Kasbah Tebi

Waking up early to hike to the top of the city for sunrise is a must, it was truly magical. The Kasbah itself feels like travelling back in time, and the candlelight and limited electricity were part of the reason we picked it. There’s warm shower water and a light in the washroom. Getting there can be tricky, so have Google Maps handy or ask a friendly local for help. Enjoy the hotel amenities, and if you’re staying more than one night, you can go elsewhere for dinner. We found the meal provided just okay. I’d highly recommend Kasbah Tebi and visiting Ait Benhaddou.

The rooms are beautiful and so cozy, and every staff member was friendly and helpful. Staying overnight let us soak up the atmosphere of Aït Ben Haddou in a way we couldn’t have otherwise, and the kasbah felt wonderfully authentic. It exceeded our expectations. When we booked, the kasbah sent a useful information sheet with directions and details about dinner, which I highly recommend, and the limited electricity. That was all helpful to know ahead of time. It was an incredible experience.

We stayed for two nights and still wished we’d had another. The owner is passionate about the place, and the hospitality made us feel like part of the family. The rooms are so cozy, and lighting the candles each night gives the stay a special feel. A major bonus is being able to enter the city through the Kasbah after everything has closed. We could wander the streets in a much calmer atmosphere than during the tourist-filled daytime. We never wanted to leave.

The room didn’t match the photos on booking.com, and the bed was extremely hard with coarse sheets. We also had two towels replaced because they were visibly dirty. The food was the worst we had in Morocco, bland and overpriced. At breakfast, refills were limited to half a cup of coffee or a glass of juice, which I’d seen mentioned in other reviews. It felt greedy. The rooftop chairs were broken and falling apart, and the whole area was filthy. We were excited about the candles because they sounded authentic, but there were no candles set up in our room and no information or help. We had to unpack them and arrange them around the dirty room ourselves, which took ages and was difficult because the candles were poor quality. The candles felt like a gimmick, adding to the tourist trap atmosphere. There were light fittings throughout the Kasbah with the bulbs removed and exposed wiring, and the hallways stayed dark until quite late. There was no Wi-Fi in the room, so you had to use the common areas. At check-in, staff took us straight to the room without explaining anything about the place, the candles, or access to the city. They charge tourists 20 dirham to enter the city through their Kasbah, even though access to the city is free. Nearby buildings did the same, and the facility didn’t warn us about it. We saw them take advantage of other tourists trying to get in. The staff gave us a strange feeling and seemed interested only in money. This was the most disappointing place of our whole trip. We’d been excited after reading other reviews, but what we found felt like a complete tourist trap. I never leave reviews like this, and I hope this explains the genuine problem with this Kasbah. They seem to rely on their location to churn through tourists.