Riad Hikaya

Accommodation

The riad offers eight double bedrooms, all ensuite, and all handcrafted to the highest possible standards of comfort by local Marrakshi artisans. The ambience is one of tradition, elegance and timelessness, complemented by 21st century comforts.

Furniture has been handcrafted specifically for Riad Hikaya by local Marrakshi artisans. The ambience is one of tradition, elegance and timelessness, complemented by 21st century comforts.

All rooms are equipped with private ensuite bathroom, remote controlled air conditioning and heating, fresh fruit & mineral water, fresh flowers,''Sens de Marrakesh '' toiletries, babouche, flat screen TV, nightly turn-down service with rose petals, Ipod docking station, wifi.

Room descriptions:

• Hubb (Arabic: love) is on the ground floor and opens onto the pool. The beautifully upholstered canopy has traditional hanging 'shwissiyaat' (tassles), there are vintage berber carpets to complete the rich feel. The spacious bathroom includes a large monsoon shower and a hand-crafted copper bath.

• Hanan (Arabic: sympathy) is on the first floor of the riad with a view over the courtyard and pool. It features a hand sculpted wooden bed, framed by a sumptuously upholstered canopy with hanging tassles. The room is tastefully furnished with soft kelim armchairs, handmade silver mirrors and antique carpets. The spacious bathroom is finished in tadelakt and zelij with zowaqq motifs adorning the walls.

• Karama (Arabic: dignity) is one of the smaller double rooms but neverthless beautifully proportioned with a decorative bathroom. A zowwaq painted and hand sculpted 'muqarbas' - a traditional, geometric patterned bedhead - along with a canopy fashioned from desert silk, muslin and tassles - brings a touch of romance and theatre to this charming room. Antique carpets and velvet chairs complete the luxurious feel. The large bathroom has a handpainted & mirrored feature wall & domed shower.

• Ikhlas (Arabic: sincerity) is on the first floor of the riad overlooking one of the central courtyards and pool. An elegant, textured canopy of handmade fabric, muslin and traditional tassles frames the bed. The room is furnished with antique berber carpets, copper mirrors, zelij tables and a copper sofa upholstered in a luxurious fabric. The stylish bathroom has hand painted zowwaq walls, red zelij floor and a beautifully sculpted tadelakt and zelij shower.

• Sharaf (Arabic: honour) is on the ground floor of the riad opening on to the smaller, mirror lined courtyard. This room, the largest of all in the riad, features an antique berber door that complements the handcrafted, wooden bed. Hand painted plaster motifs decorate the walls. Cactus silk curtains adorn the tadelakt walls and traditional shutters. Zowaqq hand decoration features on the carved ceiling. An oversized, kelim armchair and sofa complete the opulent feel. The hand-painted and zelij tiled bathroom includes a silver, monsoon shower and a sunken tadelakt bath.

• Rahma (Arabic: compassion) is on the first floor of the riad overlooking the smaller, mirrored courtyard. The traditional bed, fashioned from tadelakt and zelij, is framed by a hand carved 'muqarbas', or bedhead, with an ornate zowwaq finish. Cactus silk curtains line the tadelakt walls and frame the artisanal, wooden shutters. Hand painted plaster motifs, soft kelim armchairs and vintage Berber carpets complete the luxurious feel. The bathroom offers a sunken, hand painted tadelakt bath and a monsoon shower crafted from zelij and maillechort, a metal favoured by Marrakshi artisans which in English is known as nickel silver.

• Amal (Arabic: hope) is on the first floor of the riad overlooking the smaller, mirror lined courtyard. A traditional canopy made from cactus silk and muslin along with hanging tassles adorns the king size bed. Soft kelim armchairs, vintage carpets and an antique silver writing desk creates a comfortable ambience. This feeling is enhanced by the large teardrop shaped, tadelakt fireplace (the staff will light a cosy log fire during the cooler months). The spacious bathroom is finished in tadelakt and zelij tiles & has a deep copper bath as well as a monsoon shower.

• Najwa (Arabic: secret conversation) is on the first floor of the Riad offering a view over the main courtyard and pool. The bedhead is made from hand-sculpted plaster, designed as it is installed by the "plâtrier artisanal". The room is elegantly lit with traditional handcrafted Moroccan lanterns which can be dimmed to create a romantic mood. Cactus silk curtains and tadelakt walls are rose coloured adding to the warm and cosy feel. The room is finished with Berber carpets, traditional shutters and bespoke cedar wood and kelim furniture. Although one of the smaller double rooms it can also be converted very comfortably into a twin room. The gorgeous bathroom is fully tiled in zellij, traditional glazed tiles from Fes, and decorated with berber motifs. The deep, hand sculpted tadelakt bath incorporates a monsoon shower.

Facilities

Breakfast is included and the Hikaya offers a relatively informal lunch menu and a full three course dinner menu. Guests are requested to choose their preferred dishes in the morning in order that the kitchen staff can source all ingredients fresh from the market that day. In this way, the excellence of your dining experience is assured. Should guests have any particular dietary requirements or prefer a pared down version of the full dinner menu, the cook will be only too happy to prepare whatever is required.

Dining is available on the roof terraces, one of which has its own tagine oven and grill. These terraces are planted with orange, lemon, grapefruit and pomegranate trees and offer superb, open views onto the snow capped Atlas mountains.  Sunbathe under a clear blue African sky or relax in the cool shade of the Caidale pergolas. As evening falls, prepare to dine as the sun sets to the accompaniment of the evening call for prayer.

The Riad Hikaya offers all year round swimming with its heated pool and the roof top jacuzzi, cloaked in a bedouin tent for added intimacy. Baheeja, the in-house masseuse, will tailor your massage to suit your needs. Facials, pedicures and manicures are also available to complement the relaxing effect of your hammam and massage.