Review: Riad Mena & Beyond

You can’t throw a date in Marrakech without hitting a pretty riad—a traditionally Moroccan house with an interior garden or courtyard—but what makes Riad Mena so special is its owner's seemingly unstudied, and very chic, style, in which Panton chairs sit atop traditionally tiled floors, and Saarinen tables are juxtaposed with antique Berber wedding blankets. There are just six rooms, but each are spacious, uniquely appointed, and offer more privacy than the typical riad. This one, buried deep in the medina and less than 10 ambling minutes from Jemaa el Fna, the main square, is airy, bright, and modern–a refreshingly minimalist take on the typically heavy-handed riad living, and one in which Panton chairs coexist harmoniously with cut-metal lanterns and stitched-leather poufs. Bonus features include a heated outdoor pool, a hammam, and the occasional film screening on the terrace, plus Philippe Starck-designed bathrooms.

Owner Philomena Schurer Merckoll has a companion property (& Beyond), an oasis about an hour outside the city, with two stripped-down guesthouses, a 20-meter pool, yoga classes, a forthcoming hammam, and a sprawling olive grove.