Riad Kniza is one of the most easily accessible riads in the medina, situated in a colourful quarter close to one of the main nine gates of the 12th Century ramparts and a few minutes from the central square.
Unlike most other riads in the luxury category, Kniza is owned and managed by a Moroccan family. This is evident from the moment guests arrive, staff are superbly attentive, enormous hospitality is tangible and there is a refined elegance about the place. Here guests enjoy Moroccan gastronomy at it's best. The restaurant is considered one of the finest in the country and has hosted many high profile visitors.
The 18th century riad was completely rebuilt in the original Moorish architectural style around two open patios. Hand carved cedar wood, glazed mosaics and hard chiselled plaster were used by skilled craftsmen to make this riad one of the most beautiful traditional homes of the city. There are seven bedrooms built around the open patios on two floors. Each room is equipped with air conditioning, satelite tv, wi-fi internet access, fireplaces and furnished with antiques.
Meals are served in private dining rooms or on the terrace with beautiful views of the Atlas Mountains and the old medina. There is a beautiful spa with subterrean pool and a large sun soaked pool in the second courtyard.
Ideal for a couple or a family with older children, children under the age of 12 are not accepted.
Like many other cities, Marrakech grew up around a fortified settlement around the 11th Century. Within the dusky pink walls of the old city lies the Medina while modern Marrakech flourishes outside the ancient centre, with a profusion of greenery to challenge the advance of aridity. All of the large international hotels are found outside the Medina. Excellent as many are, the heartbeat of Marrakech is most vitally felt when staying at a riad inside the Medina. There is a greater density of chic boutique lodgings than possibly anywhere else in the world. With over 800 riads, choosing the right one is paramount. We have carefully selected the ones we know and love but can also advise you on a great deal more than we actually feature. The Djemma el Fna, the clearing in the centre of the Medina is a short walk from nearly all the riads we recommend. This unique space is a gathering ground for merchants, touts, beggars, water sellers, acrobats, snake-charmers, medicine men and performers of every sort – a show that starts each evening as the sun sets. The 12th century Koutoubia minaret shadows the square and the vast souks radiate north. The Medina walls are most impressive on the eastern side, the Bab Doukkala near to which many of our favourite riads are found is one of the most spectacular gates. The Medina pulses with life all day and late into the night. If you are looking for serenity and calm with the occasional dip into the medina, then the oasis of the Palmeraie is an excellent alternative. Read more?
Morocco is a country of immense and diverse physical beauty, with some of the most inspiring areas of pristine wilderness in Africa. It's also superb value and just a few short hours flight from the UK. From the snow-capped peaks of the High Atlas to its wave-strafed Atlantic coastline and on south to the billowing, seemingly endless sand dunes that run away into the Sahara Desert. For a country so close to Europe it’s exhilarating to find such an intact culture and epic North African landscape with real contrast to anything European at almost every turn. Leave Marrakesh and head south and in less than an hour you’re climbing into the foothills of the High Atlas Mountains. This is magnificent trekking country where you can thread your way among small Berber villages, supported by mule trains, either on foot or on horseback, supported with a light tented camp. Read more?
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Vanessa's 16 years in travel has seen her knowledge develop from sub-Saharan Africa into North Africa, Central and Southern America and the Galapagos. Consequently, she’s a veritable encyclopaedia of travel information and exceptionally cool, calm and collected in the face of the greatest planning demands.
At Natural High, we've had long experience putting together trips in Africa that really work. Whether it's intimate bushcamps in out of the way places, or a private lodge in one of Africa's top-billing wildlife areas, light mobile camping or remote island escapes, we know there is a lot to choose from. We're absolutely confident that we can recommend the right places for you.
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