LAURENCE LEENAERT | VOGUE | MENTION

Todd Plummer, Vogue, November 24, 2023

In Marrakech, a New Wave of Design-Forward Riads and Farm Stays Takes Root

“Before Marrakech, everything was black,” Yves Saint Laurent once said. The city’s labyrinthine streets, vibrant markets, and welcoming host culture proved to be a fount of inspiration for the 20th century’s jet set, including Saint Laurent himself but also Mick Jagger, Paul and Talitha Getty, Jane Birkin, and more. The thing is—Marrakech isn’t the type of place you go just once. This isn’t the beach resort you reserve for your honeymoon, or the grand one-and-done safari where a single trip feels like enough. This city is a near-unknowable chameleon, ever-changing in its complexity, inviting endless return visits. There are still glimmers of that jet set past; but more excitingly, there are glimpses of its future, too.

 

If you haven’t been in several years (or ever), now is an excellent time to visit. Since the recent earthquakes, the general consensus in Morocco appears to be a resounding, whole-hearted invitation for the world to come visit: tourism dollars are more crucial than ever in driving on-the-ground economies and supporting local jobs. And while there are a handful of museums and attractions in Marrakech that are temporarily closed for structural repairs, you can always save those for a return visit—to my earlier point, Marrakech is the kind of place where you’ll be back.

 

That’s why the arrival of several gorgeous, design-forward riads this year feels especially apropos—each provides a quintessentially Moroccan experience, yet also imagines its own unique future for this country’s unique brand of haute bohemianism. Here are three to bookmark for your next journey through the Red City.

 

Izza

 

“This was never intended to be a hotel,” said Tim Slee, director of the new Izza, a 14-room riad nestled in the heart of the Medina. “The original incarnation was to be a nice, private riad for our owner [a private family office in London,] and their guests to come enjoy.” But after Slee pinpointed the first ideal property to purchase, he discovered a second adjoining one that had a pool, and then a subsequent one with a rooftop—then, as one does, he ended up purchasing a warren of eight interconnected riads.

 

One of those structures is the former home of famed interior designer Bill Willis, an American expat and designer credited with some of the jet set’s more fabulous interiors. His influence carries on throughout Izza both literally and figuratively: A slew of his old letters with Saint Laurent, Mick Jagger, Grace Jones, and more adorn the walls of the hotel; and Slee also shared that Izza’s ownership is in the process of creating a Bill Willis Foundation, so that the Willis house can be used for an artist residency program moving forward.

 

As for the hotel itself, the renovation is nothing short of stunning. Over 300 works of art adorn the walls, and there are plenty of nooks, crannies, and lounges from which to admire them all. Other highlights include a lap pool (a rare find considering Izza’s location in the Medina), as well as one of the largest rooftop terraces in the area. When you’re up there for sunset, listening to the gentle sounds of the streets below, there’s a sense that Saint Laurent himself has just stepped away from the dinner table and might return at any moment.

 

Rosemary

 

Belgian artist and expat Laurence Leenaert has built a name for herself in Marrakech for her studio LRNCE, which produces ceramics, textiles, gifts, and all sorts of objets. Now, with the opening of Rosemary, the next art form she seeks to conquer is hospitality itself.

 

“I thought it would be nice to have a place where people could experience all of our products in one space,” said Leenaert. While her studio on the outskirts of Marrakech is already a popular must-visit for design lovers, the chance to actually step inside her world in the form of a renovated riad is something altogether different. At Rosemary, she had to think about her products not individually, but in terms of how they could fit together to create an overarching atmosphere—including how they interact with all the banal design details that go into a hotel like toilet paper holders and doorknobs. Leeneart kept the building’s architecture very Moroccan, but used those cool, neutral spaces as a blank canvas in which to display her colorful work, and worked closely with artisans to update old-world techniques in modern ways. The result is a totally different type of riad where authenticity gets a fresh interpretation—there aren’t many riads out there with terrazzo floors, abstract plasterwork, and stained-glass windows inspired by Botticelli’s The Birth of Venus.

 

Beyond the aesthetics of Rosemary, Leenaert has also gone to lengths to maximize the overall experience, as well. Guests can book treatments with local herbs and spices in the on-site hammam, or try their hand in painting and ceramics workshops led by both Leenaert herself and local artisans. “It’s so different creating a riad than receiving people in a store,” said Leenaert. “Everything was sourced in Morocco and done by local artisans. It took a lot of samples and a lot of mistakes, but in the end, it was really fun to create something new.”

 

Farasha Farmhouse

 
When Rosena and Fred Charmoy do something new, insiders know to pay attention. This painfully cool duo are the magic makers behind Morocco’s premiere event planning firm Boutique Souk, which has produced such events as Poppy Delevingne’s wedding, and countless destination fashion shows for the likes of Chanel, Dior, and more. Having been at the forefront of fashionable hospitality for so many years, they know a thing or two about unlocking Morocco’s most magical experiences—and their newest project is already raising eyebrows in the best of ways.
 
For starters, it’s not in Marrakech. Farasha Farmhouse sits about eighteen miles east of the Medina—close enough for visits to the city, yet worlds away from the crowds. “The location itself is very special,” said Rosena Charmoy, explaining that Farasha sits in “a sort of Feng Shui basin” between two mountain ranges. Being out in the countryside affords certain luxuries—the largest of which is probably the 50-meter pool. It’s lined with long, luxurious alleys of olive trees subdividing each daybed area from the next. “It’s a very private, relaxing experience,” said Rosena. “We give everybody by the pool a big Yeti box with kombucha, juices, and rosé so they can help themselves, so they aren’t disturbed by other guests or even by servers.”
 

Elsewhere, the farmhouse is filled with fashionable touches that nod to the Charmoys’ jet-setting milieu, including: rugs from Beni Rugs; an orange juice stand painted by Laurence Leenaert; a book collection donated from the estate of Diana Vreeland; and several sculptures from buzzy Moroccan contemporary artist Amine El Gotaibi. Artist talks and live music sets in the courtyard have attracted creatives from Ibiza, Vancouver, Berlin, and beyond. Gypset author Julia Chaplin passed through recently—who knows who will light up its gardens next? It’s a unique alchemy of location, design, and experience that only a duo like the Charmoys could deliver.

 
 

There are currently just four keys at Farasha Farmhouse, set to expand to ten next year. Yet even with over twice the amount of rooms, there’s no doubt that they’ll be able to keep that air of intimacy, magic, and discovery alive. “The way people travel has changed,” said Rosena. “People don’t want to just come to a hotel to go to a spa or have white glove service. They want to meet people and experience something interesting relative to the local culture.”

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