Art Suites El Jadida

I’ve stayed here three times for business, and it’s not quite what first impressions suggest. The location is interesting, the staff are friendly, the internet is fast, and the bar serves alcohol. Rooms are clean and tidy, though a bit dull and dim. There’s no air conditioning, which is fine in winter. Hot water takes 2-3 minutes to come through, then it’s boiling. Don’t expect breakfast at 7.00am, it’s more like 7.30am. The hotel restaurant has a very limited menu, so eat out.

The staff are the hotel’s best feature, especially the young team, who were very helpful and kind. The architecture and design are interesting, the rooms are big, and there’s a good garden nearby. Still, I don’t think the 4-star rating matches the reality: rooms are dark and cold, half have no view, and the service is very modest. There’s only soap in a dispenser, no shampoo, and the bathroom has no water drainage. Wi-Fi was bad in the rooms and breakfast extremely poor. I’d give 4-star only for the helpful young staff.

The artistic decor and interior architecture are impressive, and the hotel is nicely located near al jadida beach and port. Some rooms have a weak wifi signal. Also, traditional songs in the garden would suit the lovely authentic atmosphere better than the music they play now. The staff are very friendly.

We wanted a place for one night where we could experience the old medina, and found this Riad on Google. The directions led us to a spooky corner by the brick city wall, with a view of the beach wells, but no riad. We called at 21.15 and nobody answered, so we left.