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Why I chose to stay in a Riad in Marrakech.

When choosing somewhere to stay in Marrakech,  I knew for me, that it had to be a riad. There are thousands of them all over the medina, each unique in their styling, but all offering proximity to most must-sees of the city as well as a real glimpse into the life inside a Berber home, and because they are traditional homes, it means they are small, with 3-10 bedrooms per riad. This means the level of service and attention you receive is excellent and personal.

Riad comes from the Arabic word, Ryad, meaning garden. Some are more luxurious and ornate than others and offer more amenities, but this will largely depend on your budget. Ours was in the mid-range price, working out at roughly £110 per night, which included breakfast.

I love that from the outside, they appear to be just a door in a wall, with no indication as to what is behind the door. Any signage tends to be subtle. They typically have no outside windows, so this offers privacy and keeps outside noise to a minimum. Once through the door, you will find 2-3 floors of inward facing rooms around a central courtyard featuring a fountain and/or small pool. Our riad was actually two knocked into one, so had a water fountain in one courtyard and a dipping pool in the other.

We arrived at our chosen Riad, Riad Saba in the early evening, where we were welcomed upon arrival with some traditional mint tea whilst we checked in. during our stay, we found all the staff very friendly and helpful, down to arranging airport transfers and printing off boarding passes. They will also help arrange any sightseeing trips you wish to take during your stay, but I already had all this sorted.

Our room (Paprika) was beautifully decorated in traditional Moroccan style. It had plenty of storage, a seating area, air conditioning and a plug-in heater. We visited in spring and the evenings can still get a little chilly. Most importantly, it was clean, and the bed was very comfortable. I particularly loved the bathroom. I would love to replicate the tiles in my bathroom at home, where I actually have a loosely inspired Moroccan bathroom, prompted from an early visit to Marrakech a few years ago.

The medina is a warren of narrow alleys and can get a little confusing to find your way around but take note of a few visual landmarks and you will soon get the hang of it. our riad was conveniently located less than a ten-minute walk in one direction to Jemaa el fna, the main square, and in the opposite direction about 6 minutes from Palais Bahia and just around the corner from that, El Badi.

Breakfast was served each morning in either the lounge area or on the beautiful roof terrace which offered tables in both the sun and under cover. Breakfast was set each day but there was a fair variety, alternating daily between pancakes and crumpets, with a selection of compotes, omelette, yoghurt, fruit and cake. There was also coffee and juice. However, if this is not to your liking, there are plenty of eateries nearby.

The riad will also prepare an evening meal for you if requested early enough in the day for an extra fee. We opted out of this on this occasion as there were plenty of restaurants we wanted to try out, but when I visited Marrakech previously, we ate in the riad both nights and the food was incredible. That was at Riad Laora, so I cannot comment on the meals specifically prepared by this riad, but we spoke to some other guests that had eaten there who assured us it was very enjoyable, and it is a good option if you’ve been on a day excursion and just wish to chill during the evening.

I hope this has helped guide you a little in deciding where to stay when visiting Marrakech. Do let me know where you end up staying and if you would recommend it.

 

Other riads to consider;

Riad Palais Sebban, for a good size pool.

Riad El Hara for a roof top pool and more modern décor.

Les Jardins De La Medina for a more luxurious experience

Riad Le Limoun and Spa for Instagram aesthetics

Riad Mimoune for the budget conscious