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Pacha Marrakesh
Pacha Ibiza was the prototype for this enormous disco, but Marrakesh has smashed that mould with its own international DJ line-up playing to huge weekend influxes Casablanca hipsters and raging Rabatis. The complex includes two restaurants, the very cool Chill-Out lounge bar, and a pool where you can lounge in the afternoon (daytime entry around DH150 ) until the party starts.
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Piano Bar Les Jardins De La Koutoubia
How often has the long-suffering pianist heard 'Play it again, Sam'? Probably too many to count, but he'll gamely play 'As Time Goes By' anyway, because it's that sort of classy joint. Like the fabulous hotel lobby, the décor here is all restrained Moroccan modernity, from its natural cedar ceilings to the plush Berber carpets - a fine place to unwind after your tour of duty in the souqs. Alcohol is served.
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Restaurant/Bar Du Grand Hotel Tazi
For those who object to an around DH40 bottle of beer as a matter of proletarian principle, this place serves the cheapest in town at around DH25 to throngs of like-minded travellers and Marrakshis just off work in the souqs. The tales take a turn for the outrageous as the evening wears on, but then some of us enjoy that kind of thing.
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Soukara
To kill time in style while waiting for a performance at the nearby Théâtre Royal - or train or Supratour bus around the corner - enjoy mint tea on the patio or a little something stiffer on the terrace. The combination of trendy Moroccan Zen décor and better prices than most Nouvelle Ville bars lures in the young Marrakshi set, who slyly check each other out at afternoon meetings of thinly disguised 'study groups' and make their moves over happy hour.
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Théâtre Royal
Twenty-five years in the making, the Théâtre Royal is a sore subject for Marrakshis still waiting for a completed interior - apparently the work wasn't done to specifications, the money's gone, and the whole legal ordeal's become a monumental embarrassment. Meanwhile regular performances are held in a Carthage-style outdoor amphitheatre with hard seats but terrific acoustics.
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Vip
Head through the '80s fuchsia neon entryway, and you'll find two venues for the price of one: a disco that gets the party started with high-energy techno, and a cabaret where musicians pound out raucous Rai-Gnaoua-Chaabi fusion. The crowd is gay-friendly and fashion conscious, though some bar lurkers are working more than a look.
