Tuck into a Moroccan breakfast of fruit, pancakes, mountain honey and homemade jam on your bedroom balcony at Le Riad Berbère, a 17th-century riad that gets the balance of Moroccan living just right - think: a lushly planted Islamic garden, minimalist rooms and dinner served on candlelit roof terraces.

Laid out in traditional riad style, this elegant space is captivates with an intricately carved ceiling and earth-toned furnishings. Check into one of the light-filled Grand Suites before clambering up to the roof to take in view of the Medina. With rates including breakfast as well as afternoon mint tea and pastries, you should plan your day with these dining times in mind.

Dar Hanane is all taste and simplicity, with candy-striped slipper chairs and thick-pile Berber rugs to beguile interior enthusiasts. Awake in a four-poster bed (if you check into the Grand Suite) and take breakfast on the patio, with views over the jigsawing rooftops.

A 40-minute drive from the city centre, boutique Le Palais Paysan flaunts traditional riad interiors - mirror-tiled feature walls and slouchy low-slung sofas - that are countered by its cuboid shape. Peep at the Atlas Mountains through geometric windows at this pastoral hideaway; don't forget to make full use of the pool flanked by rattan parasols.

With five swimming pools - each large enough for laps - dotted throughout the fairy-tale surrounds tended to by ethno-botanist owner Gary Martin, this boutique residence is quite the charmer. We've booked out two rooms for a getaway with friends - The Blue Animal Room, complete with beckoning fireplace, and The Green Syrian Room which overlooks the olive grove.

Masked by an unmarked wooden door is Riad Azzar. A winding medina side street opens to a palm-planted courtyard, and once inside the riad you'll note the hotel's abundant collection of African antiquities. We're checking into Suite Taznarth - its hand-carved cedar balcony fitted with a violet banquette feels as though it's made for taking mint tea in the lantern-lit evening.

P'tit Habibi feels more like a chic private residence than boutique hotel. With each bedroom more appealing than the last, settling on a suite is tricky. Still, we've got our hearts on the playfully decorated Wangarata Room, complete with vintage Americana mirrors, 60s Moroccan photographs and a Swedish moose.

This five-suite retreat is in the medina - but in one of the quietest quarters so sleeping won't be an issue. Speaking of which, rooms, and interiors in general, tend towards the masculine with dark woods and autumnal shades dotted throughout Riad Jaaneman. While there's no restaurant as such, meals can be served in the courtyard and on the roof terrace on request - though running out for honey-drenched local pastries has its draws.

If you're looking for a touch of the traditional - bejmat tiles, tartari ceilings - Les Deuz Tours is an excellent choice. Ensconced in three hectares of Andalusian gardens, it also harbours a hammam, an odd-shaped heated pool and two top-class restaurants. It's the sort of place you could lose days in (figuratively and literally).

Located in the oldest part of Marrakech, there are few places more suited to poolside lounging, heavenly hammams and rooftop dining - this boutique bolthole's tantalising tagines and next-level roasted aubergine are legendary. Breakfast is a roving affair - think, Moroccan-style pancakes, homemade granola and fresh juices. Each morning you can decide on Ksar Kasbah's best bits anew - will it be by the poolside or dining on the rooftop?