The Best Place to Stay in Marrakesh
What is a Riad?
When you go to Marrakesh, the best place to stay is at a Riad. A Riad is a traditional Moroccan house typically surrounding a garden or small pool. Most Riads look plain from the outside, but inside you will see beautiful art, furniture, and decor. Most rooms look inward toward the garden or pool, which reflects traditional Islamic principles of introspection. The layout of the Riads keeps them cool in the desert heat. The sun doesn’t directly shine into the Riad and the airy opening allows for ventilation. Some also have a spa, Hammam, or rooftop lounge area.
Where we stayed
Riad Charme d'Orient
In Marrakesh, Riads are all over, but the most authentic are located in the Medina. We stayed at Riad Charme d'Orient, which is in the Medina and about a 10-15 minute walk to Jemaa el Fna. The location was fantastic and it didn't break the bank either. The Riad was artfully decorated with traditional Moroccan styles, and the pool provided soothing tranquility to the space. The rooftop lounge area was definitely my favorite place to hang out because of the plants and the beautiful view of Marrakesh. It was nice to escape up there from the hustle and bustle of the souks and surrounding areas. The peace and tranquility of the Riad was perfect for relaxing after a long day of sightseeing.
Amazing staff
The whole staff at Riad Charme d'Orient were fantastic. The staff really made you feel like you were at home while you stayed there. Laurence (the owner) and Said were both extremely helpful in recommending places to go, setting up tours, and making sure we stayed safe. When we arrived Laurence gave us an introduction to the area, a list of things to do and not to do, and showed us life in the Riad. If we went out at night, Said gave us a cell phone that called him directly in case anything happened or we got lost.
They also set up transportation to and from the airport for us, which was extremely helpful both ways. We would have gotten lost trying to find the Riad if one of the staff hadn’t been waiting for us when the car pulled up! The outbound flights also are much later than checkout time, so they kept to our luggage while we wandered around Marrakesh until it was time to head to the airport. I can’t say enough good things about the staff Riad Charme d'Orient!
Amazing breakfast and Hammam
The breakfast was also amazing and was cooked fresh in house every morning. I love to eat so I thoroughly enjoyed eating traditional Moroccan food every morning. The friends we were traveling with also stayed there, so the girls had a spa day where we enjoyed a traditional Hammam and massage. My skin has never felt better than after that day! A hammam is definitely a must-do while you're in Morocco, so definitely book a Riad that also has a hammam :)
I hope this has inspired you to stay at a Riad while you are in Morocco. It was definitely the best place to stay in Marrakesh. Let me know in the comments if you have stayed in a Riad before and which others you would recommend in Marrakesh. Feel free to contact me with any questions about traveling to Morocco or staying in Marrakesh :)