As for renovations ro the hotel, "we rebuilr the riad
cntirely, laying !lew foundatjous, yee the burcallcracv
wok longer than fhe building," PrQvast says. T he
building work in rhe 3ncjem (e\Visb Qyarter caused 10-
gistical problems, roo, because of the narrow streets,
noise resrricIjolls and the fact that the building bad to
be knocked down by hand r:!ther than using heavy ma-
chincry. While many people would feel oyerwhelmed by
fhis situation, Provost scemed to cnjoy ir. Powcll de-
scribcs his "incrcdjbJy hard-working" partner as tbc driv-
ing force behind creating whar is DO\\! an exquisite ho-
tel, and says his role is mainly to be rhe "imcrprercr, as
my French is bener than Michele's, and the bandyman".Provost's artistic talent and cxperience in inre-
rior design can be seen everywhere in the horel. She
rook grear trouble to find the best-qualiry funcrional
products from the UK, :md extravagant [[easures from
rhe Medina (the old town) and the surrounding area.
The couple's vision and hard work is pa)'jog off. Since
opening in May 2008, Riad Assakina has reeeived ex-
eellent reviews, has won a number of awards and ais
doing far berrer as a business rhan we cver imagined,"
Powell says.
Following a four-year break from praerising law,
Powell is curreorly in London (bcrweeo rrips tO Moroc-
co) building up his business as a consultanr lawver. He
is a lso looking into broader ro les, such as noo-exccurjye
djrectorshil2s. Provosr manages rhe horel wirh the help
of a loyal team of seven Moroccans, mosr of whom
have been wirh her from the beginning.
Although Provosr hopes ro visir the UK more ofren,
she will stay in Marrakesh, as she has a new challenge
on the horizon. She aims to starr an export business,
seHing horneware and fashion accessories online, and
pcrhaps later ro open a shop in Bath or Cheltenham.
Everything will be designed by her and made by loeal
craftsmen in Morocco.
4,12010
Grant PowellDate of birth: 1 October 1963
Nationality: Sritish (Welsh)Teamwork:
hotel owners
Micheie Pro'lost
and Grant Powell
turned thai,
draam Into realltyCurrent position: coosultant lawyer , hotel owner
(Riad Assakina. Marrakesh: http://www.riadassakina.coml
Work elperience: SQlicilor with Sird & Sird, London
Education and training: law degree, Sristol Univer-
sity; solicitor of the Supreme Court of England and
Wales
languages: Freneh, Spanish and rudimentary Arabic
Hobbies: motor sport, watehing rugby, antie..nt mili-
tary hisloryMicheie ProvostDate of birth: 5 June 1961
Nationality: British
Current position: hotel owner
Work elperience: assistant manager at Hobbs
(women's fashion shop); librarian/design assistant at
an architectural practice; interior-design business
Education and training: ~ in textile design
trom NOl!ingham University
languages: a bit of French and Arabic
Hobbies: currently no time fOT hobbies. but likes draw-
ing, making jewellery, clothes - anything creativeThe eOllple have juSt bought a home in Mon-
mOllthshi re in south Wales, which means thcy are gC(-
ring eloset ro thcir goal of dividing (heir time between
Moroceo, Iraly a nd the UK. Provost says shc was orig-
inally "aiming for haly" when she came to Marrakesh.
They also talk enthusiastieally about living in sourh-
ern Spain or perh aps in [he hisrorie c iry of Essaouira, on
the Moroccan coast. On rhe su bjecr of rhe future,
Miehele ProvOSt says, in [fue Moroccan style: "illM
1.ah., time will tell." []