Riad Habib
  Marrakech
   Morocco

A scene worthy of Matisse lies below the carved cypress railing of Riad Habib’s second floor gallery. Golden-yellow tiled tables sit on the blue and white tiled floor. Terracotta brick borders the lush gardens. Wide green fronds of a banana tree arch over Mustafa, Riad Habib’s house steward, dressed entirely in red.

Up another flight is the roof’s terrace where nooks for lazing and crannies for reading meet pergolas for dining. The gazing is excellent. By day, the medina, the Glaoui palace, and the Koutoubia mosque are backed by the snow-crested Atlas Mountains. At night there are stars, except on magical Fridays when the mosque’s minaret is illuminated.

Back downstairs, just off the courtyard through a pointy-arch doorway is my room. The tall ceiling has an elaborate trim to cap the warm peachy-tan plastered walls. Arabic designs decorate the carved wooden bed, armoire and chests. Tall windows are hung with heavy cotton drapes tasseled with gold. A shiny copper sink sets off the sea-foam green traditional tadelakt plaster in the small bath.

Across the courtyard is Riad Habib’s salon. Pillow-laden sofas surround a low round etched brass table. A dining table and high-backed chairs are carved from a dark wood. On the wall, an artist’s woven rendition of a traditional Berber rug hangs in warm tones of peach, rose and burgundy. Gold thread is woven through it and the ends of undyed vegetable silk (from a cactus) hang loose for a charming effect.

The excellent cook Menka prepares, and the friendly Mustafa serves the meals. Dinner starts with several salads—one of fresh tomatoes, onion and spices, another of fried cauliflower—and a fresh round loaf of Moroccan bread. A sumptuous tangine of kefta, lamb meatballs, followed. Cooked slowly in tomatoes and spices, it has whole eggs added at the last minute so they arrive still soft in the center. Mint tea was then served with a bowl of fresh fruit, the size of a Thanksgiving turkey.

The peaches were perfectly ripe and perfectly wonderful. So was Riad Habib.

By Kate Crawford        January  2003
Photos by Ruth Anne Kocour

LINKS WITH ATTITUDE

Riad Habib one of Riads au Maroc rentals.  Riads au Maroc has a great web site, with lots of pictures and full descriptions of each of their properties. Below are the links to  other stories about Riads au Maroc.

A Prince of a Place, an article on Riads au Maroc 

Riad Laïla, Marrakech

Riad Cascades d’Ouzoud, Ouzoud, Morocco