Looking for Riad/Hotel Recommendations in Moroccan Cities
 

Hi Everyone,

Thought I’d start this new thread to focus on lodging. I was just reading someone else’s thread and it said to not give up until you find your perfect riad! 😉 That really spoke to me as I’ve been extensively researching for Oct and even with this amount of lead time, been having some difficulty (likely because we need two beds). We are two single women.

Looking for very central locations, properties with sophistication and modern amenities and spacious rooms. (I just learned from one property I was about to book that there are no locks on the bedroom or suite doors. Hoping this is atypical?)

Just a note that I’ve traveled very extensively for business and unfortunately (or rather fortunately😉) have been spoiled with “Superior First Class” and above accommodations.

Appreciate your suggestions for the following cities:

Marrakesh - Dar El Bacha area of the Medina sounds nice, we will have 4 nights here so need a spacious room for sure, hoping to get something for $300 - $325 (or less) per night.

Fes - best central location? Similar needs since 3 nights here.

Chefchouen - One Night.

Rabat - 3 nights.

As always, thanks for your help!

To be honest, the terms “riad” and “spacious rooms” don’t strike me as particularly consistent with one another. I’m sure you realize that a true riad is housed in a traditional Moroccan house or palace, with SMALL rooms arrayed around a central courtyard, often on several levels. There might be spacious common rooms on the ground floor, but the bedrooms would rarely be “spacious.” Or at least, that’s my understanding and my experience.

The riads in which I stayed had the amenities I sought and, of course, locks. But I don’t look for the kind of accommodation you describe, and since my time in a room when traveling is exceedingly limited, all I seek is a safe, comfortable, reasonably well-appointed room in a place with the other things I desire – breakfast, English-speaking staff, etc. (For Morocco, I also looked for roof decks, indoor pools, and other amenities … but not as deal-breakers.)

You might be better off looking for two separate (small) rooms in the same riad. Or staying outside medinas where more modern establishments are more likely to offer spacious accommodations and a wider array of amenities.

In Fez, I thoroughly enjoyed, and highly recommend, the Riad El Yacout. But not if spacious rooms are your priority! And, depending on what you hope to see and experience (yes, that is relevant to the question of centrality) not if being “centrally located” is a priority. Also in that city, the Riad Laaroussa gets great reviews, and my visit to its spa convinced me that it would be a worthy accommodation … but it’s even further from being “centrally located.” It’s actually on the “remote” side.

Once again, sueblue, I think you would be well advised to spend more time with the Moon Guide (which you said you finally ordered) and less time asking questions on Fodor’s forums … especially because I seem to be the only person who is offering answers with any regularity.

Again, best wishes!

My husband and I are currently in Marrakech. We are not staying at the Riad Dar el Bacha are ourselves but as it happened we just had lunch there at the RIAD DAR SAAD. To us the atmosphere there seemed very nice, cool and relaxing after the hustle and bustle of the city. Do visit the Musée Dar el Bacha but try to do so early in the morning as it tends to get busy soon.

Thanks for writing from the road, Elisabeth and hope you are having a great trip! Appreciate your comment.

Kja, as always, you are quite funny and astute as you have been my most frequent responder! Perhaps I should just email you directly. Lol

In terms of spacious rooms - to clarify - since we are two single women, I mean that we need room to move around so we don’t trip over one another. Many of the riad rooms look very narrow where one double bed is the only thing that fits in the space - w/o even a night-table. Not looking for a palatial room, just something the size of a regular hotel room.

Thanks again.

You can specify number of beds when you search on booking.com