A traditional riad in the heart of the Marrakech medina, steps from Bahia Palace and a short walk from Djemaa el Fna, with a rooftop terrace, hammam and free WiFi.
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Riad Chennaoui is a traditional Moroccan riad tucked into the walled medina of Marrakech, on Derb Sidi Fares off the historic Riad Zitoun Jdid, the lane that leads straight to the Bahia Palace. Behind its discreet door lies a classic courtyard house arranged around an inner patio with a fountain, topped by a rooftop terrace with sunloungers and Berber-style tents where breakfast, mint tea and sunset views over the old town all come together.
It suits travellers who want to sleep inside the medina itself, within a few minutes' walk of the main monuments and the souks, and who value authentic surroundings over a modern chain hotel. Rooms are decorated in typical Moroccan style, with tiled walls, carved wooden furniture and en suite bathrooms; the range runs from cosy doubles to spacious family rooms sleeping up to five, so couples, friends and families all fit.
The riad is staffed around the clock, with a 24-hour front desk that can arrange excursions and airport transfers, a hammam and on-site wellness treatments, and Moroccan dinners served on the terrace or beside the courtyard fountain. Free WiFi, air conditioning and a shared lounge with a TV round out a warm, home-like base for discovering Marrakech on foot.
Riad Chennaoui offers eleven room types, all decorated in traditional Moroccan style with tiled walls, carved woodwork and en suite bathrooms with free toiletries and a hairdryer. Whatever the category, you get air conditioning, heating and free WiFi, along with the calm of a courtyard house set back from the bustle of the lanes.
The range is genuinely broad: compact doubles of around 20 m² for two, standard and triple rooms, and generous family rooms of up to 45 m² sleeping as many as five. Some rooms look onto the inner courtyard, others catch a garden or city view, and configurations vary from single beds to a king-size bed, so it is easy to match the space to how you are travelling.
For a courtyard house of its size, Riad Chennaoui packs in a surprising amount. The stand-out is its own hammam and wellness offering, with massages and beauty treatments, plus a rooftop sun terrace with loungers and tents where breakfast and dinner are served. Moroccan specialities can be enjoyed on the terrace or beside the fountain in the inner courtyard, and there is a shared lounge with a TV for quieter moments.
Practical needs are covered too: a 24-hour front desk with concierge and tour desk, airport shuttle and car hire arranged on request, currency exchange, luggage storage and laundry. Every room has air conditioning, heating, free WiFi and a private bathroom with free toiletries, a hairdryer and towels. Non-smoking rooms, a designated smoking area, family rooms and baby safety gates make the riad workable for very different kinds of traveller, with safety deposit boxes for peace of mind.
Riad Chennaoui sits on Derb Sidi Fares, a quiet lane off Riad Zitoun Jdid in the southern medina of Marrakech, the historic walled old town that guests rate 8.6 for location. This is the best possible base for exploring the monumental heart of the city on foot: the whole area is a maze of pedestrian alleys, so you leave any vehicle at the edge of the medina and walk the last stretch to the door, often with a member of staff to guide you the first time.
The nearest headline sight is the Bahia Palace, its 19th-century courtyards and painted ceilings just a few minutes' stroll up the same street. From there it is a short walk to the El Badi Palace ruins, the Saadian Tombs and the Dar Si Said museum, while Djemaa el Fna, the city's famous main square with its evening food stalls and performers, is roughly a ten-minute walk north through the souks. Couples in particular praise this setting, rating it 8.7 for a two-person trip.
Getting here is straightforward: Marrakech Menara Airport is about 15 minutes by car, and the riad can arrange an airport transfer for a supplement, which is worth booking as the medina is hard to navigate on a first arrival. The Marrakech train station, with connections to Casablanca and beyond, is a short taxi ride away. Spring and autumn are the most comfortable times to visit, with warm days and cool evenings; midsummer can be very hot, so an early start and a rest on the shaded terrace in the afternoon is the local rhythm to follow.
