Staying in Marrakech’s ancient medina can be an enchanting experience if you choose the right riad. What we love about Riad Mena is not only that it is exquisitely designed, with whitewashed interiors, contemporary art and a lush courtyard, its owner is Philomena Schurer Merckoll, one of the city’s most dynamic expats. Raised in London by German-Norwegian parents, she first came to the city in 2005 with her mother. On that trip they bought a property and spent the next decade painstakingly restoring it. Guests at Riad Mena benefit from her inside track to Marrakesh and often get to meet local artists and designer friends –such as Laurence Leenart and her husband Ayoub Boualam, the creative pair behind the wildly popular homeware brand LRNCE and Sana Benzaitar, who runs her eponymous studio selling rugs made by female weavers--- who often pop by when she is there. Schurer Merckoll, who has hosted intimate and exclusive groups of PRIOR members, shares the story of her love affair with the city and its creative circle.
Tell us the story of your first visit to Marrakech. Did you immediately connect to the city and if so why?
I remember first arriving and looking out of the plane window and seeing the dusty terracotta outlines of the Atlas mountains before Marrakech and just thinking how magical Morocco felt even from the air. Obviously, Marrakech was a totally different city back in 2005 but this magical spirit has remained and the exuberant feeling I have each time I arrive has never left. I think it is one of those places you either love or you hate— there is no in between
Why did you decide to open Riad Mena and what was the concept from the start?
I had always been interested in hotels and had the luxury to stay in many amazing places around the world. What always fascinated me was the details, the small touches and experiences that could really make your stay something to remember forever.
In 2014 I decided to open what was originally meant to be our family home as a guesthouse and it took off from the start. I think people were initially drawn to the design which really stood out as something original at the time. A minimalist/modernist take on Moroccan heritage and much more serene in its Color palette than the usual abundance of bright colors elsewhere. (Which I love too!) In a sense there was no concept really, it was just a very personal offering of my version of Marrakech. From the design, to the books in the library, to the people and places I love, I wanted to share that with my guests.
What do you love about the city that makes it different from other cities you know?
First of all it always feels amazing that in just three hours from continental Europe you can arrive in a completely different world. I think it has always felt like an incredibly inspiring city to me. There is a bubbling up of creativity here and it always feels like an attack on your senses, in the best possible way. From the colors, the smells, the sights, the sounds, a total immersion in a sensory and spiritual world.
I also have to say that I always believe it’s the people that make a place and there is a humanity to the way people interact with each other here that feels truly from the heart.
Who are some of the first creatives and artists you met in Marrakech?
One of the first creatives I met was Randall Bachner, the founder of Marrakshi Life. Back then he had just opened a tiny little stall in the souk. It was the very beginnings of what has now become his internationally known slow fashion brand. I also remember first seeing a hand painted plate which I fell in love with which turned out to have been designed by Laurence Leenaert of LRNCE. She has since become a great friend and I am continuously amazed at her endless creativity. She is always working in new mediums with an innate inspiration that never ends.
What makes staying at Riad Mena different? How do you connect your guests to the city?
I think what makes Riad Mena different is the personal touch. From connecting my guests to the best places and people and often when I am staying there too guests end up joining at dinners we have and there is just a flowing feeling to a stay at Mena.
