Detailed Review
Dar Les Cigognes is a unique Moroccan luxury riad that shows the many facets of the rich cultural and artistic traditions of Moorish art and architecture. Originally a merchant's home built in the 1600's with a mandate from the palace; the new owners have laboured to restore the house to its former glory. The luxury riad is conveniently situated across the street from the Royal Palace and the Badi Palace, the ramparts of which carry many year-round residents, the "royal" storks. Dar Les Cigognes is also just a short walk to the place Djema El Fnaa and many of Marrakech's most famous historical sites and museums.
The facilities
The staff have a personal commitment to providing guests with comfort and a high level of personalised service, available at all hours. Guests are assisted in selecting and booking restaurants, guides, excursions, and leisure and sport activities in and around Marrakech, as well as farther afield. The professionally trained chef also serves local Moroccan delicacies in the house's own dining room where breakfast and afternoon tea are complimentary.
Dar Les Cigognes unites two traditional luxury riads. In the main building, the ground floor holds the public spaces, including kitchen, dining room, library, living room, office, washroom, staff quarters and two large alcoves where guests like to take tea. There are citrus trees and a traditional tiled basin with a marble fountain in the centre of the courtyard. Spanning both houses is a lush roof garden, redolent with trees and flowering plants, and boasting a view towards the Atlas Mountains.
The rooms
Together, the two adjoining buildings of the luxury riad have eight rooms for guests. Each has its own well-appointed en-suite bathroom, with bath and shower facilities. The rooms are unique, with each drawing on a different aspect of Moorish artistic tradition. The second riad is connected by a covered bridge, in which guests will find a small boutique selling a select range of kaftans and other custom-made local handicrafts. There is a massage room with a stunning double-height ceiling, a hammam with Jacuzzi, and a large open sitting area. Upstairs and downstairs are three guest rooms each, all built around a central court with a fountain and three palm trees.
Press Quotes
"Behind its anonymous-looking wooden door lies a glass-roofed courtyard, complete with gurgling fountain, orange trees and exquisite filigree plasterwork." The Sunday Times 06
