If you want proof that friendship and finances rarely mix, take a peek inside the Bill Willis Bar at Izza, the art-centred hotel tucked into Marrakech’s ancient medina.

Once you have found the narrow lane which takes you to the riad – look for the green-and-blue carpet leading to the green wooden front door – walk through the lobby with its traditional zellige tiles and mid-century modern couches, past the emerald-green lap pool surrounded by intricately carved stucco walls, through the serene courtyard and on to the compact bar, named for the US-born designer who brought Moroccan style to the world.