Title: A riad is a traditional Moroccan house
A riad means garden in Arabic, and it is a traditional form of house in Morocco. The spelling can also be ryhad, and they can serve as a house, hotel, restaurant, palace, or guesthouse. All the windows of the riad face inward, toward the patio; the purpose is twofold, to protect from prying eyes and from the heat. True riads are found in the historic centers of old cities, called medinas. We can distinguish 3 types of spaces in a riad: the patio, the solarium or terrace, and the bedrooms.
H1: A riad or ryhad, the ideal guesthouse.
H2: Riads all have a patio at the center of the structure. This patio brings all the freshness sought after in Morocco, as trees and fountains often adorn this space. Beyond its practical side, the patio offers a view of the riad’s openings, the windows with intricately worked stucco surrounds, sculpted plaster, and the large cedar wood doors that impose their style. It is also a harmonious vision of the zellige mosaics used for the fountain or basin in the patio. In short, the patio is a central space, a source of life, and architecturally magnificent.
H2: Riads are inspired by Arab-Andalusian dwellings; the city of Fez, being partly built around the Andalusian quarter, naturally reflects this style in the Fez medina. After the patio, the solarium is another important feature of the riad. This top floor of the ryhad is a level exposed to the sun across the entire surface of the lower floors. Residents of these traditional houses rarely use the terrace during the day, but in the evening, once the sun has set, the sensation is quite pleasant, as materials like bejmat release the heat they have absorbed. For guesthouses, this space can be used in the evening to enjoy pleasant moments in comfortable surroundings.
H2: The last type of rooms we can distinguish are the private areas, the bedrooms. In traditional houses, the toilets and bathrooms tend to be shared. When riads are renovated to become guesthouses, improvements are made for guest comfort by making all bathrooms and toilets private. You will notice several different room sizes; indeed, the large living spaces have generous widths and lengths with high ceilings. Small rooms are tucked into the corners of the riads on half-levels, and guesthouses offer small bedrooms for simple comfort and an attractive price.