Restless at Riad Malika (that’s in Marrakesh BTW)

Back in 2018, before I started suffering from flygskam, I spent two weeks in Morocco. I explored Marrakech for a few days and then drove through the Atlas Mountains and along the Atlantic coast. I love traveling solo and seriously think it is something everyone should do from time to time. You and you alone decide what it is you’re going to do. On top of that, you get what feels like an unlimited amount of time to think about what you’re going to do with your life once you get back home. I set out to do exactly that, lounging by the pool of Riad Malika and dozing off every now and again. Needless to say, I got restless after a day or two. And so, I asked the hotel staff if I could take a few photos here and there. I published them on Gevonden op Marktplaats, a brilliant but sadly now-defunct blog where interior design aficionados like myself shared whatever brilliant items they found on the Netherlands’ biggest online marketplace. Because the photos are too beautiful to have them sink without trace, I thought I’d share them with here with you.

Ladies and gentlemen, may I present to you the daily view from my sunbed at Riad Malika. No need to get up at the crack of dawn for one of those awful swimming pool stampedes you see in Spain. Just drop by whenever you goddamn feel like it and relax for a while.

On many days, I had the entire pool area to myself for hours on end. Plenty of time to think, overthink, get bored and then pluck up the energy to go for a stroll around town.

I’m sure that fireplace can come in quite handy in winter. When I was staying at Riad Malika, however, it was just too darn hot to do anything.

Yes, I know I really should get a wide-angle lens for my camera. This is as far back as I could go with my camera without falling backwards into the swimming pool.

Riad Malika has lots of nooks and crannies to explore. Having little sense of direction, I even got lost from time to time.

It took me about two days to figure out that this was the hallway that led to the courtyard that led to the staircase to my room.

Moses supposes they sure like roses at Riad Malika. You could see them on practically every table. Didn’t hear me hear complain, though.

Filling an entire room with Art Deco furniture can be a bit much, if you ask me. But here it works, especially with that Nineties chandelier.

The fabric on the chairs you see on the left were a nice reminder that I really should explore pattern design sometime – I guess that is one of the reasons I’m taking drawing lessons at the moment.

More roses!

Since I was traveling alone and didn’t want to spend too much, I stayed at the smallest and most affordable room in Riad Malika. That was not this room – although mine was pretty nice as well, I hasten to add.

Definitely no prizes for guessing which vintage chair the French owners of Riad Malika like best. The hotel had more Elda chairs than you could shake a stick at.

Proving once again that curtains should never be too short – and what a great pattern, right?

L.O.V.E. for that cognac leather headboard. Not a fan of the rose petals on the bed, though. But who’s complaining when you can stay in this room?

The pièce de resistance at the Riad Malika is this particular suite. The staff were kind enough to let me spend an hour there before the next guests arrived.

Fancy having a piano in your hotel suite (and then not be able how to play it, like me)!

Furry nice headboard!

Sometimes I think I’d love to go back to Marrakech sometime in winter and then sit by this fireplace. But then I realize I’ve stopped flying and would have to sit on a train for three days in order to get there.

Everything is so damn tasteful at Riad Malika. It’s Art Deco, Moroccan tiles and Sixties all in one.

I’d buy this mirror in a New York minute!

I really wanted to read the Farah Diba book I saw lying around the pool area, but was too busy doing nothing at night.

Want to stay at Riad Malika? Sure you do! For more info, go to www.riadmalika.com.