20 Best Hotels in Marrakesh, Morocco

At the edge of the medina, with easy access to parking, taxis, and the main Jemaa el-Fnaa square, La Maison Arabe is a stylish hotel offering old-fashioned charm and exceptional Moroccan hospitality. The design is an artful blend of Moorish and European, and each of the four courtyards offers grandeur on an intimate scale. Beautiful carved wooden paneling leads you through the old wing to discover the cool inner patio, reading rooms, piano bar, and an elegant Moroccan restaurant that's one of the best in Marrakesh. Most rooms have a fireplace and a balcony, and the hotel has a small (oddly placed) swimming pool and sun terraces above. There is a luxurious spa and hammam and guests also have access to a country club just outside Marrakesh, with a large pool and gardens. The house was once a famous restaurant, the first to serve Moroccan cuisine to such notables as Winston Churchill and Jackie Kennedy.

With easy access from Bab Laksour and just a five-minute walk to Jemaa el-Fnaa, this luxurious riad is a great base for exploring the medina. The service is impeccable, rooms and suites are beautifully decorated, and the bejmat-tiled patio (local handmade tiling laid in a herringbone design) is a delightful place to sip mint tea while shaded by orange trees. A high wall protects the small patio swimming pool from the sun. Meals are served on the roof terrace, the patio, or in the cozy upstairs salon, which has a huge open fireplace and a library of books and games. For even more privacy, they also have a small, restored townhouse around the corner suitable for two- to four guests. 

This hotel is a great city-center base---downtown Guéliz is on the doorstep and it's close to modern restaurants, cafés, and nightlife---but it's also on a quiet corner close to the El Harti Gardens and Royal Tennis Club. Rooms have been tastefully furnished and are comfortable, though it feels more like Barcelona than Marrakesh. Guest rooms have patterned easy-chairs, sunburst mirrors, colorful cement floor tiles, and modern facilities such as satellite TV, minibars, and high-speed Wi-Fi. There's a lovely bar on the roof-terrace and a mezzanine lounge with seating that overlooks the huge hotel restaurant that specializes in seafood. At the rear is a small terrace and pool for guests, and there's a small dipping pool on the roof.

The unpretentious charms of this country villa with an English-style garden is a delight, complete with croquet lawn, rose gardens, terraces, and swimming pool. The house has a huge sitting room and library, and plenty of comfy corners for reading or playing board games in both summer and winter. The outdoor veranda lounge is the perfect place to relax with a drink before dinner. There are three bedrooms on the ground floor with views of the garden. The spacious suites have private terraces, cozy fireplaces, and sitting areas that are tastefully furnished with a mix of Moroccan and Indonesian elements. Service is attentive, and for once design isn't too over-the-top. For complete privacy or family stays, the self-contained pool pavilion has two bedrooms, a shared lounge, and private pool.

What started as Marrakesh's first casino has grown into a complex with two hotel properties as well as the Es Saadi casino and the Teatro nightclub. The original Es Saadi Hotel is rather dated and worn, but the luxury Es Saadi Palace is a whole class above its sister. In addition, there are 10 individually styled luxurious villas with one or two bedrooms and their own private garden terrace. For a slightly more rustic "'kasbah"' experience, there are eight ksars built in the style of desert kasbahs, each with two bedrooms, a private sun terrace, and direct access to the Palace pool. There are 19 acres of gardens blooming with orange trees and roses, and sun-loungers and hammocks scattered on luxurious lawns. There's a massive outdoor pool (free for Es Saadi Palace, Villa, and Ksar guests), as well as a smaller unheated pool at the Es Saadi Hotel. There are also loads of organized children’s activities as well as daily yoga sessions.

This playful paradise has a pool that’s ideal for afternoon swims and pillow-filled swinging chairs that sway just the right amount in the desert wind. Each tent is bathed in a delicious golden glow as the sun rises, which is fitting since Inara means “ray of light” in Arabic. The staff, many of whom have worked together for years, go above and beyond to make everyone feel welcome.

This outpost of a well-respected French luxury hotel chain is ideally situated on the edge of the medina but an easy walk from the main sights. Modernist in style, with Moroccan and Oriental touches, the rooms and suites all look out over the hotel's main attraction: the heated swimming pool. Loungers, parasols, poolside bar, pizzeria, and even a lifeguard in attendance make this ideal for families, as do the kids' club (for ages 4--12), babysitting service, and swimming lessons. Rooms in the main hotel are furnished simply in cream, beige, and brown hues, and some suites have twin bathrooms. For a family group or special event, the 26 contemporary-style private riads (from around 7,000 DH per night) can accommodate up to eight people with private patio, pool, fully equipped kitchen, and comfortable living rooms. The hotel also has an excellent spa and hydrotherapy facility.

A collection of garden and pool suites scattered through a 7-acre garden, Les Deux Tours is ideal for those who prefer a peaceful retreat over the city bustle. The main building houses the restaurant, communal lounges, a games room, and a cozy winter bar complete with open fire, but the overall feeling pervading throughout is one of faded charm. Room sizes vary enormously, and the standard "classic" rooms are cramped and stuffy—it's worth upgrading to a junior suite. The main pool is surrounded by lawns, a terrace, and plenty of loungers.

Despite its location on an unprepossessing street, this hotel is in the heart of the action and has a rather grand and opulent interior that cannot fail to impress. The carved pillars of the garden give the air of an ancient temple, with four salons around an enormous, heated pool and a giant fireplace at one end. The Ambassador suite has great views of the medina and nearby Koutoubia Mosque, but most of the rooms look upon the inner garden and pool area. Elegant sitting rooms, a cigar room, a piano bar, and an additional outdoor heated pool on the roof add to the hotel's charms. There are also plenty of in-house dining options with the Moroccan Koutoubia restaurant as well as Indian and French options. Guests can enjoy the rooftop pool and the hammam with aromatic spa treatments.

With easy access and elevators, this is a good choice for anyone with mobility issues.

This 18th-century palace once belonging to the cousin of King Hassan II is now a luxurious boutique hotel with lush gardens hidden in the kasbah area of the medina. Accommodations are spacious and there's a decent-size pool, making this a great choice for families. Rooms with a garden view open onto a jungle of banana, palm, orange, olive, and jacaranda trees and are deliciously cool in summer. Other rooms open onto private patios, some have sun terraces, and all are decorated with traditional Moroccan finishes of tadlak and tiling, with ceiling fans and air-conditioning. The swimming pool sits at the edge of the gardens surrounded by terraces for sunbathing, and the hotel has a hammam and massage suite. The restaurant serves lunch and dinner and is open to the public.

Understated and elegant, this eight-bedroom boutique hotel is ideal for those who want to to experience an intimate stay in one of Marrakesh's most coveted residential neighborhoods. Maison Brummell is located in in the lush Jardin Majorelle, just a stone's throw from Majorelle Gardens. The hotel itself is a terra-cotta design dream and spaces are decorated in soothing neutral tones with one-of-a-kind art pieces and plush Moroccan carpets. The complimentary breakfast is delicious and there's an honesty bar in the communal dining room from which you can select snacks and bottles of wine to enjoy in your room or by the pool.

Although it's part of an international chain, the Movenpick Mansour has a distinctively Moroccan vibe, as well as a heated pool for winter swimming under the Marrakesh sun. While the rooms themselves lack a bit of character the rest of the property makes up for it. There's also an onsite yoga studio (Om Yoga) and kids club. 

This Italian-owned boutique riad is near the Dar el Bacha Royal residence, on a street filled with antiques dealers and quality boutiques; it features gorgeous interiors that blend European, Italian, and Moroccan influences. Rooms are arranged around the central hexagonal atrium, which pours light into the central patio. On the ground floor there are cozy alcoves for reading, an elegant restaurant, and a glassed-in swimming pool that opens to a cloistered inner courtyard. The roof terrace has comfortable shaded seating areas and a dining area.

Tasteful it isn't, but this giant, gaudy, self-contained bubble in the middle of the Palmery offers every kind of distraction, and plenty to keep children amused. The biggest draw is the demanding championship golf course (par 72) on the doorstep and the kids' activities. Deluxe rooms are on the small side, but are also the cheapest and are comfortably furnished. A sense of space in the communal lounges and lobbies, a lively pool scene, and all the various amenities and restaurants are the biggest advantages to this resort. All-inclusive packages are available and there are free shuttles to/from the medina.

You can't get any closer to central Guéliz than this hotel, which shares its address with Carre Eden, the neighborhood's main shopping mall and plaza which attracts steady foot traffic from tourists and locals. The location is particularly popular with business travelers and families. Rooms are modern and clean, like you'd expect from a major hotel join like Radisson. The biggest draw of booking here is the convenience: you're merely feet away from countless restaurants, shops, and it's just a five-minute taxi (or 20-minute walk) to the medina.

The jewel in the crown of the English-owned Pure Riads collection, Riad Adore is decorated in cool, pale shades of white, beige, and gray, with tadlak walls and subtle lighting—it's an elegant and sophisticated guesthouse close to the main medina action. The property extends over two courtyards joined by a zellij-tile dining room, in keeping with the original character of the house. Rooms are decorated with hand-embroidered cushions, fine white linen, and a scattering of antique rugs; en suite bathrooms are fitted out to a high quality. There's an on-site hammam for guests, and the roof terrace with Amazigh-tent lounging area is stunning.

The Italian owners Georgina and Massimo have blended Moroccan flavors and craftsmanship with European style to create a riad that oozes sophistication. Traditional wood-paneled doors lead to each thoughtfully decorated room. There's also a small on-site hammam and massage area.

You'll get the best of both worlds at this unassuming riad that's close to all of the action of the medina but still secluded. Common spaces include a whitewashed courtyard, with a plunge pool and a roof terrace with panoramic views.

One of the most recognizable riads in Marrakesh, Le Riad Yasmine found Instagram fame in 2016 when an image of its gorgeous green pool went viral. Run by charming French couple Alice and Gabriel Paris, the space is an oasis full of plants and tiled floors. The rooftop terrace is perfect for enjoying fresh mint tea and you’ll often find yourself accompanied by chirping birds and two saucy felines named Bowie and BB, who went from living on the streets to becoming social media sensations who live like royalty inside the riad.

The simple-yet-chic accommodations mirror Scarabeo’s Out of Africa inspiration; expect white canvas tents containing standard-size beds, wooden writing desks, and folding chairs. Florence Mottet and her partner Vincent T’Sas are both from Belgium and have created an achingly beautiful camp that looks like a movie set worthy of Meryl Streep herself. The communal areas are adorned with treasures and trinkets from Mottett and T’Sas’ travels worldwide.