Is it worth staying at a Riad while traveling in Marrakesh? Should you opt for a Riad stay or a regular hotel or BnB? here is my honest review after spending 3 nights at a Riad in Marrakesh!
Staying at a Riad is a mandate while visiting in Marrakesh. It’s a home away from home in true sense.
Every Riad is a labyrinth of multiple terraces, rooms with dainty decors, wooden windows, fountains and pool and Hamam. I loved our stay at Riad Jardin, which had a terrace facing the east, and beautiful view of the vast Medina.
The only hindsight of staying in a Riad is you have to drag your luggage, although there are lockers in the modern part of the city where you can keep your luggage, especially when you will be gone for trekking or desert safari with a large group.
Riads look unassuming from the narrow streets of Medina which is mostly vehicle free. It’s just a door. Well, an ornate door at best. Once that door opens you get sucked into a neverland! It’s peaceful, serene, soothing. There is an inherent beauty of a small water body adjacent to your low ceiling bedroom lit with a soft yellow bulb light.
Riads usually have a bunch of steep stairs that will lead you to the terraces on top. There are multiple terraces connected by stairs. Inside a Riad, it’s almost like a fort. Depending on the capacity of the host, they built guest rooms, convert some into an e extravagant Moroccan luxury.
Apart from dragging the luggage, I don’t have any complaint about staying in a Riad. In fact, it was the highlight of our stay in Marrakesh. Although, Riads could be a bit loud as it’s basically used to be someone’s house. I woke up one morning to a rather loud sound of a couple making love to the next room. At night, the entire household was teeming with an aroma of lamb cooked with cumin! It was nice.
Riad Jardin had their breakfast table set up on the top on the building. Of course, they can bring it down for you if you want to dine at home. What an elaborate menu that was!
We chose to stay outside the Medina in Fes. It was Fes Marriot a sprawling lush green luxury property. As a result, we had to travel in and out of the Fes Medina and it was a chore to reach the Medina although I absolutely adored Fes and found it more chaotic and authentic compared to Marrakesh which was really overrun with tourists.
Since many people chose to stay in Riads, prices go significantly up. Specially in season. Riads strategic location will give you a quick access to Medina. I recommend you stay at a Riad at least for a couple of days, experience a Moroccan Hamam therapy and appreciate the slow life that Marrakesh promises beyond the overstimulating Medina!
One more thing. Usually, every Riad is saintly pained with Moroccan tiles and indigo hues. If you fancy picturing yourself with that symmetrical backdrop, staying in a Riad is your best bait. You can opt for a Riad accommodation only at the imperial cities of Morocco, meaning Rabat, Meknes, Marrakesh and Fes. Rest of the cities hardly have such pretty Riads in place.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Let’s stay connected on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Youtube!
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read the disclosure post. If you have liked the article, you may support it by buying using these links without any extra cost to you.