El Fenn is the riad hotel couples book when they want the medina on their doorstep and a bit of style. It is a set of linked riads near Bab Ksour, a few minutes' walk from Jemaa el-Fnaa, with 41 rooms, three pools, a spa and a roof terrace of about 1,300 square meters. The Koutoubia minaret fills the view from the top.
The look is what people remember. Walls are painted in deep reds, pinks and greens and the corridors are hung with a serious collection of contemporary art. Rooms are all different, so no two couples have quite the same stay. The hotel is co-owned by Vanessa Branson and it has the confident, slightly bohemian feel of a house where someone has strong opinions about color.
It suits couples who want a lively, design-led base in the old town at a price well below the palace hotels. It is not a quiet retreat: the rooftop bar draws a crowd at sunset and the courtyards are busy with guests coming and going. If you like a buzz, that is a plus.
Highlights at a glance
- 41 individually decorated rooms and suites
- Three swimming pools across the linked riads
- 1,300 sqm roof terrace with Koutoubia views
- Contemporary art throughout
- Short walk to Jemaa el-Fnaa
Why Couples Love El Fenn
It gets the balance right between riad intimacy and hotel comfort. You walk in off a narrow lane into a courtyard with trees and a pool and the souks fade behind you. Yet there is enough here to fill an afternoon: three pools to choose from, a spa, a shop and that rooftop.
The rooftop is the social center of the hotel. Terraces step across several levels with daybeds, a bar and views over the medina rooftops to the Koutoubia. Come up for breakfast when the swallows are out, again for a swim in the afternoon and a third time for a drink as the call to prayer drifts over the old town.
The location is excellent. You are close to the main square but on a calmer edge of the medina, so you can walk almost everywhere.
Rooms to Book
El Fenn grades its rooms by size rather than by name, which makes choosing easier.
- Small and Cosy rooms are the entry level. They are charming and well placed for a couple who will spend most of the day out, but space is tight.
- Medium and Large rooms add a seating area and are the best value for a honeymoon. Many have fireplaces, which matter on cool winter nights.
- Extra Large rooms are the showpieces, with more space for lounging. An Extra Large Room with Terrace gives you private outdoor space, which is the closest thing here to a riad of your own.
Every room is decorated differently, so look at photos of specific rooms and ask the reservations team to match one to your taste. Mention the honeymoon when you book.
Food, Drink and the Spa
El Fenn has two restaurants and two cocktail bars. The rooftop restaurant serves lunch and dinner with Moroccan and Mediterranean dishes, much of it built around local produce and the rooftop bar is one of the best places in the medina for a sundowner. Expect a crowd at sunset, including non-guests, so ask the staff to hold a table if you want one with a view of the Koutoubia.
The spa offers hammam treatments, massages and facials in a calm space off the courtyards. Book a hammam and massage for the afternoon of your arrival, when the noise of the souks is still ringing in your ears.
Breakfast is served in the courtyards or on the roof. It is relaxed and unhurried, which suits couples who like to linger before heading out.
Why guests fall for it
Things to Do
Everything in the old town is close. Walk to Jemaa el-Fnaa in the evening to see the food stalls and storytellers. Explore the souks in the morning with a guide, which saves time and haggling fatigue. The Koutoubia gardens and the Kasbah quarter are a short stroll away.
Further afield, take a taxi to the Majorelle Garden at opening time, then have lunch in the Gueliz district. Book a cooking class in the medina, or join a photography walk if one of you likes to shoot.
The hotel can arrange day trips: the High Atlas villages, a balloon flight at sunrise or an evening in the Agafay desert. On a hot afternoon, the most popular activity is choosing between the three pools.
Getting There
Marrakech Menara Airport (RAK) is about 15 to 20 minutes away by car. Like most medina riads, El Fenn cannot be reached by car to the door. The hotel arranges airport pickups and will send staff to meet you at the nearest drop-off point and walk you in with your bags. Accept the offer, especially after dark.
In town, you will walk almost everywhere. For longer trips, have the hotel book a car or flag a taxi on a main road and agree the fare first. Scooters race through the medina lanes, so keep to the side.
Both partners will feel more comfortable in the souks with shoulders and knees covered. Inside the hotel, the dress code is relaxed but smart and evening outfits on the rooftop tend to be stylish.
Is It Worth It?
For most couples, yes. El Fenn delivers design, a great rooftop, three pools and a location in the old town at a fraction of the cost of the palace hotels. A Medium or Large room is the best value; Extra Large rooms are worth it if you plan to spend time in your room.
Pick elsewhere if you want silence. This is a social hotel and the rooftop gets busy. Couples who prefer a very small riad with five or six rooms will find a more intimate feel elsewhere in the medina. Couples who want sprawling gardens should look at La Mamounia and those who want complete privacy at the Royal Mansour. If you want color, art and a lively medina base, El Fenn is a strong choice.
Insider tips
- Choose a Medium or Large room for the best mix of space and price.
- Ask staff to save a rooftop table with a minaret view for sunset.
- Accept the pickup and walk-in service on arrival; the lanes are confusing at night.
- Swim in the courtyard pools in the afternoon when the rooftop pool is busiest.
