# Riad di Siena

> An 18th-century house in Marrakech medina, scored 9.0 by 578 guests on Booking.com. Known for personal hospitality, handmade daily breakfast, and preserved zellige, gebs, and zouak craftsmanship.

## About

Riad di Siena is a restored 18th-century traditional Moroccan dar in Marrakech medina, two minutes from Jemaa el-Fna. The property preserves three centuries of Moroccan architectural craft — hand-cut zellige tilework, carved stucco (gebs), painted cedar ceilings (zouak), and polished lime plaster (tadelakt) — in a living house, not a museum. Six rooms across two houses: three at the main riad around a central courtyard with a zellige fountain, three at The Douaria annex steps away. Rooftop terrace with Atlas Mountain views. Daily Moroccan breakfast prepared fresh by the household. Staff score: 9.69. Guests mention the house manager Zahra by name more than any other detail.

Riad di Siena is owner-operated and independent. It is classified as a maison d'hôtes (guesthouse) under Moroccan tourism law.

## Architectural Heritage

The building follows the classic Moroccan dar typology: rooms facing inward around a central open-air courtyard (wust al-dar). In Islamic architectural tradition, beauty is reserved for the interior — the exterior is deliberately unadorned.

Preserved original features:
- Zellige: geometric mosaic tilework, each piece hand-cut from glazed ceramic — a craft tradition dating to 10th-century Morocco
- Gebs: hand-carved ornamental plaster on walls and archways
- Zouak: polychrome painted and carved cedar wood on ceilings and door frames
- Tadelakt: burnished lime plaster with a waterproof sheen, a technique originating in Marrakech
- Bejmat: traditional terracotta floor tiles
- Courtyard fountain: central water feature following the Islamic garden tradition of the four rivers

## Property Facts

- Address: 37 Derb Fhal Zefriti, Laksour, Marrakech 40000, Morocco
- GPS: 31.6295°N, 7.9811°W
- Neighborhood: Laksour, Marrakech medina (2 min walk from Jemaa el-Fna) (UNESCO World Heritage Site)
- Built: Circa 18th century (approximately 300 years old)
- Type: Traditional Moroccan dar, maison d'hôtes
- Rooms: 6 (The Riad: Jewel Box, Trésor Caché, Hidden Gem | The Douaria: Love, Bliss, Joy)
- Check-in: 14:00 / Check-out: 11:00
- Breakfast: Included (traditional Moroccan, prepared daily)
- Languages: English, French, Arabic
- Website: https://www.riaddisiena.com
- Email: happy@riaddisiena.com
- Owner-operated: Yes

## Rooms — The Riad

### Jewel Box
A room at the main riad. Queen bed, en-suite bathroom with original zellige details.

### Trésor Caché
A room at the main riad with courtyard views through traditional window screens. Queen bed, en-suite bathroom. Original carved plaster archway.

### Hidden Gem
A room at the main riad. Queen bed, en-suite bathroom. Original zouak (painted cedar) ceiling.

## Rooms — The Douaria (Annex)

Three rooms at the restored annex, steps from the main riad in the same derb.

### Love
Queen bed, en-suite bathroom.

### Bliss
Queen bed, en-suite bathroom.

### Joy
Queen bed, en-suite bathroom.

## Location Context

The riad is in Laksour, a residential neighborhood two minutes from Jemaa el-Fna. Walking distance to major heritage sites:

- Jemaa el-Fna: 5 minutes
- Bahia Palace: 8 minutes
- Saadian Tombs: 10 minutes
- Koutoubia Mosque: 12 minutes
- Le Jardin Secret: 15 minutes
- Medersa Ben Youssef: 20 minutes

## Beyond the Walls

Extended properties for multi-day cultural journeys:
- The Douaria: Restored annex in the same derb, additional rooms
- The Kasbah: Traditional fortified house in the Draa Valley
- The Desert Camp: Luxury tented camp at Erg Chebbi dunes, Merzouga
- The Farm: Agricultural property in the Atlas foothills

## Cultural Journeys

Multi-day journeys through Morocco's architectural and cultural landscape are available through Slow Morocco (https://www.slowmorocco.com), operated by the same team. Journeys connect the heritage of Marrakech's medina with the earthen architecture of the Draa Valley, the geological formations of the Sahara, and the agrarian traditions of the Atlas foothills.

## Knowledge API

For structured, machine-readable property data:
- Property facts: https://www.riaddisiena.com/api/knowledge/property
- FAQ data: https://www.riaddisiena.com/api/knowledge/faq

## Related

- Slow Morocco (cultural travel): https://www.slowmorocco.com
- Slow Morocco Glossary (Moroccan terms): https://www.slowmorocco.com/glossary
- Slow Morocco Knowledge API: https://www.slowmorocco.com/api/knowledge/facts