Dar Crystal

Our family holiday plans were disrupted and caused a lot of stress by the way Riad Dar Crystal handled my confirmed booking. Weeks before we were due to travel, management told me unexpectedly that they couldn't honour it as arranged. When I politely asked why, they refused to explain, saying they were "not allowed to mention it to clients." That lack of transparency worried me straight away. On a phone call, the head of management, a woman, was hostile and rude. She offered two unacceptable options: cancel the booking entirely or move to a different riad for the second night of our three-night stay. Having to check in and out of different places on consecutive days made no sense for a family holiday. When I objected, given we had booked weeks earlier, she was dismissive. A day later, another staff member called and was more accommodating, but the proposed solution still wasn't satisfactory. They said they had "found a new riad" and expected me to book it myself, before refunding what I'd paid for Dar Crystal. Since they were changing the original agreement and causing the inconvenience, I insisted they arrange the alternative stay and confirm it. Expecting a customer to make a new booking without returning the original funds seemed unheard of. I eventually received confirmation of the alternative booking just days before we travelled, leaving unnecessary stress and uncertainty. The whole experience involved no explanation for the change, rude communication from the head of management, a choice between cancellation or major disruption, an expectation that I rebook without a refund, and very late confirmation. I'd strongly advise potential guests to be cautious about booking with Riad Dar Crystal. The handling of my reservation and the communication fell far short of acceptable hospitality service.

We spent four nights over a weekend at Dar Crystal and had a great stay. The outside looked like a house rather than the hotel-like exterior we expected. We later learned that's what a riad is, a house with a courtyard in the middle, and most of the hotels we saw during our stay had the same style. Inside, it was beautiful, with an antique look, gorgeous patterns, cozy rooms, and good service. Mahdi and Zakaria were both gracious and hospitable. Mahdi especially went out of his way to make our stay comfortable.

The staff at Dar Crystal were kind, welcoming, and professional, and went out of their way to help during my trip. Manager Zac knew Marrakech well and was invaluable whenever we needed help. We relied on him for quite a few things, including arranging activities, which saved us time and money. The riad itself is lovely, well maintained, and thoroughly cleaned every day.

Mehdi was committed to helping us from the moment we arrived, with tips on the best areas to visit and good restaurants. He also made us an early breakfast because our tour was scheduled before the usual breakfast time. Zacaria was great and helped us throughout. The maids and cuisiner were wonderful, answering all our questions even when it wasn't part of their duties. The breakfast was breathtaking, our room was clean and fully equipped, and every corner of the riad was beautiful. We stayed five nights and highly recommend it. Stunning rooms and facilities, with service that was over the top.