Unlike many other riad hotels, Riad Laaroussa doesn’t open immediately onto a courtyard — instead, you stumble into a dim, cavernous foyer, with the suspense building as to what might lie ahead.

What does lie ahead, in fact, is French owner Fred Sola’s chef-d’œuvre, a fabulously chic property that’s fast become a favorite among the stylish, creative set. Inside you’ll find just eight suites and rooms redolent with incense, each completely unique and filled with various eclectic finds Sola has sourced from his travels — Indian paintings and Balinese stones, for example. If you’ve been coveting the babouche slippers you’ve been spying throughout the souks, you’re in luck: each guest receives a complimentary pair embossed with RL, a great little souvenir (and much sturdier than the standard hotel slippers). The public spaces are also filled with quirky touches, like chandeliers fashioned from dangling tagines, and one impressive sculptural light fixture crafted entirely from teapots, courtesy Fes-based British artist Jessica Stephens.

If you’re wondering why this place feels like home, perhaps the fact that Sola actually lives on site and takes great pride in his abode has something to do with it. And if you’re thinking that the staff feels a lot like a close-knit family, you’d be right: every year, Sola takes his entire team on a foreign destination — this year it was Istanbul — and the result is a convivial bond that’s infectious and is immediately transmitted to guests.

Come sunset, there’s no better place to be than up on the Riad Laaroussa terrace. The hotel is set on one of the highest points of the medina, so unlike most riads that merely look on to neighboring rooftops, here you get panoramic views of the whole city. Enjoy them with a drink one of the many canopied daybeds or couches, and soak in the melodic call to prayer reverberating all around you. The only thing keeping you from the terrace? Those incredibly steep, slippery stairs that will leave you winded — watch your step, that’s one tumble you definitely won’t want to take!