When planning a vacation, there is one solitary and inescapable choice to be made: Are you seeking a lively and thrilling trip to an action-packed metropolis or rather an escape from one, filled with days lounging by the water, spa treatments, and the priceless sound of silence?

The choice is rarely easy. But there are a handful of destinations that allow visitors to experience both ends of the spectrum, depending on their mood that day. 

While Marrakech, Morocco may summon imagery of bustling streets or colorful, energetic markets filled with spices and artisanal goods, El Fenn provides a charmingly hidden yet surprisingly sprawling 42-room oasis in the city’s heart of Medina. Moreover, it’s far closer to Europe’s capitals than one might think—only about three hours from Paris, for example. 

Stretching across two acres, the 20-year-old establishment is made up of 13 interconnected riads that act as a bit of a fortress against the exciting fervor of the famous neighborhood’s narrow and winding alleys, filled with souks and buildings painted with the nation’s traditional earthen tones of ochre, deep reds, and sandy browns. While the hotel draws inspiration from its surroundings in color and architecture, its visual vibrancy is contrasted with a peaceful air of tranquility that descends upon guests the moment they enter. 

The rooms, each uniquely decorated with art from the owners’ personal collections and situated within the various nooks and crannies throughout El Fenn, mirror the hotel’s impeccable design, which blends Moroccan themes with Wes Anderson-like quirkiness, demonstrating the establishment’s enchanting and intriguing personality.

For creatives seeking an inspiring yet serene escape, it doesn’t get much more apt than El Fenn—a truly extraordinary meeting place between stillness and urban movement. An ideal day, for example, might consist of breakfast in the shade by the pool on the ground floor (one of three total on the premises), followed by some reading or writing on the rooftop with a strong cup of Moroccan coffee (or an even stronger glass of peach spritz, should one choose), a delicious lunch of lamb kofta or seasonal citrus-filled salad, a personalized treatment at the hotel’s gem of a spa, perhaps an afternoon nap (the heat is lovely when by a pool but still fatiguing), a walk throughout the town for a bit of can’t-be-missed shopping, and finally heading back to the rooftop for some Moroccan wine and a hearty bed-time meal. 

It seems that, increasingly, travelers’ needs are becoming more bespoke. The popularity of both El Fenn and Marrakech comes, in part, from their unique versatility and ability to address this. You are as likely to be passed on the street by a donkey as you are a Rolls-Royce; being a fairly religious country, skin might be completely covered in certain establishments whereas belly dancers are a staple of other hotspots around town. Even the height of August heat—which according to a local set two iPhones on fire in the city during this writer’s stay—is met with a staggering amount of pools and sprayed scented water throughout. You never know what you’ll get, and that’s perhaps the biggest allure. 

For those seeking something between a decompression and an adventure, El Fenn won’t disappoint.