NOBU HOTEL & RIAD, MARRAKECH, MOROCCO

Posted in Projects on 2 April, 2025

Following the success of Nobu Hotel Marrakech, Nobu Riad becomes the brand’s second site of luxury in the city, this time in the heart of the Medina.

Words by Jess Miles.

Nobu may be a household name today, best known for its ultra-luxe Japanese restaurants, but its beginnings were much more organic. What started as a single restaurant in New York’s TriBeCa – after a persistent Robert De Niro convinced chef Nobu Matsuhisa to set up shop in his hometown – has evolved into a hospitality empire where fine dining, exceptional service, and luxury stays come together. A pioneering approach to Japanese dining with a Peruvian twist, set in upscale design-led spaces, naturally possesses quite the appeal – making building the restaurant brand feel almost inevitable. But noticing the increasing success of hotels that became home to a Nobu restaurant was the switch that changed the game and led to the first Nobu Hotel in Las Vegas in 2013.

Nobu Hotel Marrakech. Miyabi Suite. Photographs courtesy of Nobu Hospitality.

Today, Nobu Hospitality operates nearly 20 hotels, with just as many – if not more – in a fast-accelerating pipeline across global destinations. No two hotels are the same; each one designed to reflect its locale while maintaining that unmistakable Nobu thread of minimalism, refinement, and of course, a first-class culinary offering. In Marrakech, its African debut is no exception. Located in the heart of the city’s Golden Triangle, in the upscale Hivernage district, Nobu Hotel Marrakech makes a statement with its distinctive red rotunda – a bold contrast to its square-cut neighbours and surrounding phone poles ever so chicly disguised as palm trees.

From the outset, it oozes style, with a lively buzz cascading down from the rooftop. As you tilt your head to catch a glimpse of the action above, one thing is for certain – like any Nobu establishment, this is the place to see and be seen.

Formerly known as The Pearl, the 71-suite hotel was given a new lease of life through its collaboration with Nobu Hospitality, bringing a sense of Japanese precision to its Moroccan foundations. The 2,000 m2 subterranean spa had long been a draw, but the addition of the 360o panoramic rooftop pool deck, restaurant and bar – lined with beach club style cabanas and swinging rattan seating – alongside the brand’s signature namesake restaurant, reframed the hotel as a destination in itself, effortlessly slotting into the city’s evolving luxury landscape. To boot, the hotel is also home to a beauty and hair salon, has no less than three swimming pools, and has resident Louis Vuitton and DSquared stores.

The brand’s signature namesake restaurant.

The hotel’s refreshed interiors strike a delicate balance between Nobu’s clean aesthetic and the rich, textural heritage of Marrakech, making the spaces feel neither transplanted nor overly thematic. The lobby serves as a striking introduction, melding the two cultures with ease. Designed like a traditional Riad with a modern twist, it forms the heart of the building – an indoor-outdoor courtyard circling round with the building’s unique architecture. A towering bonsai tree creates a calming focal point around pillared columns topped with carved stucco zellij climbing three balconied floors above – where little birds can be spotted flitting and tweeting between. Off the main space, corridors branch out to public areas, while discreet lifts lead up to the suites above.

Ranging from the 46m² Junior Suite to the expansive 220m² Nobu Suite – which boasts a separate dining area and private veranda – each suite follows a cohesive design language. A palette of breezy neutrals, punctuated by sun-kissed Moroccan pinks and deep Oriental reds, softens remnants of The Pearl’s previously all-aubergine colour scheme. Sleek dark wooden wardrobes and wall panels studded or carved with subtle star motifs add a quiet nod to Moroccan craftsmanship, while full-wall Japanese abstract artworks behind the beds serve as bold statement pieces and make the spaces unmistakably Nobu.

Riad courtyard and Junior Suite.

Riad Junior Suite

But if one of the 71 suites isn’t quite special enough, beyond the main hotel, Nobu has extended its presence in Marrakech with something even more exclusive – the Nobu Riad. As a standalone 6-suite private residence, it distils the brand’s signature luxury into an intimate, high-end retreat where seclusion and service take centre stage in a quintessentially Moroccan setting. Moving beyond the traditional hotel experience, it offers an entirely elevated take on Nobu’s hospitality – and a complete brand first – tailored for those seeking a bespoke, discreet experience, a step closer to the action within the bustling Medina.

Riad rooftop overview and Junior Suite

Just a five-minute drive from the hotel, the 400-year-old riad is everything you’d expect from a stay in the Medina – tucked down a narrow, cobbled street flanked by orange trees, just steps from the souks where motorbikes weave effortlessly through the maze-like alleys. Here, there’s no red carpet or grand entrance – just a heavy, brass-studded wooden door, discreetly set into the high street wall. If not for the illuminated Nobu insignia above it, stepping inside feels like gaining access to one of the city’s best-kept secrets – but then again, perhaps you have.

Riad Suite decor.

Designed for groups of up to 12, the riad spans three floors, giving guests exclusive run of the place – from the spacious living and dining areas to a cosy library, a rooftop pool terrace, a private courtyard, and a traditional hammam spa, all in addition to its uniquely appointed suites. Greeted in the reception nook, the Riad butler is on hand around the clock, arranging everything from chauffeurs to private excursions with an ease that makes plans feel like afterthoughts. Each morning, a private chef prepares breakfast to order, while in the evenings, the full Nobu dining experience can be brought to the Riad, making dinner an intimate affair.

Continuing through, the space opens up to the serene 150m² internal courtyard, where a water fountain trickles softly setting the tone for the retreat within. It’s almost essential to pause for a moment of quiet wonder here – gazing up at the open sky before studying the intricate heritage architecture, framed by cascading greenery spilling over balconies. Once the 19th-century home of a wealthy merchant, the property’s transformation has been a true labour of love, with the renovation spanning nearly four years – the same timeframe often dedicated to an entire hotel.

Nobu Hotel Marrakech is the place to see and be seen.

Every detail has been carefully considered, with locally sourced natural materials, time-honoured craftsmanship and traditional building methods ensuring the riad’s heritage remains at its heart. Original carved wooden doors and balcony fronts have been stripped back and restored to their former glory, while centuries-old tilework has been delicately refreshed – replicas filling in where pieces were lost to time.

The design follows the unhurried rhythm of the stay, embracing an eclectic minimalism that fuses Marrakech’s renowned artisanship with a calm Japanese ethos. Like the hotel, it is a balance of both cultures, but here, heritage leads – shaped by the riad’s traditional architecture rather than the hotel’s contemporary rotunda.

Throughout the spaces, Berber artefacts, handcrafted pottery and antique woven textiles sit against earthy neutral palettes and smooth tadelakt plaster walls. While a shared aesthetic ties them together, each suite is defined by its own collection of handwoven textiles and curated objects, giving every space a distinct personality. All boast their own fireplaces and en-suite bathrooms, though the master suite is particularly special. Tucked away on the top floor, facing the courtyard, it opens into a private seating area separated from the raised sleeping space by a raw brick partition. A circular opening carved through the wall offers a quiet glimpse from the bed out into the riad – a framing of space that feels both intimate and expansive at once.

Up on the rooftop terrace, the city unfolds in every direction – the distant hum of the Medina, the call to prayer carrying on the breeze, the soft glow of lanterns flickering to life as dusk settles in. Whether watching the sunrise spill across the rooftops or kicking off the night with a cocktail under the stars, Nobu’s presence in Marrakech feels like a seamless fit. With the hotel offering a glitzy venue to match the city’s energy, and the Riad bringing an entirely new level of exclusivity in the heart of the Medina, Nobu’s expansion into Morocco is setting a new benchmark for the brand’s ever-growing global footprint.