A Week in Marrakesh

My partner and I have spent a fabulous week in Marrakesh, returning home yesterday morning. We think this was our sixth trip to Marrakesh, it continues to delight and intrigue us. We stayed at the very upmarket Hotel Des Jardins de la Koutoubia and we loved it. This was our only holiday this year so we thought we would splash out and stay in the centre of the city at one of its best hotels.

Making our way through Manchester International Airport I saw there was a Lonely Planet shop from which I bought a new pocket guide. A very good spur of the moment purchase with excellent reviews.

It is compulsory for all Guardian readers to visit the museums and places of culture when on holiday so we discharged our obligation by visiting (actually revisiting) first the Bahia Palace. Built in the mid-19th century, its' best features are the woodwork, the ceilings.

A few days later we visited the Musée de Marrakesh; interesting but not stunning. The central court has been covered over and this gives a strange yellow light.

My partner and I, we like our food. Our favourite restaurant is Al-Fassia at Aguedal for dinner. A taxi ride from the city centre, very good quality Moroccan food, not cheap, but worth it. We finished our holiday we a last dinner here, with a large shoulder of lamb, beautifully falling off the bone, far too much for two people. Three courses, with wine, under £100.

Using the new guidebook, we found two new places to eat. Both are reasonably priced.

Un Dejeuner a Marrakesh

Terrasse des Épices

Un Dejeuner a Marrakesh : go to the top floor terrace, good food and drinks. Great veggie tarts.Rue Kennaria in the Riad Zitoun area.

Terrasse des Épices : again third floor for good food and drinks. The chocolate pastilla was amazing. Souq Cherifia, off Rue Dar el-Bacha in the Moussaine area.

And finally, me, in the gardens of the Hotel Mamounia, the best hotel in Marrakesh, I was awed by the opulence.