The World’s Smallest Jazz Club Has Opened Inside a Hotel Lift in Marrakech
Tucked away in the winding streets of Marrakech’s historic medina, a short walk from the Jemaa el-Fnaa, a hotel lift has been transformed into what is now being billed as the world’s smallest jazz club, offering a private saxophone performance that lasts exactly as long as the journey between floors. The Jazz Lift is the newest addition to Riad Monceau, and pictures and video of the attraction show a saxophonist playing inside the lift while a traveller enjoys a cocktail just inches away.
With a specially designed interior and a gold plaque declaring it the “world’s smallest jazz club”, the lift takes the idea of an intimate gig to an entirely new level, and while most jazz clubs promise a whole evening of entertainment, this one condenses the experience into a single ride between floors. The opening is a natural extension of the hotel’s existing relationship with live music, which has become central to the identity of Riad Monceau.
For anyone unfamiliar with the property, Riad Monceau Collection is a Marrakech-based hospitality group that was founded more than two decades ago and now operates boutique accommodation, restaurants, bars and a traditional hammam and spa within the medina, close to Jemaa el-Fnaa. The collection comprises of Riad Monceau hotel itself, the La Pergola rooftop restaurant, Le Bistro Arabe and the Caravan cocktail bar, and live jazz forms a central part of its cultural programming.
That musical identity is anchored by Black Experience, the collection’s resident five-piece band, whose sound blends traditional Moroccan Gnawa music with jazz, blues, ragtime and gospel. The band performs regularly at Le Bistro Arabe, where dinner is served alongside live jazz in the hotel’s central courtyard, and the evening can continue upstairs at La Pergola, the rooftop bar, where cocktails are served with views across the medina, or at Caravan, which offers another setting for drinks and late-night entertainment. Taken together, these venues make Riad Monceau as much a destination for dining, drinks and live music as it is a place to stay.
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The new jazz lift adds another layer to this already music-led experience, bringing live entertainment into one of the hotel’s most unexpected spaces. Marc Antoine, founder of Riad Monceau Collection, said: “Jazz is part of the soul of Riad Monceau. It fills our courtyard, drifts up to the rooftop and shapes the atmosphere throughout the Collection. “We wanted to have a little fun with that idea and show that, here, you can discover live music in the most unexpected places. “The Jazz Lift might be the smallest club you’ll ever visit, but it’s part of a much bigger experience. We want guests to feel that every corner of Riad Monceau has something to discover, whether that’s a performance, a beautiful setting or an unforgettable evening.”
With just 10 rooms and suites, Riad Monceau offers a more intimate way to experience Marrakech’s historic medina, combining traditional Moroccan interiors with a courtyard swimming pool, rooftop cocktails, a hammam and evenings of live jazz at Le Bistro Arabe. Just a short walk from Jemaa el-Fnaa, it’s a well-placed choice for exploring the souks and historic sights by day, before returning to a riad where dinner, drinks and live music are all part of the experience.
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