In short… Riad Mena is a completely relaxed, cool, and super chic place to stay in the Medina, just a 5-minute walk to the souk.
The vibe… Owner Philomena Schurer Merckoll is a very rare breed—she’s so cool, so nice, and her energy is so relaxed that from the minute you enter, your shoulders drop. We showed up with no plan, and just followed her and her advice for our two days there. Sitting in the courtyard perfumed with orange and jasmine, we chatted away and felt like we were old friends almost immediately.
The space and the rooms… It’s a beautiful ramble—over the years, Philomena, who lives between here and London, bought adjacent space as it became available. You feel like you’re living in a garden, and there’s such great light. Because the space is so thoughtfully orchestrated, everything makes great sense and nothing feels out of place. It seems like everything has always been there, just as it is, including the pool, which sits within one of the courtyards. We had a look at all of the rooms (we visited in the low season of late January)—all of them were so tastefully decorated, with just enough personal touches (books you haven’t seen before, freshly cut flowers, vases), but with incredible restraint. Yes, it’s very Moroccan, but leans minimal Mediterranean with touches of decorative Modernism.
The food and drink… The food is so lovely—simple and Moroccan. Our first meal there was lunch, and as we’d just gotten off the plane, we were starving and didn’t pace ourselves, thinking that the starters were the whole meal, and then a beautiful chicken tagine came out. Breakfast is a similar affair—delicious local yogurt and fruit and honey, followed by a Berber egg tajine (a base of spicy tomato).. We usually went out for drinks, but had one late-night wine session in the study.
Be sure to… Take a day trip to the Berber Lodge, for a lovely countryside field trip!
Date of stay… January 16-18, 2024
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