Riad des Palmiers

Features

Riad des Palmiers is a beautiful riad situated just within the city walls in what was originally the Algerian Quarter of the medina, overlooking not only the medina but also the esplanade and beach and, beyond, both the fishing port and the old island prison of Mogador.

This luminous villa has considerable style and period charm. Offering flexible accommodation to suit groups or families
up to 12 people, couples or individuals, the house can be rented either in its entirety, by the apartment (of which there are 3 laid out over 3 floors), or by particular room.

Almost unique for a riad in the medina, it not only abuts the Medina walls and has uninterrupted views to the beach and the bay, but it also has a garden with its own mature palm trees and a sizeable plunge pool which is fed from the riad’s own private well.

The villa has been meticulously renovated to retain as many of its original features as possible and it is decorated throughout with a mix of fabrics and antique furniture and artefacts sourced not only from the souks and markets of
the region but also from the wider Islamic world.

History & original features

The riad has stood on this site for nearly 2 centuries, but it was evidently expensively refurbished around the turn of last century during the French Colonial period. For several decades after that, it served as the house of the local Adul,
a secular dignitary who also conducted official ceremonies such as weddings in the house itself. Indeed, stables for
the horse-drawn carriage of this respected figure were unearthed during the renovations.

The house then fell into disuse after the Adul’s death, and and the owners acquired the house after it had stood empty and decaying for the last 50 years. They have attempted to use the original, revealed fittings – tiles, woodwork and ironwork- as a template and have commissioned local artisans to create handmade copies.