring the city. It had a family of turtles living in it that crawled from sun spot to sun spot at a turtle's pace, serving as a symbol of how this vacation would play out for everyone that stepped into this riad. I often laid in the courtyard attempting to read a book, but instead found myself wrapped up in the affairs of this turtle family for hours.
Another favorite lounge spot was the rooftop. Every morning we made our way up stairs, threw on our sun hats, said hello to the resident artist painting a mural, and joined everyone for a breakfast that consisted of homemade jams, warm msemen breads, and fresh fruits. The food was artfully arranged on earth colored dishware that shared the table space with bundles of bright dried flowers.
After breakfast was done, we let the hot Moroccan sun have its way with our pale, vitamin D deficient bodies, while we watched the rooftop cats stretch out on the warm stone floors, mirroring our pose and sharing the sunlight with us.
The rooms themselves were also unforgettable. When it was time to lay our heads down for slumber, we let the intricate ceiling tiles lull us to sleep. In the mornings, the sun shone through the multi-colored stained glass windows, waking us up from one dream to another. Riad Jardin Secret was certainly one of the Marrakesh highlights that temporarily transported us to another world.
