Two's company

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2 FEBRUARY 2005
1,001 nights, Morocco
If you fancy a touch of the exotic, why not play Sheherazade with your own rose-petal-strewn bedroom and bath in the historic Riad Dar Les Cigognes in the heart of Marrakech. Converted by celebrity architect Charles Boccara from a traditional 17th-century house built around secret courtyards filled with fountains and lemon trees, this little boutique hotel has just 11 rooms and a suite. Each is individually decorated in a Moroccan theme – the Harem Room comes with rich red velvet and a four poster draped in gold cloth, burnished brass lamps, locally woven tapestries, hammered silver mirrors and basins, and ornately carved doors. And just a short walk away are the legendary souks where you can bargain for perfumes, silks and slippers, as well as the theatrical Djemaa El-Fna, which is one of the most exciting squares in the world. Spice up your stay with a hammam, or traditional bath, for two and a candlelit dinner on the rooftop terrace. From there you have breathtaking views as far as the snowcapped Atlas Mountains and it feels like you’re the only people on Earth.

The wow factor, Turkey
For a bit of Turkish delight, hole up in the top-floor suite of the sleek new Hillside Su hotel in the southern resort of Antalya. Architect-designed and 1960s-inspired, it’s already making waves with the jetset, having been named one of the world’s coolest hotels. But it’s the celebration suite that supplies the wow factor. Taking nearly the whole of the top floor, it is called the Nine And A Half Weeks suite, after the sexy film of the same name. Just about everything here comes with a remote control, from music to DVD. You can even change the colour of the lighting to suit your mood. You have your own bar and a huge bathroom, with a big hot tub from which to watch the plasma screen. The jaw-dropper is the wall-to-wall fish tank. With your private terrace and lift, you can do whatever you fancy, safe in the knowledge that only the fish can see you. Opulent and over-the-top, this is one hotel room you’ll never forget.