In search of... hip Marrakesh

Exotic and chic, camp yet classy, Marrakesh combines European style with a remarkably well-preserved culture that has captivated and inspired generations of free-thinking, well-heeled incomers. Warmed by the desert climate and the relaxed attitude to sex, the rich arrived in the 1930s and began building themselves Art Deco villas among the palm trees. Designers, trail-blazers, rock stars and artists made barefoot pilgrimages in the 1960s and some went on to create beautiful and fascinating restaurants, galleries, gardens and guest houses. Their legacy is worth seeking out on any visit to this city.

Exotic and chic, camp yet classy, Marrakesh combines European style with a remarkably well-preserved culture that has captivated and inspired generations of free-thinking, well-heeled incomers. Warmed by the desert climate and the relaxed attitude to sex, the rich arrived in the 1930s and began building themselves Art Deco villas among the palm trees. Designers, trail-blazers, rock stars and artists made barefoot pilgrimages in the 1960s and some went on to create beautiful and fascinating restaurants, galleries, gardens and guest houses. Their legacy is worth seeking out on any visit to this city.

How about some edible style?

The fantasy in which the expatriate community cocooned itself in Marrakesh is nowhere more evident than at the city's top restaurant, Yacout. It was designed by American architect, Bill Willis, the man who came to Morocco to find Paul Getty a palace and ended up living in the Medina. Hidden away down a tiny street, diners are guided in by a watchman with a lantern. Inside, at night, crackling log fires and candles in each room throw a flickering glow onto intricately carved and glazed filigreed plasterwork. Mosaic tiled walls and floors, coloured glass panels, carved wooden doors and ornate fountain centre pieces make Yacout (79 Sidi Ahmed Soussi) a ravishing, if expensive, place to eat.

And a yummy place to stay?

Willis was designer-in-chief for the rich who wanted to restore houses in the ancient heart of the city. Many of these have now become popular as up-market maisons d'hôte. But don't expect satellite TV or mini bars. In these grand old houses, small palaces and harems, just simple, hand-crafted furnishings and traditional Moroccan textiles. Serene courtyard gardens, tinkling, rose-petal-filled fountains and ornately tiled plunge pools add much to the atmosphere of these charming, authentic retreats.

Hmm, rose petals. Any alternatives?

One riad with a magical interior is the Villa des Orangers (6 Rue Sidi Mimoun, just off Djemaa El Fna). Stylish, contemporary suites come with en-suite bathrooms and open fires. Some rooms offer exclusive access to private terraces facing a rooftop plunge pool. Meals are served in an enchanting courtyard filled with orange trees framed by delicately carved plasterwork pillars and huge carved doors. From Dh2,500 (£153) a night for a double room with en-suite bathroom. Prices include breakfast, light lunches and soft drinks.

Smaller, cheaper, but also soaked in charm, the Dar El Assafir (24 bis, Arset el Hamed, Bab Doukkala) is another pretty riad, just outside the Medina. Spotless guest rooms, decorated with ornate plasterwork and tiled bathrooms, are spread over two converted houses with one courtyard containing a delightful plunge pool and terrace and another filled with date and banana palms. Suites start from Dh850 a night, with doubles from Dh780, including breakfast.

Talking of breakfast, how about lunch?

For a special lunch, head for the tranquil Ryad Tamsna (23 Derb Zanka Daika), back in the Medina. Hidden away in the Jewish district, this once crumbling but grand house has now been transformed into a boutique, book shop, gallery and restaurant. Beautifully and simply decorated, the restaurant serves a daily changing menu of Indian, Lebanese and Moroccan-inspired dishes from Dh200. A gallery exhibits work by local artists and a bookshop sells a range of Moroccan interiors titles as well as copies of 1920s travel posters and photographs.

And perhaps a siesta afterwards?

In Marrakesh, temperatures can reach 32C-38C by mid-afternoon. If it gets too hot, take a siesta or book a sauna, rigorous massage and scrub session at one of the city's hammams. Expect intensive and dedicated pampering to within an inch of your life. One of the most chic hammams in Marrakesh is housed within the stunning Le Palais Rhoul guesthouse (on Dar Tounsi Route de Fez Km 6). A hammam with massage costs Dh220.

Actually, I'm not that sleepy after all

Alternatively, visit the funky art gallery, Ministero del Gusto (22 Deb Azouz, El Mouassine). Just inside the souk, this new space, owned by Italians, stylist Alessandra Lippini and furniture designer, Fabrizio Bizzarri, sells contemporary works by international artists and designers.

In Gueliz, the modern quarter of Marrakesh, the Jardin Majorelle was created in the 1920s by the French painter, Jacques Majorelle. Majorelle was the artist whose images of the crowds and kasbahs of Morocco appeared on the first travel posters. Now owned and beautifully maintained by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Paul Berge, this small botanical garden adjoins their villa, Willowtree House, and is filled with rare cacti, bamboo, agave and waterlilies, which contrast brilliantly with the cobalt blue of the garden pavilion.

Time for a drink ...

For an early evening drink and snack in the new town, try another landmark, the Café-Bar de l'Escale, on Rue Mauretania. This cheap and cheerful, French-style café has changed little since its establishment in the 1930s, and that includes the menu. Gueliz is also home to the modernist classic, Café Renaissance (Place Abdelmoumen Ben Ali). Pay Dh15 at the downstairs Café Mirador bar and take the lift to the rooftop terrace bar which provides spectacular views, especially at sunset.

And another designer restaurant

The latest hotspot in the Hiverage area of the new town is Comptoir Darma (Avenue Echouhada, Hivernage). Designed by Paris-based interior designer, Jonathan Aman, this trendy restaurant offers a range of modern Moroccan and French dishes that reflect Comptoir's contemporary interior. Red tassels or tribal earrings hang from beautiful filigreed iron lanterns, art nouveau-style inlaid paper stencils adorn pillars, and walls are finished in a warm, copper-brown tadlekt (a waterproofed plaster finish traditionally used in hammams). From around £30 a head, including wine.

How do I get to be hip in Marrakesh?

Royal Air Maroc (020-7439 4361; www.royalairmaroc.co.uk) flies daily to Marrakesh from Heathrow and Stansted from £332 return, including taxes. Ask about special offers, which include weekend and one-day shopping trips.

Compare Travel Insurance - 5 day Euro cover from £4.33 and Annual worldwide policies from just £43.08