The snow-capped High Atlas Mountains are a dramatic backdrop, and framed by the red desert, Marrakech is like a city that time seems to have forgotten.

The huge Djemaa el-Fna market square at dusk feels almost medieval, as soothsayers, apothecaries, musicians, and acrobats entertain the huge crowds of locals and tourists alike, and foodstalls miraculously spring up out of nowhere to sell everything from fresh orange juice to rich tagines.

The key to enjoying Marrakech to the full is choosing the right place to stay, and it can be extremely difficult to keep track of which riads and hotels are any good in the seemingly never-ending blizzard of new openings. Original Travel visit the city at least a couple of times a year to keep tabs on the new 'in' places and old favourites alike so you can be sure to find the place that's right for you - be that a five-star deluxe hotel in the desert outside the city or a tiny privately-owned riad right in the heart of the medina.