A traditional riad in the heart of Marrakech's medina, steps from Bahia Palace, with a rooftop terrace, hammam and spa, a restaurant and free WiFi.
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Riad Chennaoui is a traditional Moroccan riad on Derb Sidi Fares, off Riad Zitoun Jdid in the heart of the Marrakech medina, about 100 metres from Bahia Palace and a short walk from Djemaa el-Fna. Guests rate it 7.8, with staff the standout category at 9.1 and location at 8.6 across 2006 reviews.
Rooms follow the classic riad style, with tiled walls, carved wooden furniture, air conditioning and en suite bathrooms with a hairdryer and free toiletries. There are eleven room types, from 20 m² doubles to 45 m² family rooms that sleep five, most looking onto the inner courtyard, the garden or the city.
The house is built around a courtyard with a fountain, topped by a rooftop terrace with sunloungers and Berber-style tents. A continental breakfast is served each morning, and the restaurant offers Moroccan specialities on the terrace or by the fountain. There is a spa and wellness centre with a hammam, and the front desk is staffed 24 hours.
Riad Chennaoui has eleven room types, so there is something for couples, families and small groups. They range from 20 m² doubles to 45 m² family rooms that sleep five, and share the same traditional character: tiled walls, carved wooden furniture, air conditioning, a private entrance and an en suite bathroom with free toiletries and a hairdryer. What sets them apart is size, bed layout and outlook — some open onto the inner courtyard, others onto the garden, the city or a private terrace, and a couple sit on the ground floor. A few have a bath as well as a shower, and one keeps a fireplace. Bed configurations are listed on each card below.
Riad Chennaoui packs a lot into a traditional medina house. The centrepiece is a spa and wellness centre with a hammam, massages, a solarium and a full beauty salon offering manicures, pedicures and hair treatments. There is a restaurant serving Moroccan specialities, a coffee house on site and a continental breakfast, which can be taken in the room. Outdoors, a rooftop sun terrace with Berber-style tents, a garden, a patio and picnic and barbecue areas make the most of the Marrakech weather. The riad also runs cooking classes and walking and bike tours, and the 24-hour front desk handles concierge service, an airport shuttle, car hire and excursions. Free WiFi covers the property throughout.
Riad Chennaoui is deep inside the Marrakech medina, on Derb Sidi Fares off Riad Zitoun Jdid, one of the lanes that runs between Djemaa el-Fna and Bahia Palace. Marrakech-Menara Airport is only about 6 km away, roughly a fifteen- to twenty-minute taxi ride, and the riad can arrange an airport shuttle for a supplement. If you come by train, Marrakech station in the Gueliz district is around 3 km north, with fast ONCF services from Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier. The one thing to plan for is the last stretch: the medina's alleys are too narrow for cars, so drivers are set down at a nearby vehicle point and staff walk you in with your luggage — it is worth messaging your arrival time ahead so someone can meet you. Once you are inside, almost everything worth seeing is on foot, and the front desk is staffed around the clock for late arrivals.
You could hardly be more central for the old city. Bahia Palace, with its painted ceilings and courtyards, is about 100 metres away, and the Dar Si Said museum of Moroccan crafts is a couple of minutes further. Djemaa el-Fna, the great square that comes alive with food stalls and performers at dusk, is roughly a ten-minute walk, and the souks spread north from there. Within a kilometre you have El Badi Palace, the Saadian Tombs and the Ben Youssef Madrasa, while the Majorelle Garden and the Yves Saint Laurent Museum sit a short taxi ride away in Gueliz. Spring, from March to May, and autumn, from September to November, are the most comfortable times to visit; midsummer is very hot. Wear shoes you can walk in, keep small change for the medina, and do not be afraid to get lost — it is part of the experience.
