Q: How did the idea for Riad Botanica first come about?
A: The idea was born over a decade ago when I was on a cooking tour of Morocco. I got lost in the souks and fell in love – with the country, the culture and a man I met by chance in the Kasbah.
The vibrancy and rich cultural heritage of Morocco transported me to another world and the Islamic architectural design elements of the Riad spoke deeply to me. The inner beauty of the Riad is found at its core and this is where the concept of Riad Botanica – ‘Garden of the Soul’ – was born.
My dream was to create such a space for others to enjoy connecting back to themselves and experience the magic of Marrakech. A decade later, my dream of opening a guest house in the city was realised after a lot of looking.
Q: So tell us a bit more about the property.
A: I’ve looked to blend east and west, modern and traditional, to create a space that provides self-reflection and peace. My aim was to create a tranquil space for those who wish to slow down, look within, reconnect to themselves (and others) and reinvigorate their spirit.
Passionate about health, wellbeing and meaningful design, I wanted Riad Botanica to be a truly beautiful space that harnesses and celebrates the power of nature, celebrated symbolically by the gorgeous century-old orange tree that’s rooted in the centre of the courtyard.
Our rooms and throughout the property feature iconic Australian Art Deco designs of Florence Broadhurst and modern art that blends with the Art Deco chic.
Q: How has business been since you opened last year?
A: The team and I have achieved some great results from our soft launch of the Riad in January 2023.
Within the first six weeks, we became one of the top three most Instagrammable Riads in Marrakech and we reached 80 per cent occupancy within the first two months of opening.
We were also the first property in Marrakech to join the Top Hotels of the World group, receiving a 9/10 review ranking, and we have had media exposure from London to New York.
We have also reached 20k of followers on Instagram organically in 12 months and are still growing, with multiple return bookings from previous guests.
We are very young on our Riad journey and have many more plans up our sleeve. We will be excited to share our expansion plans over the next 12 months.
Q: Travel to North Africa is enjoying a boom. What do you put this down to?
A: People want something magical and exciting, comfortable and luxurious, but yet intimate and personal.
Morocco is a land of contrast with deep history and some of the most Incredible aesthetics. Whenever you ask someone what they think about Morocco, it’s always exotic.
The weather is incredible with more than 306 days of sun throughout the year, complimented by the delightful people and their warmth and hospitable nature.
Committing to a long journey to Morocco is absolutely worth it as the consistency in the weather and the sheer variety of cities and landscapes to experience keep it exciting and yet totally diverse.
Q: Is it a destination that suits every traveller or just certain categories?
A: There is an unmistakable sophistication to Morocco, from budget to absolute luxury and it appeals to everyone.
Morocco has just about everyone covered from surfing to hiking the snow-capped Atlas Mountains. Each city is unique and offers its own colour and vibe with sunsets in the desert on camel rides to mornings in hot air balloons over the palms.
With skilled artisans who are talented and yet humble and offer a wide range of traditional crafts, it’s a shopper’s paradise and the mecca for interior designers.
Q: How important are travel agents to you and how do you work with them?
A: We can accommodate 12 guests in total so we really love working with the boutique travel agents as they tend to share the same personalised service-based tailored experiences that we offer at our Riad.
We offer agent concessions and given our small capacity we ask for deposits upfront and offer reasonable cancellation policies.
Experience is everything and making it personal is what we do best. We pride ourselves on ensuring our guests are not so entrapped with standard mass market tourist routes.
However, we are not for everybody. We offer boutique luxury within an intimate and private space, with no TVs and no room service, which is not everyone’s cup of tea. We are the antithesis of a large hotel, so we don’t operate within the mainstream of mass-market accommodation agents.
Q: I believe sustainability has been a key issue for you?
A: To ensure the residence benefits from modern functionality, every wall, floor and surface was touched during the renovation. We installed new plumbing, electrics and wiring through to foundation reinforcement and everything in between.
The decision to keep the courtyard roof of the Riad open and uncovered all year round was led by the inbuilt sustainable genius of Islamic architectural design.
It was a must in my eyes to maintain the integrity of the traditional architecture and design aesthetics of the central courtyard which not only promotes passive cooling, it also connects the infinite space and light.
The additional greenery in the courtyard adds more to the microclimate, enabling the courtyard space to help moderate the temperature of all guest rooms.
The new pool also enhances the natural cross-ventilation and provides additional humidity and visual delight (with a little nod to the Australian flag).
Q: What’s coming up for Riad Botanica that we should be aware of?
A: I’m excited to introduce retreats Marrakech, a new venture that brings together my deep-rooted connection with Marrakech and my passion for wellness and design/creativity. This business is focused on two primary areas:
1. Wellness Retreats: I’m am working with some of the most inspiring and competent wellness leaders from around the world, supporting them as their person on the ground enabling them to create intimate wellness retreats that are customised for those who feel called to do healing in Marrakech.
2. Interior design & Creative Retreats: Marrakech is a vibrant hub for creativity and has been the muse for some of the world’s best artists, designers and creatives. I am collaborating with designers, stylists and artists to host retreats that inspire.
These retreats feature workshops that delve into design, styling and sourcing, allowing participants to tap into the rich artisan traditions of Marrakech. You can learn more at marrakechretreats.co
I now see myself as an ambassador for Morocco as I’m able to demonstrate and demystify the untruths and break the stereotypes to show people how magical it is.
Vietnam Airlines Competition QUESTION 4
What is the nickname of the London football club, Arsenal?
