For the couple whose most exotic experience in years was ordering off the menu at the corner curry joint:

Marrakesh, Morocco
Now and then, all relationships need a dose of the strange or unfamiliar. Sorry gentlemen, we're not talking about a threesome. But adding Tabasco to your Sunday-morning omelet isn't gonna cut it, either. Snake charmers, on the other hand, will. Ditto bustling bazaars, centuries-old medinas, faith healers, and soothsayers. Marrakesh is sensuous and beguiling, and can't help but jump-start long-ignored curiosities. You'll need a sanctuary, though. The Riad Lotus Ambre is in the medina and has a traditional Moroccan exterior that hides five eclectic and very mod rooms inside. Guests might be surprised to find Bang & Olufsen entertainment systems and Warhol prints above the beds. Relax after a long day of exploring with a dip in the riad's traditional hammam, then head out to the restaurant Dar Moha for a candlelit meal that may very well include pigeon and live Gnaoua music. It'll be a far cry from the masala back home.

Riad Lotus
Tel 212 44 44 14 06
Fax: 212 44 44 14 07
E-mail: info@riadslotus.com

Dar Moha
Tel: 212 44 38 64 00
E-mail: darmoha@menara.ma