Caravan Serai

From the outside, the area looks abandoned, but once you’re inside it feels like an oasis. It’s about a 40 min drive from the RAK airport. There are lots of plants, cats, and turtles, plus wonderful bird song, and the biggest cactus I’ve ever seen is by the swimming pool. It’s a lovely place to relax. The architecture and decor are authentic old Morrocan style, and the Hamam was wonderful. The food was tasty, and the staff were kind and very helpful. Every room has its own bathroom and air conditioning, along with a living room area and balcony.

The staff were out of this world, so friendly, dutiful, and always happy to help. I heard them speaking English and French fluently. Thanks for a wonderful stay. The hotel itself is incredible, with beautiful features, an amazing clean pool, and even a pool in our room. Several rooms have private pools. The food was first class and highly authentic. Fresh bread is made on site every day, and the chefs have run a restaurant before. The menu isn’t huge, but there are only about 16 rooms, and they offer specials you can order for the next day. Great drinks selection too, and the mint teas were lovely. It’s a taxi ride into the city, which may not suit everyone. The hotel arranges taxis, and they’re relatively inexpensive. Since it’s in a suburban area, the hotel is more of a destination than a base for wandering around. You do have to be okay with the local wildlife. Cats and some insects are part of the plants and surroundings. The birdsong is sensational, though that may not be to everyone’s taste. For me, it made the visit even better. There’s a hammam and massage room, plus pedicures and other treatments. Highly recommended. This is somewhere I plan to return to, especially for the more intrepid traveller.

The rooms were cleaned, the bed made, and supplies topped up each day. We loved our stay. Breakfast was included, with flat breads, cake, yoghurt, fruit, tea, coffee, and fresh orange juice. You can have eggs boiled, fried, or as omelettes, and there’s unlimited mint tea anytime during the day. It takes around 25 minutes to get to the centre. We used private drivers booked on the Indrive app for about £5. Download it, as it’s cheaper than any taxi around. From the main highway, you turn onto a dirt track and pass through a genuine Morrocan neighbourhood with no tourists around. Don’t let that put you off, the Riad is tranquil once you’re through the doors. We ate at the restaurant on our first night and thought the food was pretty good. We didn’t get to try it again, as we had so many other must-trys on our list.

I wouldn’t recommend this hotel. The photos don’t reflect how it looks, and its remote location is in a neighborhood that feels inaccessible and unsafe at night. You’re forced to use the hotel driver, so negotiate the fare, since the prices are 4-5 times higher than normal. It feels like a tourist trap and isn’t worth it. The food and buffet were just as bad. We had stomach problems on our way back to Europe.