A sumptous 19 century noble house turned boutique hotel in the medina of Rabat. 

A few years back, Rabat was mereley a stop on the way from Casablanca to Meknes or Fes. Not anymore. With the opening of Mohamed 6 Museum of Modern Art in 2015, that brought Picasso, Goya and Giacometti to Morocco for the first time, Mawazine Festival and the Grand Theatre due to open in the near future, Rabat is poised to become Morocco’s capital of culture. And the local hotels are following suit. Dozens of new riads have sprouted encouraged by a new clientele in the past decade. We can tell you we have tried quite a few over the years with various results, but Riad Kalaa and its sister riads have always proven consistent.

David, the owner, was faced with the challenges of constantly adding new rooms and there have been a few bumps along the road. Presently he sails a pretty tight ship. What makes Riad Kalaa unique ? First of all, the architecture of this 19th century noble house turned riad is nothing short of sumptuous. The arcades and collonades are lime stone, unlike the riads of Fes and Marrakech. The 11 rooms and suites are cast on 3 floors, with rates for every pocket. Some suites are on two levels with a downstairs lounge and the spiral staircase is narrow – not ideal for people with reduced mobility. The roof terrace offers breath- taking views and wait until you discover that pool… The cuisine is delicious and they have a full menu on site – you can order fresh fish and sea food, a welcome change sometimes from the ubiquitous tagines. There’s a good selection of Moroccan wines on site to choose from. Best visited all year round.