New in Marrakech

The palm-lined swimming pool at Ksar Char-Bagh

Marrakech has drawn sophisticated travelers for more than a century. Recently, however, a fresh generation of tastemakers, many of them European, have been buying up the villas of this ancient city in west-central Morocco and turning them into strongholds of contemporary chic. The push for private high-style residences has inspired the emergence of small luxury hotels. This is a new development for Marrakech, where, until now, visitors had to choose between staying at a grand hotel and renting a villa.

Two boutique hotels in particular are making a splash: Riad Farnatchi, located in Marrakech's old Medina district, and Ksar Char-Bagh, nestled in the smart Palmeraie suburb. Combining five-star stylishness, personalized service and innovative design, these petite retreats offer intimate and distinctive bases for Marrakech's most discerning visitors.

The five-suite Riad Farnatchi (perfect for renting in its entirety) occupies three elegant town houses in the Medina's most traditional quarter. Talented British hotelier Jonathan Wix built it as a private residence, but his friend Lynn Perez (the former manager of La Villa des Orangers, Marrakech's only Relais & Châteaux hotel) convinced him that the property would make an exciting addition to the local hotel scene. Wix agreed, and, with Perez as manager, Farnatchi welcomed its first guests this past February.

Like most Marrakech town houses, Farnatchi has an unassuming exterior; its massive wooden door, however, opens to reveal a fantastic interior decor that tastefully reflects the area's heritage. Handwoven mats and local handicrafts adorn the common spaces, but the traditional motif is accented with contemporary bursts of color--a red flowerpot here, a Miró-esque painting there. The suites are artfully appointed, boldly combining simple wooden furniture with stylish objects by Marrakech-based Italian designer Carlo Bancolini. Book Suite 4 for its views of the hotel's two courtyards.

Minimalist chic continues in Farnatchi's dining room, a two-toned space showcasing a beautifully carved stone replace. Chef Aicha Benachir is famous for her pastilla, a sweet pigeon pie spiced with cinnamon.

Best of all, Farnatchi guests benefit from Perez's extensive knowledge of the city. She is particularly gifted at arranging special events, such as candlelit dinners for twenty and camel rides in the desert.

Located some four miles north of the Medina, Ksar Char-Bagh rivals Marrakech's top luxury choices. A small private palace, complete with shallow moat and turreted tower, it sits in the midst of the Palmeraie's almost 30,000-acre date-palm forest, with views of the Chbilet hills and, weather permitting, the Atlas Mountains.

The owners, Parisians Nicole Grandsire LeVillair and Patrick LeVillair, drew inspiration from Moorish architecture to create interiors worth raving about. Visitors are welcomed into a grand entrance hall capped with a dark red dome and opening onto an internal courtyard. The Ksar Char-Bagh also has what must surely be the region's most dramatic ornamental pool: a 100-foot extravaganza flanked by intricately carved arches.

The hotel's twelve suites and two apartments are spacious, with locally made furnishings and, in the bathrooms, smooth, shiny floors of tadlekt, a hand-polished amalgam of plaster and marble. My pick is the Apartment Suite, which has its own pool and great views.

Ksar Char-Bagh's restaurant, which is open to the public, is top-notch too, hailed as one of Marrakech's best. Chef Damien Durand, a young Frenchman who trained under culinary legends Alain Ducasse and Joël Robuchon, has created an imaginative menu including such dishes as crayfish risotto with black truffles, couscous of lamb confit with caramelized vegetables and a white-chocolate mille-feuille with cherry- mousse filling.

Riad Farnatchi's suites range from $330 to $495, depending on the season. 011-212-44-38-49-10; fax: 011-212-44-38-49-13; riadfarnatchi.com. Ksar Char-Bagh's suites range from $680 to $1,055. 011-212-44-32-92-44; fax: 011-212-44-32-92-14; ksarcharbagh.com.