I was lucky enough to stay in the gorgeous Golden Gazelle suite during my stay at Peacock Pavilions in Marrakech. When I returned home, I knew I had to write about this incredible property, and you can read more about it here.

Maryam Montague, owner of Peacock Pavilions, on the outskirts of Marrakech, was inspired by a screen that Armand Albert Rateau made for French fashion designer Jeanne Lanvin’s apartment. So she sought out the handiwork of talented stencilist Melanie Royals for the stunning black-and-gold wall. The rest of the room features curtains made from Indian saris, cushions with Rabat embroidery, Moroccan chairs upholstered in mud cloth from Mali, lanterns from the souks of Marrakech, and a vintage Moroccan rug.

The graceful gazelle, belonging to the antelope species, with its long neck and slender body is often associated in Arabic literature with female beauty. Comparing the gazelle with one’s beloved is a common theme in Arabic literature. Linguists believe ghazal, the Arabic word for love poetry, is related to the word for gazelle. It’s natural then that the Golden Gazelle suite is a perfect place to stay for gypsetting romantics.

O likeness of Layla, never fear!
For I am your friend, today, O wild deer!
Then I say, after freeing her from her fetters:
You are free for the sake of Layla, for ever!

—Arab ruler Caliph Abd al-Malik (646–705), who freed a gazelle he had captured because of her resemblance to his beloved.

Planning a desert escape? Explore boutique stays in Morocco via Booking.com or discover authentic global textiles and vintage Moroccan decor on Chairish.