At a Glance
- El Fenn fuses Moroccan tradition with modern design for a soulful, intimate stay experience.
- Founded by Vanessa Branson, the riad celebrates local art, culture, and craftsmanship.
- Its rooftop restaurant and spa capture Marrakech’s charm through food, scent, and serenity.
Situated behind the ochre walls of Marrakech’s ancient Medina, El Fenn Marrakech Hotel stands as a luxury riad that fuses Moroccan art, comfort, and rooftop elegance.
Just steps from Jemaa el-Fnaa, the boutique hotel captures the city’s spirit, a mix of color, calm, and creative energy.
Founded by Vanessa Branson, El Fenn blends traditional craftsmanship with modern design, offering travelers a soulful escape in the heart of Morocco.
A vision with roots
The story of El Fenn began with Vanessa Branson, sister to British entrepreneur Richard Branson, who stumbled upon the crumbling riad and decided to restore it.
What started as a personal project grew into a small, soulful hotel that now stretches across several connected houses. Every corner seems touched by a careful hand: carved cedar ceilings, deep-colored tadelakt walls, and geometric tilework that feels both ancient and fresh.
The space doubles as a gallery. Modern paintings by African and European artists hang beside antique mirrors and woven rugs. It’s less about design rules and more about how the old and new can quietly coexist, the way Marrakech itself does.
Rooms with character
No two of El Fenn’s 41 rooms are the same. Some open to small pools or wood-burning fireplaces; others look onto courtyards shaded by orange and olive trees. There’s luxury here, but never the kind that feels rehearsed. Comfort is evident, yet each room holds its own story, its own light.
Downstairs, guests gather around the turquoise courtyard pool or linger over breakfast that often drifts toward noon, bowls of yogurt, fresh pastries, and mint tea under the rustle of leaves. As dusk sets in, the rooftop terrace takes over: warm lamps, cocktails, soft music, and the faint outline of the Koutoubia Mosque against the fading sky.
Food and feeling
On the rooftop, the restaurant moves with the pace of the city below. The menu leans toward Mediterranean simplicity with Moroccan depth, grilled fish, slow-braised lamb, and bright salads that taste of sun and citrus. Most ingredients come from nearby farms, a quiet nod to seasonality and the land that feeds the city.
Design threads through everything, in the handmade ceramics, the Berber textiles, the weathered wood doors. Nothing feels placed for effect. Even the scent in the air seems part of the story, subtle but unforgettable.
Rest for the body and spirit
Beneath the courtyards, a small hammam-inspired spa offers traditional treatments with argan oil and rose essence. A heated pool and private terraces invite a slower rhythm, one that matches the city’s softer side.
When guests are ready to step out, the concierge points the way, to the Majorelle Garden once owned by Yves Saint Laurent, to the MACAAL museum, or simply into the winding lanes where the scent of spices and leather drifts through the air.
A modern Marrakech classic
Over the years, El Fenn has drawn travelers who prefer sincerity over spectacle. Artists, writers, and designers return for its mix of beauty and ease, the kind that doesn’t announce itself but settles in quietly.
Like Marrakech itself, El Fenn is a meeting of worlds, old craftsmanship, new energy, and a heartbeat that never really stops. It’s not just a hotel; it’s a mood, a memory that lingers long after the suitcase is packed.
