AnaYela

Guest house · Marrakech

AnaYela

Guest house · Marrakech

28 Derb Zerwal, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco

Highlights

Elegant rooms, informal dining, courtyard & roof deck oasis

28 Derb Zerwal, Marrakesh 40000, Morocco Get directions

anayela.com

@riad_anayela

@iescape

Riad AnaYela, Marrakech, Morocco - Explore & Book

"AnaYela is a truly special 5-bedroom riad, located in the oldest, least touristy part of Marrakech's medina. Owned by German entrepreneur Bernd Kolb and his wife Andrea, it is a painstakingly restored 300-year-old palace that offers a genuine Marrakchi experience. Authenticity is key: over 100 local artisans helped to refurbish it, using every traditional technique from silver-beating to wood carving, and working by candle-light throughout. The end result is a hushed sanctuary decorated in Berber-style natural colours (no jewel-bright limes and oranges, or heavy dark wood) and, unusually for a riad, there's no overgrown, tatty vegetation.Huge engraved silver lanterns hang at every corner, white hand-stitched pouffes line the floors, and good taste seeps from the walls. It is also the setting for a delightful love story: AnaYela means 'I am Yela', and the riad is named after a 16-year-old girl who lived there and left a note, unearthed during the restoration process, written on the eve of her wedding as she prepared to leave her grandfather's house. It feels like a house of love. Highs Cool, elegant and minimalist styling throughout, especially in the beautiful bedroomsHighly personalised service and flexible mealtimesRoof terrace with wide-sweeping views across Marrakech to the Atlas Mountains and a plunge pool for cooling off in after exploring the medinaThe level of detail is incredible: there's a tapis volant (flying carpet) in the tower on which Yela and her love stole kisses each night and were transported across the rooftopsYou are given a phone on arrival so you can contact reception for help inside or outside the hotel - a comfort if this is your first visit to frenetic Marrakech Lows Small rooms in which the windows are coloured glass; beautiful, but you may miss natural daylightSo silent and intimate that you might feel self-conscious if you were the only guests stayingNot suitable for young children, although families can book the whole riad and older children would be fineIt's expensive even by Marrakech's rising norms, but the service is outstanding and the design truly gorgeous" - Belinda Archer

https://www.i-escape.com/riad-anayela

View Postcard for AnaYela

545anushkam

Google

A truly special experience. My husband and I were blown away by the beautiful riad AnaYela. It was an oasis of calm among the bustling streets of the lively medina. ||It was lovely to stay somewhere that wasn’t a big hotel. With only five rooms at the riad, AnaYela was very quiet and sometimes felt like we were the only ones there (in the best way, because it was lovely to come back to total tranquility after navigating the busy souks in the heat all day). This also meant the staff were able to deliver very personal and meaningful interactions with all of the guests individually, which was so nice! A big thank you to the wonderful Mehdi, Hisham, Abdul and Ali who went above and beyond to make sure we were taken care of and treated like family (the team singing happy birthday to me in Arabic was something that will stay in my heart forever). ||Mehdi was very helpful at planning a great itinerary for us and recommending / booking activities so that our time in Marrakesh was full of fun things to do, but not over-packed or stressful. They had a private car and driver (Ayoub) who took a lot of care of us and we really enjoyed spending time with him. ||We highly, highly reccomend eating your meals here. The lovely chef Fatima prepares the most exquisite meals with the freshest local ingredients and we can say that the food at the riad was better quality and a better experience than any of the other meals we tried in Marrakesh. Probably because you could tell how much care and emotion had been put into crafting these meals. She is a true artist. ||The decor is absolutely beautiful as well, and each item has been painstakingly either handmade or chosen with care to deliver an authentic Moroccan experience. ||Overall, I couldn’t think of a single thing they could improve. Highly, highly recommend and when we come back to Marrakesh, this is the only place we will stay, because it feels like home.

210jeevanas

Google

The riad is tucked away in the medina and very unassuming from the outside, Hisham met us at the car and took us to the riad. ||It was one of the best experiences we've had at a hotel, we were there for 3 nights and every single person was incredibly friendly, welcoming and helpful throughout the stay.||The room was very spacious with a massive bath. || Breakfast was included and was amazing. Additionally we had lunch and dinner on one of the days. Lunch was good and the dinner deserves a special mention - it was easily the best meal we've had in Marrakesh.||Overall it was one of the best places we've stayed at and definitely a highlight from our trip to Marrakesh.

Eddie V

Google

Everything and everyone here at AnaYela is a magical treat! Staff, rooms, dining and the entire Riad itself is not to be missed. Even the other guests here sit and chat with each other about this amazing place! Don’t miss it!

Y8666AKjohnnym

Google

Our Family had a most magical stay at the AnaYela.The Riad was everything as pictured and more. Set in a discreet alley you would not know the magic waiting behind the hundred year old door inlaid with Moroccan tiled entryway that springs a surprise of this wonderful riad steeped in culture and beauty .Ran out of our storage taking unending pictures to capture the beauty of this place but seriously one must go there to see visual treat with their own eyes. The superb authentically homemade food by inhouse chefs was served with fine dining experience as they offered course after course of authentic cuisine around the courtyard pool, Moroccan glimmering lanterns with serene calming and a romantic ambience and sweet sparrows fluttering everywhere as we relished their lovely food. The service staff were the humblest sweet team and Hicham our hospitality manager personally from communication before reaching Morocco to personally receiving us from our cab has been of the most memorable hosts who made the trip most satisfying. Every request was personally addressed and looked after by him. Our rooms were nothing short of befitting palace feel with old architectural elements. Yes, our Morocco was amazing as we explored the old souks but we sincerely believe that the hotel experience thanks to Hicham and his team made this trip one of most memorable adventures. We can't wait to go back.

Jay Wang

Google

An amazing experience at AnaYela It’s such a special place in the Medina of Marrakesh. It gives you a taste of the old times and a Moroccan tradition. The hospitality of the team is excellent. We feel staying in a big house of our own. The breakfast and dinner are unforgettable. Having dinners there every night, fresh local ingredients alternating prepared by the Riad chefs, traditional and delicious. It’s like to stay in a Moroccan family. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the best last 5 days of our vacation in Morocco.

JayW502

Google

It’s such a special place in the Medina of Marrakesh. It gives you a taste of the old times and a Moroccan tradition. The hospitality of the team is excellent. Nisham, Abdul, and Ali are working hard to accommodate our needs. We feel staying in a big house of our own. The breakfast and dinner are delicious and unforgettable. The chefs are fantastic and we have Moroccan dinners at the Riad every night. It’s like to stay in a local family. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for the best last 5 days of our vacation in Morocco.

O3776ZUannemariem

Google

We had arranged our entire Moroccan trip and the course of our self tour of multiple cities around the availability of AnaYela months in advance because it looked beautiful. ||The day before our flight to Morocco, I was told, quite rudely, that the "system somehow ate your reservation" and they could not accommodate our reservation made months earlier, except for 1 night.||The owner, Andrea, was not only unprofessional but uncaring that we would be arriving without a place to stay. The week was a Moroccan holiday week where it was now impossible to find a place. She initially offered that she would put us up in one of her lesser riad's but then she said, ooops, sorry we are full there and discontinued communication.||My husband and I were now suddenly we were left without a place to stay. This was pretty stressful in the few hours before our trip and we could not find any accommodation.||The next issue was that our excursions, some of which were booked through AnaYela, did not know where to pick us up. In Marrakech we had to waste precious vacation time trying to get in touch with different companies.||Do yourself a favor and stay a reliable riad where the owners don't lose your reservation at the last minute.

600philg

Google

We stayed at AnaYela for 3 nights. The property is beautiful and off the beaten path. The food was delicious and the team is exceptional!! We particularly loved our cooking class with their chef Fatima. The hotel also helped us arrange everything we needed. This is a special place.