Dar Zemora

Set in a verdant garden of fruit trees, Dar Zemora has a welcoming solar-heated pool (a rareity in Marrakesh), lined with parasols and teak loungers. A mix of Moroccan and European styles, the bright and buttery Casablanca lounge leads through French doors into the gardens, and the Omar lounge provides a cosy spot for evening drinks in front of a roaring fire. Breakfast is a buffet of fresh fruit, pancakes and eggs, whilst dinner is three delicious courses: end it off with a coffee creme brulee, then book a few hours of pampering in the hamman for the following day.

The villa has only three rooms and two suites. Rooms open onto small Juliet balconies and feature a charming Morocco-meets-country-house flavour, with eye-catching oil paintings, Berber-style furniture and Zouak chests. Bathrooms are finished in hand-made Bejmat tiles and marble. The suits have super King-sized four-poster beds, spacious fire-lit lounges and terraces with a dining area and canopied daybeds. The jewel in Dar Zemora's crown, however, is the Pavilion Pool Suite, which sits in a private garden with a pool. And the master bedroom? It's exquisite with a domed ceiling, lush furniture, and a fireplace.

If you'd like to spend as much time in Palmeraie as possible, take in a game of croquet on the lawns, and explore the area by camel or side-car. While Dar Zemora is outside the city walls, it isn't too far away to enjoy the sights and scents of Marrakesh. Take a day trip into town to peruse the spices, trinkets and street theatre in the Djemaa El Fna, visit the famous Saadian Tombs (where the 'golden king' is buried), hear the echoing calls from the Koutoubia Mosque, or learn an ancient skill from a local artisan.