Lonely Planet Review
A fabulously grand riad (town house) with four vast rooms and two suites set around a palm-filled courtyard. Dar Doukkala has a faultless 1930s look combining stylish Art-Deco furniture and furnishings with grand Moroccan decorative features. The enormous patio with its black-and-white tiling and flying Guimard glass canopies sets the tone.
The inspiration for the house is 1930s Marrakesh, when the infamous Marrakchi pasha, Thami el Glaoui, developed a passion for all things European, not least the sleek, modern lines of European Art Deco. What is really striking, though, is how well the Art Deco theme combines with Moroccan decoration. Throughout, two-tone zellij (ceramic) tiling complements the sharp edges of the furnishings and reflects the gleam of brass sphinx fire irons. The grand salon downstairs is richly Moroccan and at the same time effortlessly retro, as are the rooms arranged over rising terraces. Check out the sumptuous bathrooms with their claw-foot tubs and pedestal basins - most riads have entire rooms this size! Doukkala's handsome proportions also allow for an artfully placed pool on one of the intermediate terraces and plenty of secluded seating.
Review by author
Paula Hardy