As you may have gathered I love architecture and interior design. I find it endlessly fascinating the way that we build differently in different places, how e make use of local material, and how and why we decorate. I wonder about where our influences come from, and how those travel across time and countries. Part of the reason for coming to Morocco was to see more of the very distinctive architecture here, which is such a feature of so many wonderful places in Spain as well.

I chose my current hotel in Casablanca almost exclusively on it decorative style. I did also look at budget and location, but it was too good to pass up the opportunity of staying somewhere that looks like a combination of all of the lovely places that I have visited.

The Moroccan House Hotel does not look like an architectural gem from the outside. Especially as today Casablanca is 14 degrees, dull and wet, such a contrast to all the blue sky pictures I have been posting.

So, I have taken the opportunity to have a relaxing day in, reading and writing, and hopefully will resume adventures tomorrow. Yesterday was a long day of travelling, through some amazing countryside.

It had me wondering whether the incredible decoration in countries like Morocco, and many others that have quite harsh landscapes, is a direct contrast to what is outside. I know that not all of Morocco is desert, but yesterday there were miles of the same colours, pale browns, oranges and yellows of the earth with the little bits of green of the trees and crops.

You come into the hotel through an impressive door though, straight into the extravagantly tiled lobby.

The middle of the upper floors has a central courtyard, as traditional riads do, with the rooms arranged around this. Suspended in this is a huge hanging lamp, and all around are plasterwork friezes.

I had breakfast here today, this is the mezzanine restaurant, overlooking the hotel lobby. I can’t get over the detail that is in every part of the place, the pillars, the ceilings, such an amazing work of art.

Even my room has the same level of detail, with a stunning plasterwork frieze, so much nicer than boring British coving! I love the room doors as well.

Sadly I only have a very ordinary bathroom, no fully tiled hamman, though there is one in the hotel. That would have been amazing.

Part of the reason for choosing Casablanca as one of my stops was that it has a lot of wonderful Art Deco architecture, so that is on the itinerary for when the sun comes back out.

People often ask me what I do when I travel for so long. It depends on the location, rural ones I spend way too long looking at the clouds 😉 and city ones I spend so much time just wandering, and looking up. It is very important to look up as otherwise you miss so much amazing architecture.

Fingers crossed the forecast will be right, and I will return in a few days with lots of 1920s loveliness for you. Until then have fun, take care, stay safe and thanks for visiting.