SimplyAbuDhabi XIV

2 7 4 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I There are 53 uniquely designed, private riads at the Royal Mansour, each set over three floors and comprising one to four bedrooms. The rooms are arranged around a central open-air courtyard and ours, like the other riads on the property, featured a living room, lobby and outdoor patio on the ground floor. We were delighted with the private roof terrace with a plunge pool – perfect for cooling off after a day in the Moroccan heat. The riads feel distinctive and characterful; the individual decoration and design loses none of the craftsmanship of the communal areas. Beautiful furnishings and quality fabrics abound to create a homely, traditional feel but with the clever, unobtrusive inclusion of state-of-the-art technology – like the ingenious open roofs that close at the merest hint of rain, or the touch panel controls on the wall. The overwhelming feeling we got as we set off to explore was one of pure indulgent quality. The fusion of traditional architectural details and luxurious flourishes created a balance of calmness, serenity and coolness, juxtaposed with the rich, warmpalette of traditional Moroccan colour, tomake you feel utterly alive and fortified by it all. The simply stunning ceramic tile work and fabulously carved wooden details continued the theme of symmetry from the courtyard, reminiscent of the traditional Moorish architecture typical of North Africa, Spain or Portugal.