1. EL FENN

El Fenn’s sprawling complex of five interconnected riads delights with photogenic vistas of colonnaded balconies, sun-dappled patios and striking contemporary Moroccan art. Each courtyard is dedicated to a different function: one to the spa, another to the 40ft (12-metre) unheated pool, a third acting as an open-air reception, a fourth enclosing a well-curated shop and a fifth deeply tranquil space shaded by orange trees. Rooms are individually decorated with tadelakt walls and unique contemporary artworks. The day starts with breakfast on the roof terrace, lunch offers salads sourced from Ourika Valley farms, and an inventive modern Moroccan menu packs the place come dinner time. The property is particularly popular with celebrities: Madonna recently celebrated her 60th birthday at the riad.

Rooms from £323; telegraph.co.uk/tt-elfenn speak to a spirit of generosity and quiet sophistication. All rooms have romantic, four-poster beds and are furnished with artworks from Conran’s collection. Take breakfast on linen-covered tables on your private terrace or beneath the pergola on the roof.

Rooms from £262; telegraph.co.uk/ttlhotelmarrakech pool. The five rooms are typical of a riad – long and fairly narrow. All of them have ornate ceramic floor tiles and are painted in bright colour washes. Furnishings are artful but simple: painted iron bedsteads with good mattresses, handira rugs, inlaid dressers, alcoves or open closets for your clothes. A standout breakfast is served on the roof terrace or around the plunge pool.

Rooms from £69; telegraph.co.uk/tt-riadbe lighting, colour and romance in the décor that combines colonial and Second Empire furnishings to opulent effect. The 10 large rooms and suites sport the same moody, romantic, turn-of-thecentury vibe with charcoalgrey shutters, black lacquered furniture and graphic floor tiles offset by sparkling chandeliers, Venetian mirrors, period silver bathroom fittings and cut crystal vases full of creamy roses. The pool patio is dotted with commodious wicker loungers and features a charming orangery-cumbar lined with a fabulous Zuber hand-printed mural. Dawdle over the extensive continental breakfast in the main salon beneath huge heirloom paintings from the owner’s French estate. Rooms from £169; telegraph.co.uk/ttdetarabel extras like a fantastically cool courtyard plunge pool and a pint-size hammam. The sumptuous rooms are bright and immaculately appointed with embroidered bed linens, fresh flowers and deep tubs in most of the bathrooms. Breakfast changes daily and it is magical sitting by the fire on the roof on cooler evenings while feasting on traditional dishes.

Rooms from £117; telegraph.co.uk/ttriadadore

For a complete guide to the best riad hotels in Marrakech, see: telegraph. co.uk/tt-marrakechriads