There are plenty of beautiful riads in Marrakech.
But every now and then, a journalist, television crew or traveller discovers something about Riad Star that makes them want to tell its story.
Since we opened our doors, Riad Star has appeared in newspapers and magazines around the world, on radio and television, and most recently in The Times, which included us in its selection of the 16 best riads in Marrakech.
For us, the nicest thing about this isn’t simply seeing the name “Riad Star” in print.
It is seeing the story of the house continue to travel.
A little house with a big story
Riad Star is hidden behind an unassuming door in the Marrakech Medina.
Inside is a traditional Moroccan house with carved plasterwork, zellij tiles, a courtyard pool, a hammam, a roof terrace and rooms filled with a mixture of Moroccan craftsmanship and Art Deco touches.
But there is another reason the house has attracted so much attention.
In the 1940s, the house was associated with Josephine Baker, the legendary American-born performer who became one of the great stars of Paris and an important figure in the history of civil rights.
Her connection with Marrakech has become part of the soul of Riad Star.
The house still contains memorabilia inspired by her world, including Parisian music-hall pieces and vintage costumes, and the rooms reflect the Jazz Age atmosphere that surrounds her story.
It is this unusual combination of Moroccan architecture, Art Deco and history that has caught the imagination of so many writers over the years.
The Times — 2026
16 of the best riads in Marrakesh
Our latest piece of press came in September 2026, when The Times included Riad Star in its selection of 16 of the best riads in Marrakech.
The article describes Riad Star as a place for Art Deco enthusiasts, highlighting the bone-white carved plasterwork, traditional Moroccan craftsmanship and the playful Art Deco details throughout the house.
It also tells the story of Josephine Baker and mentions the Parisian music-hall memorabilia, vintage costumes, rooftop terrace and traditional hammam.
Most importantly, it recognises something we have always hoped people would feel when they arrive here: that Riad Star is not simply a hotel, but a house with a personality and a story.
[Read the article in The Times →]
ITV — Gordon, Gino & Fred
Three unwise men followed the Star
In December 2019, three very famous visitors arrived at Riad Star.
Gordon Ramsay, Gino D’Acampo and Fred Sirieix came to Marrakech as part of ITV’s Gordon, Gino & Fred: Christmas Road Trip – Three Unwise Men.
Their Moroccan adventure took them across the country before finishing at Riad Star in the Marrakech Medina.
And rather than simply checking into their rooms, the three chefs did what they do best.
They cooked.
The trio used the Riad Star cookery school to prepare a festive feast inspired by their journey through Morocco, before enjoying the results on the roof terrace in the December sunshine.
The programme was produced by Studio Ramsay and broadcast on ITV on 23 December 2019.
For our team, having the production at the riad was quite an experience. We worked with the production team to prepare the shoot and watched Riad Star temporarily transform into a television set.
There was plenty happening behind the scenes, but the result was wonderfully simple:
Gordon, Gino and Fred cooking at Riad Star in Marrakech.
And yes, we still think the roof terrace looked rather good on television.
Condé Nast Traveller — 2013
And all that jazz
One of the earliest major pieces about Riad Star appeared in Condé Nast Traveller in December 2013, shortly after we opened.
The article, titled “And all that jazz”, explored the history of the house and its connection with Josephine Baker.
It described the Art Deco woodwork and arches, hammam, dipping pools and roof terrace, as well as the collection of memorabilia and vintage costumes.
It was one of the first times that the story of Riad Star reached an international audience.
And we rather liked the description of the house as a place where Moroccan tradition meets the glamour of the Jazz Age.
The Guardian — 2013
Art houses: Marrakech riads and hotels with bags of style
In November 2013, The Guardian included Riad Star in its feature on Marrakech riads and hotels with distinctive style.
The article described the house as recalling the city’s golden age and highlighted Josephine Baker’s connection with the property.
It also picked out some of the details that make Riad Star unusual, including the Jazz Age-inspired rooms, costumes and old black-and-white films projected around the courtyard.
The piece appeared just a few months after the riad opened, making it part of Riad Star’s early story.
The New York Times
A quiet and cosseting retreat
Riad Star has also appeared in The New York Times, where travel writer Elaine Glusac wrote about the riad’s position in the pedestrianised heart of the Medina.
The article described Riad Star as a peaceful retreat from the busy streets outside and noted both its celebrity history and the personal service.
For us, the connection with New York feels particularly appropriate.
Josephine Baker’s story is deeply connected with the city, and over the years Riad Star has also developed a friendship with her son, Jean-Claude Baker, and the legendary New York restaurant Chez Josephine.
So seeing Riad Star in the pages of The New York Times felt like another chapter in a story that had already travelled a very long way.
National Geographic Traveller
Marrakech through a different lens
Riad Star has also been featured in National Geographic Traveller UK as part of its coverage of Marrakech.
The feature explored the city’s riads and the way traditional Moroccan houses have been transformed into places for travellers to stay.
Riad Star was highlighted for its restoration, carved plasterwork, period costumes and Josephine Baker connection.
For us, this is one of the things we love about Marrakech: behind almost every door there is another story.
The Observer
Art Deco in the Medina
The Observer also featured Riad Star in its coverage of Marrakech.
The article described the house as Josephine Baker’s former home and highlighted the mixture of traditional Moroccan style and Art Deco influences.
It also mentioned the Parisian music-hall memorabilia and dressing-up box — something that has become one of the more playful features of Riad Star.
Because while the history of the house is important to us, we have never wanted the riad to feel like a museum.
It is still a place to stay, eat, relax, swim, cook and enjoy Marrakech.
London Evening Standard
A dash of glamour in the Medina
Around the time Riad Star opened, the London Evening Standard wrote about the new riad and its Josephine Baker connection.
The article highlighted the Charleston and Paris suites, the Jazz Age inspiration and the vintage dressing-up box.
It also picked up on one of the things that has always been central to Riad Star: the idea that a traditional Marrakech riad can have a little bit of theatricality.
After all, if you are going to stay somewhere with a connection to Josephine Baker, perhaps a little glamour is appropriate.
CNN
The story of the Marrakech Medina
Riad Star was also featured by CNN African Voices in a programme exploring the architecture and history of the Marrakech Medina.
The Medina is one of the reasons we love being here.
It is chaotic, beautiful, confusing, noisy, atmospheric and constantly changing.
And then you walk through the door of a riad and everything becomes quiet.
That contrast is one of the defining experiences of staying in the old city.
BBC Radio
Broadcasting from Riad Star
Riad Star has even been the setting for a BBC radio broadcast.
Travel broadcaster Andy Mossack broadcast from the riad for his Where in the World is Andy? feature.
His review captured the sense of escape that many of our guests experience when they arrive at Riad Star after walking through the busy streets of the Medina.
We particularly like the idea that a place in the middle of one of the world’s most atmospheric cities can still feel like a private little world.
AFAR
Discovering Riad Star
Travel publication AFAR has also featured Riad Star, exploring the property, its restoration, its history and the Josephine Baker connection.
The article highlights the individual character of the rooms, the courtyard, hammam, cookery school and roof terrace.
These are all things that remain central to the experience of staying here today.
More than a hotel
Looking back at all these articles, there is a common thread.
Journalists have written about the architecture.
They have written about Josephine Baker.
They have written about the Art Deco details.
They have written about the food, the roof terrace, the hammam and the Medina.
And, occasionally, they have written about the slightly eccentric things that make Riad Star feel like Riad Star.
But the thing we like most is that the house continues to evolve.
The rooms have changed.
The collection has grown.
The cookery school has welcomed countless guests — and, on one memorable occasion, Gordon, Gino and Fred.
The roof terrace has hosted breakfasts, dinners and television crews.
And the Medina outside our door has continued to do what it has been doing for hundreds of years: changing every day while somehow remaining completely itself.
A story that began long before Riad Star
The press coverage is only one part of the story.
Riad Star existed as a house long before it became a boutique riad.
And its most famous former resident, Josephine Baker, lived a life that was extraordinary long before anyone was writing about Riad Star.
Her connection with Marrakech during the 1940s is one of the reasons we became so fascinated by the history of this house.
When we restored Riad Star, we didn’t want to erase that history.
We wanted to live alongside it.
So today you will find Moroccan craftsmanship alongside Art Deco details, old photographs alongside contemporary comforts, and a little bit of Parisian music-hall history tucked away inside a traditional house in the Marrakech Medina.
Perhaps that is why the story keeps attracting attention.
And now, The Times
More than a decade after opening our doors, we are delighted that The Times has included Riad Star among its 16 best riads in Marrakech.
From the first articles in Condé Nast Traveller and The Guardian, through The New York Times, The Observer, National Geographic Traveller, CNN and the BBC, to Gordon, Gino & Fred arriving with their cameras and finally the latest recognition from The Times, the story has travelled much further than we ever expected.
We are incredibly grateful to every journalist, photographer, broadcaster, production team and guest who has helped tell it.
But ultimately, the best way to understand Riad Star is still the old-fashioned way.
Come through the door.
Walk into the courtyard.
Look up at the plasterwork.
Have a cup of mint tea
Cook something in our kitchen.
Sit on the roof at sunset.
And perhaps, for a moment, imagine Josephine Baker walking through the same house many decades ago.
Everyone is a Star at Riad Star.
Riad Star, Marrakech
A historic boutique riad in the heart of the Marrakech Medina.
14 rooms · Courtyard pool · Hammam · Cookery school · Rooftop terrace · Josephine Baker history