A pool sounds like a small detail until you’re back from the souks at 2pm in July with the temperature past 38°C (100°F). Not every riad has one — the traditional courtyard layout doesn’t always leave room — so this is a shortlist of six that do it well, from a tiny plunge pool that’s become one of the most photographed spots in the city to a three-pool spread inside a converted 19th-century palace.
The Shortlist
Riad Yasmine
Eight rooms built around a turquoise plunge pool ringed in green-and-white zellige and banana plants — it’s small, but it’s the pool most people picture when they think “Marrakech riad.” Books out early in high season.
El Fenn
Three separate pools across eight interconnected riads — a marble-lined courtyard pool, a plunge pool tucked into a leafy corner, and a rooftop pool with Atlas Mountain views. Pick whichever mood fits the afternoon.
Villa des Orangers
Three pools spread across a Relais & Châteaux property built from connected riads, including a rooftop pool with an unobstructed view of the Koutoubia Mosque. The orange-tree-lined courtyards are worth the stay on their own.
Riad Sakkan
A genuinely large courtyard pool for a 12-room riad, heated and bordered in checkerboard tile, in the trendy Mouassine district. Good if you want to swim outside peak summer without shivering through it.
La Sultana Marrakech
A heated pool set inside the Kasbah district, a short walk from the Saadian Tombs, paired with an argan-and-rose spa program that makes the pool feel like one stop on a longer wellness afternoon rather than the whole point.
Riad Anya & Spa
A quieter, more residential stretch of the medina near Sidi Mimoun, with both an indoor and an outdoor pool plus a rooftop jacuzzi — useful if you want a swim regardless of season without paying luxury-tier rates.
Quick FAQ
Do all riads in Marrakech have pools?
No — many smaller, traditional riads don’t have room for one inside their courtyard. If a pool matters, confirm size and whether it’s shared or private before booking.
Are riad pools heated?
Not always. Some larger properties like La Sultana and Riad Sakkan heat theirs; smaller riads often don’t, which mainly matters outside the warmer months.
Which pool is best for photos?
Riad Yasmine’s turquoise, zellige-tiled plunge pool is the most photographed single pool in Marrakech’s riad scene, though it’s small and best visited early in the day before it fills up.