Hello,
My hubby and I will be arriving in Marrakech from Essaouira with a flight out the next morning this summer.
We will have already stayed in Marrakech to experience the medina earlier in the week and not sure where we should stay for this last night.
We'd like to find a place with easy access to/from a taxi for our drop off pick up, yet be in an interesting place walking distance to cool restaurants for dinner.
If we stay in the medina, it's difficult to tell from looking at the maps and info if we would need to walk in order to get to a place to access a taxi. We don't want to get caught up in the labyrinth when getting in from Essaoira with our luggage or getting the cab in the morning.
Any recommendations on what to do/where to stay?

Many thanks!

Any better riad or hotel in the medina, even a way from streets taxis can access, will be fine. Request that your taxi be met, they'll tell you where, and you'll be escorted to your accommodation. It's routine. As you may know the airport is very close to the city and the routine can be reversed on departure. Or, if you decide on another neighborhood like Gueliz, it won't be necessary, obviously, but I think most prefer the medina.

Thank you, we will book in the medina! Do you have any Riad's you would highly recommend? There are so many it's hard to choose.

We stayed at Riad Adore for 3 nights in March. It was lovely and the staff arranged our airport pick up and transport in/out of the Medina.

http://www.riadadore.com/

We stayed in the Natasha Room

Sorry, I don't have a current recommendation, where I stayed on visits most recently has closed but others will help, as above.

Thank you Elizabeth, it looks wonderful!
What about the call to prayer, do you hear it here? I stayed in Marrakech years ago and can't remember where I booked but the call to prayer was so loud it made me jump out of bed!
Also, any great restaurant recommendations? Would love amazing authentic food & dark, romantic atmosphere.

Marrakech was our first stop in our first visit to Morroco. I was really surprised we didn't hear the call to prayer in the Riad Now mind - like most riads - the rooms face into the inner courtyard rather than have windows to the outside. So there is guest noise but we didn't have a problem with it (and we're sensitive to noise). We had two dinners in Marrakech - one night we ate in the Riad. It was delicious. The other we ate around the corner at Cafe Arabe. It doesn't qualify as non touristy but the food was good. The terrace has a great view over the medina (as does the terrace at Riad Adore). Cafe Arabe serves alcohol.

Also re alcohol - Riad Adore has an honour bar in the library with beer and wine (and soft drinks). This way the staff don't have to handle the liquor. Although Joseph (the wonderful food and beverage manager) served us wine with our dinner. They give the staff the choice which I think is great.

Thanks Elizabeth, that's a great you didn't hear it given that you're sensitive to noise like I am. Trust me, if it were an issue there you would not miss it regardless of where your room was! My Riad must have been directly next door last time!
Thank you for the dining recommendations and the info on the alcohol. That is a great way to run the Riad letting guests get it rather than putting the staff in a difficult position. Sounds like a great place all around. There's such a vast price difference between Riads when they seem somewhat comparable when looking online, it's really hard to tell why one place is so much more than another or if it's worth paying the significant extra amount.
For instance, for the first part of my stay in Marrakech we'll be there 3 nights and I have been considering Riad Monika which also has a Certificate of Excellence on Trip Advisor and a 5.0 score yet it's only $82/nt which is less than half the price of Riad Adore. I wonder why it's so much less? Adore seems a little more upscale and just 4 mins walk closer to the mains sq so I get it being a bit more but not sure why more than double. I see this with many places. Do you have any insight on that?
Do you know if there are areas of the medina that you don't really want to stay? I can't seem to find anything about where to stay within the medina...If you're within a 10-15 min walk fo the main square I get that's ideal but is one area better/worse than the other?

As you may know there are a few purpose built hotels but, as tourism has grown, riads, multi-generation family homes, have been converted to tourist accommodations. So the raw materials are located everywhere in the old walled city, aka the medina. As they've grown popular they're now everywhere. But though after a number of visits I like staying in residential neighborhoods, I think on early visits it can be more fun to stay closer in to the Place Djemaa el Fna & the souks if for no other reason than that's where most of the restaurants are. And some outer neighborhoods might simply be easy to get lost in especially after dark.

Maps can be confusing or inaccurate so I'd rely on reviews to choose your location along with an accommodation's own maps showing their relative proximity to the center of the action. I wouldn't want to be too close but 5-10 minutes walk is far enough.

Regarding pricing I'd rely on reviews rather than price as an indicator of quality. Smaller places will tend to be quieter because of the traditional layout around a central courtyard. Sound is amplified so the fewer people the better in that regard, generally speaking. And aesthetically, I find simpler smaller riads more homey & pleasant. But they may not have amenities you may expect from a hotel, like a restaurant or bar. But, again, my preference is for those that retain the simple family feeling & to find food & drink other than breakfast with the fun of going out.

Great insight and advice, thank you Mme. I think we're going to move closer to the main area for our 3 nt stay for the reasons you mention above. Thank you!

We're looking at $150-ish because that seems to be the going rate but willing to splurge for something wonderful. Where did you stay?