P'TIT HABIBI

Stylish little Eden tucked into the Marrakech Medina.

THE NAME MEANS LITTLE DARLING – and you’ll soon see what makes P’tit Habibi so adorable. From the petal-strewn splash pool on the top floor, the view across the rooftops of old Marrakech is a winner.

So too is P’tit Habibi’s cool white courtyard, where you can lounge on huge cushions, sip mint tea and enjoy a private cinema screening by starlight and flickering candles. With just four bedrooms, this intimate riad has all the feel of a private house – so you could always bring a few close friends and throw your own house party.

Tucked into the north end of the Medina, the house springs some surprises as you enter from the dusty city streets. Inside, clean-cut cool Nordic lines (architect owner Knut Hovland hails from Norway) are overlaid  with authentic Medina in a fusion of modernist and Moroccan.

Home from home

You'll love some of the details here – polished tadelakt floors, traditional Zellige tiling, exquisite hand-painted doors and wardrobes, and stylish fabrics.

Choosing your quarters for the night is a tough call. There’s the aptly-named Love Nest – just room for the two of you and the big crisply dressed double bed – or the pink Peruche room with its big vaulted bathroom and extrovert bird motifs.

The slinky White Room has a fireplace and French balcony as well as a deliciously private cushion-strewn daybed. The quirky-retro Wangarata suite meanwhile sports moose antlers over the bed, American pinball mirrors in the bathroom and ‘60s Moroccan photographs.

What else? There’s a cosy salon whose retro bucket chairs come decked in dayglo florals, and an open fireplace for cool winter nights. You’ll find shaded loungers up on the roof – perfect for stretching out with a book – and – should your own turtle dove desert you – a friendly pet turtle called Shukram. Play tunes on the iPod in the lounge, help yourselves to drinks in the kitchen, order in some pizzas or sit down to a home-cooked dinner… it’s your P’tit home-from-home. You'll almost certainly get chatting with your fellow guests.

First-rate hospitality is the other big pull at P'tit Habibi. Guests rave about the riad’s hosts Abdeloufi and Fatima, for whom nothing, it seems, is too much trouble. Whether it’s breakfast in the courtyard, champagne on the rooftop or a private courtyard screening of a Hollywood classic – your ever obliging hosts will be there to make it happen.


P'tit Habibi was reviewed for Room for Romance by Claudia Vicenzi

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Dining in
Dinner is cooked to order, and there's an open-fire barbecue on the rooftop. Dine on traditional Moroccan dishes such as lamb tagine or couscous with caramelized onions and free range chicken. The breakfast pancakes are excellent, too. Choose your own setting, whether it’s rooftop, courtyard or balcony: your hosts are keen to make this a unique experience.

Breakfast
Full breakfast is served until 10am

Room service
Available morning and evening



See & Do
Dodge the donkeys, carts and mopeds to dive the city’s Medina maze, with its kaleidoscope of colours, then hop into a horse-drawn calèche (Marrakech’s version of the gondola) for a ride around town.

If the hustle-bustle gets too much, stroll through the Musée d’art Islamique, or the leafy Majorelle gardens. You could also take a day trip to the coast and chill out on the beach at Sidi Kaouki, or make a run for the hills and arrange a 4WD safari in the Atlas Mountains.

Diary Dates

June
Hundreds of acts ranging from local musicians to international big names take to the stage at Essaouira’s Gnaoua Music Festival.

December
Check out the stars of tomorrow at the Marrakech International Film Festival.

GETTING THERE

Location
Bis Sidi Ghanem, Zaoula Bab Lakhmis, 40000 Marrakech.

Parking
There is nearby parking for EUR 2 a day, though you won't need a car here.

Trains
Marrakech central station –  5km

Taxis
EUR 15 from the station. Your hosts can arrange your airport transfers on arrival and departure. Manager Abdeloufi thoughtfully gives guests a card written in both Arabic and French, so when you get a taxi back from elsewhere in town, just show it to the driver.

Airport
Marrakech Menara – 10km. EasyJet flies to Marrakech from London Gatwick and Manchester, while Ryanair flies from London Luton, Bristol and East Midlands.

ESSENTIAL INFO

Rates guide
EUR 90 - 170

Open/closed
Closed for three weeks in August.

Check-in
Midday

Check-out
Midday

Minimum night stay?
No

Children
Welcome, though P’tit Habibi was designed with adults in mind. Babysitting can be arranged on request.

Pets
No

Air conditioning
Yes – all rooms

Wedding license?
No