Ryad 53

A clean room with a recent renovation in traditional Moroccan style, plus a generous, tasty breakfast. We stayed two nights, and the location made it easy to explore the medina for the first time. Popular places like the Blue Gate and souks are close, and there’s a car accessible street nearby, so getting to the riad by taxi was easy.

After the room keys couldn’t be found when we arrived, we ran into another problem with the bathtub we’d specifically requested. It had no plug, so we asked for one. The manager rudely told us to find it ourselves and said we’d paid for the room, not the bathroom. In all of Morocco, these were the only rude people we encountered. Absolutely horrible experience. Don’t come here.

The staff were amazing and the location was great. At night, though, the room didn’t close off fully from reception, so light and noise came through. The pillows had some kind of strong-smelling spray on them that gave me a headache, and the AC barely cooled the room even set to 17.

I love every bit of this place, it feels like home. The people, food, design, and calm atmosphere are all lovely, and there’s a breeze on the rooftop with a great view. Evenings have a special feel, though the Medina never sleeps. They’re remodeling the Ryad now, and I was shown the plans. The rooftop should be even more magical when it’s done. I can’t wait to see it, Insha Allah.