The Marrakech Holiday Guide: for services, attractions, eating out, accommodation & shopping.

Ambiance.
How does one bottle the atmosphere of a place? Maybe something that the alchemists and apocathary’s have attempted to achieve for millennia.
Within the ancient parchment deeds of ZamZam Riad it is noted that the former owners were, by profession, fortune-tellers/soothsayers, so maybe atmosphere cannot simply be created and bottled. Perhaps that sort of atmosphere, a mood which is so difficult to describe or put a finger on, has to exist in situ the first instant. It can easily be lost, sanitised away…. Or.. in the right hands, it can be nurtured, enhanced and heightened to such a degree that one could almost bottle it !

Emma Joyston-Bechal started her global journeys almost from birth. Unconventionally….. Educationalist parents brought Emma into the world, in Uganda; within 24 months Emma was already “on the move” to Nigeria. 40 years of global wanderlust and a genetic hunger to learn, Emma has now gone "full circle", settling for, the continent of her birth.

Marcus Joyston-Bechal an acclaimed guitarist had career high points, supporting bands such as REM and The Boomtown Rats before he engaged in a change of career as a Building Engineer working for the Costain Group. 13 years gaining valuable experience in large construction projects including Hotels gives Marcus an enviable understanding of property, space, placement and client requirement.

Put these two characters together and the collective pool of knowledge surely make the ingredients required to make that recipe, the apocatharies were seeking, to capture an atmosphere, which combine a lifetimes understanding of global cultures alongside the qualifications to create surroundings in aesthetic harmony with it’s environment.

Welcome to Zamzam Riad, a true blend of cultures, even sited in the historic definition of the name. Having scoured the globe for an exotic location to create a Guesthouse. Emma and Marcus purchased, what we now know today as, Zamzam Riad. A 150 years old female Date Palm, abundant with fruit, stands like a protective obelisk in the centre of Zamzam’s courtyard where it’s fronds cast welcome shade and a hint of cooling turbulence at the height of the day on the roof terrace. Not "imported in" to give a designer-chic edge to Marcus’s master plan but in-fact Zamzam’s first resident. Palm trees are protected in Marrakech and, as a consequence, when the first footing went down to form this beautiful riad, the Palm took priority over the layout. This is a major bonus and no doubt a lucky omen for Emma & Marcus.

Mood and Placement would be the key tones in the bottle of atmosphere to be found at Zamzam. Earthy colours, little niches made for the guest to discover unusual object d’art. Lighting choices here have been seriously considered. Very seriously considered. To create mood and an evocative sense of sensuality the lighting is possibly the key contributor. Style, distance apart, balanced, centralised, bulb wattage, colour, material, placement, ethnicity.. the lighting is impeccably spot on.

Zamzam has the ability to feel soft and quiet for honeymooners yet at the same time it holds no “library silence” respect to be concerned about. Something special has been created at Zamzam. Care has been taken to ensure the right mattresses, bedding, pillows, drapes, bath towels and a plethora of other simple but vital touches to give the guest a feeling of boutique hotel rather than riad standard. (iPod docking station bedside alarm clocks spring to mind and quality photographic art by "Tim Smith".)
 
The Ambiance of a place can easily be lost or interfered with if the staff attitude is out-of-sync. At Zamzam one is greeted and served by Said and his team who are thoughtful and attentive but discreet. Said also proved to enjoy a healthy sense of humour, great understanding of the English language and happy to engage and share the excitement of his guests' daily skirmishes and adventures.

Responsible tourism also plays a key role at Zamzam. This is demonstrated in both Zamzams construction; you will note the solar powered water heaters on the roof terrace, predominantly local sourced materials in it’s renovation; the room information pack, which references natural cleaning products, re-cycling and water consumption; educational investment in staff and also community through the charity “Justgiving”.

With room rates starting from around £110.00 Zamzam is well placed for those seeking a special ambiance and a well-deserved break.