Accommodations

Accommodations in Morocco range from opulent to extremely sparse, with everything in between. Hotels can be on a par with those of Europe and the United States, but five-star comforts begin to disappear the farther off the beaten path you venture. Hotels lack amenities particularly in smaller towns and villages, but these hotels often make up for a lack of luxury with genuine charm, hospitality, character, and location.

Riads

Book a room in or rent an entire well-furnished riad (a traditional town house with interior courtyard or garden) in the medinas of the most visited cities, such as Fez, Marrakesh, and Essaouira. This is a unique opportunity to experience traditional Moroccan architecture and live like wealthy families of old. Most riads are available on popular booking engines such as booking.com or Tripadvisor. Another option is Marrakech Medina Booking, which offers riads and villas for rent in Marrakesh, Essaouira, Ouarzazate, and Fez. Moroccan Villas is a British company that offers villa and riad rentals with properties in Marrakesh and Oualidia.

Riad Rentals

Marrakech Medina Booking. Riads and villas are available for rent in Marrakesh, Essaouira, Ouarzazate, and Fez. Rue Dar el Bacha, Medina, Marrakesh, Marrakech-Tensift-Al Haouz, 40000. 0526/10–04–93; www.marrakech-medina.com. daily, 8 am–10 pm.

Moroccan Villas. This British company offers villa and riad rentals with properties in Marrakesh and Oualidia. 2 Villiers Ct., 40 Upper Mulgrave Rd., Cheam, SM2 7AJ. 0207/060--5414; www.moroccanvillas.com. Weekdays 9–6.

Hotels

Hotels are classified by the Moroccan government with one to five stars, plus an added category for five-star luxury hotels. In hotels with three or more stars, all rooms have private bathrooms, and there is an on-site bar. Air-conditioning is common in three-star hotels in Fez and Marrakesh and in all five-star hotels. Standards do vary, though; it's possible to find a nice two-star hotel or, occasionally, a four-star hotel without hot water. In the same vein, hotels that are outside the star system altogether ("unclassified") can be satisfactory.

High season in Morocco is generally from mid-December to mid-January and mid-March to mid-April. Early June, before the intense summer heat settles in, is also considered high season. In the Atlas region, January and February attract many visitors for winter sports. In the Sahara, September through November are the most popular months. Many properties charge peak-season rates for your entire stay even if travel dates straddle peak and nonpeak seasons. As with everything in Morocco, hotel rates may be negotiable; always ask if there are specials.

Most hotels in Morocco now accept email requests for reservations and even small riads and guesthouses are usually listed on popular hotel-booking engines.