La Maison Blanche

The riad’s renovation was overseen by renowned French interior designer Regis Milcent, and an artistic atmosphere pervades the place; from rooms named after Henri Matisse to the hand-painted murals on the mezzanine.

La Maison Blanche has just nine guest rooms, each one uniquely designed with its own colour scheme and character. The Ibn Battuta room, named for the great medieval traveller, has a classical Arabian décor complete with an antique metal studded door; the Henri Matisse room features prominent shades of blue in homage to the artist’s famous painting View to Tangiers. Many of the rooms have beautiful shared feature such as Moorish wall arches and exposed ceiling beams.

The only meal served at the riad is breakfast, but chances are you’ll be too full for lunch anyway; this is a vast Moroccan spread, with coffee and mint tea, freshly pressed juice, seasonal fruits such as pomegranate and grapes, raif flatbreads, crepes, croissants, goats’ cheese, home-made jams and home-made peanut and almond butter. Throughout the day, Arabian pastries tea and coffee are available in the patio.

The hotel’s charming central patio features a cosy snug, were you can curl up with a good book and a Moroccan mint tea; another great place to relax is the hand-painted mezzanine. There is also a beautiful roof terrace, where you can enjoy breakfast while taking in views over Tangier’s old Kasbah.

Tangier is a fascinating city. Long a haven for artists and writers, it’s been a meeting point for European and African culture for hundreds of years; in the mid-20^th century, its status as an international zone only added to the intrigue by drawing smugglers and spies in their droves. The historic heart of the medina is right on your doorstep here, with nearby attractions including the 17^th-century