Riad Dar-k Marrakech

Marrakech town is an energetic mix of narrow medina roads in fifty shades of pink, rumbling motorcycles, laughing youths, hungry cats lurking around the fragrant barbeuce meat stands, bright gleaming smiles, warm eyes and calls for a good price that follow your every move. If you stand still, the city still moves past you, and it is this energy that sweeps you up and makes you feel truly alive.

We arrived late at the airport nearing midnight and a driver is waiting for us with the beacon sign of Riad Dar K. We maneuvered past other cars filled with weary travelers, and sped into the night towards Marrakech town. The driver dropped us off as close as he could get with the car, the rest of the way is walking only. Meandering through the narrow streets, even at night time there is a buzz of activity and energy, late night kebab stands still feeding jovial patrons. After about ten minutes, you arrive at Riad Dar-k. You open the door into the riad, and as it closes behind you a feeling of serenity and calm envelops you. The combination of the white interiors with dark gray painted accents portrays a meditative beauty. Stillness from the outside in.

The owner of Riad Dar-k, Valentin Bentz, tells us the story of acquiring the special riad and why it is such a significant place.

WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY WORKHOUSE COLLECTIVE

How and why did you end up in Marrakesh?

With my wife Sibel, we fell in love with Marrakech 15 years ago. We are both French, there is no explanation to this, a first trip, then another… And this puzzling feeling to be at the right place. We travel a lot in our life, but there is no place where we feel as good as when we are in Marrakech.

What was the catalyst - the starting point for Riad Dar-k?

We were at a point in our life when we started to think about a new real estate project. A normal French family would have thought about buying a nice Mas in the South of France, but with the special connection we have with Morocco, the idea came to investigate buying something in Marrakech!

What elements of design were important to you when designing Riad Dar-k?

An important part of why we fell in love with Riad Dar-K was its existing aesthetic. Simple, minimal and elegant. It had been created 10 years ago by a famous Belgian architect, Quentin Wilbaux, living in the Medina, who designed a lot of Riads in Marrakech. His philosophy is all about authenticity and staying true to the Moroccan culture, which immediately connected to our own state of mind. The first visit was 15 minutes, we didn’t even see half of the Riad, and we sent an offer the day after.

What is it about this place that makes you the happiest?

What makes us really happy with this place is the magic that comes out of it. We see in the eyes of all our customers the same thing that we felt entering the Riad Dar-K for the first time. There are no gimmicks, no cliché, it’s true to the local culture, and makes you immediately feel at home. By the way, Dar-K in Darija means "your home".

What have been some defining moments of your life that have made you who you are?

I guess all of them! We have a rich family story with my wife, she is having Turkish origins, me from France, we adopted a marvelous little girl in Vietnam 10 years ago, we live the main part of the year in Switzerland and fell in love with Morocco (The best of two worlds!). We feel we simply belong to the world, and I guess this way to see our life through travels and abroad experiences kept us out of our comfort zone, keeping on learning and moving forward. On top of "moments", I would say that it’s as well the people I had the chance to meet in my life who made me who I am today. I learnt a lot, and I’m still learning everyday.

Where do you go to get inspired?

The most inspiring moments of my life are often moments of true calm and simplicity, being lost in the mountains of Switzerland, or in the silence of the Morrocon desert. Calm is bringing me energy and let me build my vision. Rare moments in a fast moving world. On top, I find more and more inspiration in art, visiting museums, or in the street/fashion culture. I love to understand the new trends in music, fashion, or luxury and then express them my way at Riad Dar-K.

How would you spend your perfect day in Marrakech?

The perfect day for sure starts with a breakfast at Riad Dar-K! In the fresh patio or under the berber tent, this is the moment when we think about new projects, decoration for the Riad. Feeling the morning sun of Marrakech is always something very unique. And the food is delicious! I would then move through the souk to Jemaa El Fnaa for a coffee and buy some fresh ingredients at the market. For the afternoon, I would look after a bit of calm, out of the Medina. Maybe drive to Oumnas close to the Atlas Mountains, to the Takkerkoust barrage, or even join one of the few historical palaces of the Palmeraie to enjoy a tea in the garden. Only the birds could disturb you. On my way back to the Medina, I would stop into a souk to find some antique Berber treasures, all the decor here is always a temptation to enrich the decoration of Riad Dar-K. The evening could be at the Riad or enjoying great food and one of the thousand great restaurants of Marrakech, but one moment I would never miss is the sunset on Riad Dar-K terrace, our view to the sun with a few palms and surrounded by the prayer makes it a very unique moment to enjoy.

Where do you go to get inspired?

The most inspiring moments of my life are often moments of true calm and simplicity, being lost in the mountains of Switzerland, or in the silence of the Morrocon desert. Calm is bringing me energy and let me build my vision. Rare moments in a fast moving world. On top, I find more and more inspiration in art, visiting museums, or in the street/fashion culture. I love to understand the new trends in music, fashion, or luxury and then express them my way at Riad Dar-K.

What is the best advice you’ve ever received?

Listen, and stay curious about everything.

What do you see happening in the future of travel?

We clearly see a trend for the travelers to live authentic and real local experiences. Of course, there will always be a place for all inclusive, and packaged travel, but more and more people want to open themselves to the culture of the country welcoming them, tasting the real food, meeting the real people, discovering the real places, often out of the touristic path. Of course, the problem is that then this way becomes touristic too, and you already see a lot of "proclaimed Instagram influencers" offering tours through Morocco, which you can easily do by yourself for cheaper and with the pleasure to search, find and experience. But Morocco is so rich, from the sea, to the desert, there are thousand of ways to experience it, which is why it attracts so many people every year.