Hostel Riad Marrakech Rouge

The location was fantastic, right in the medina between the Jemaa el-fnaa and the bahia palace, with a souk just outside. Money exchange, cafés, and restaurants were about two minutes away. There was also a nice rooftop terrace, and breakfast was included for free. The staff were amazing and friendly, and could answer all our questions about the city. The rooms were less good: there were no keys, so you couldn't lock the room and other people could come in. The hostel was loud, though I still slept okay. They did put on fresh sheets every day. A strange and interesting stay!

We left extremely shaken and took a taxi straight to another hostel. Days later, despite the cancellation and what had happened, the hostel charged one of our cards for the full stay. We're disputing that with the bank. Two days before arrival, we called and messaged to change our booking from four nights to two. The woman on the phone, most likely the owner, agreed and asked us to send the booking reference, which we did. But on arrival the receptionist insisted we were still booked for four nights and demanded full payment. We explained we'd already requested the change. He said he'd call his boss, and we waited about 30 minutes while he tried several times with no answer. We decided to leave, but a staff member said the door was locked and we couldn't go. It was locked. We found this frightening and tried calling local police at 190, but got no answer. We started recording because we feared for our safety. During that time, a staff member insulted us, calling us “kahba,” and made threats, including, “I have a family, and I will get a problem for you.” We were kept there for roughly 20-30 minutes. Eventually staff said they had reached the boss's husband, who told them we could leave without paying. They then tried to make us delete the video. We refused several times, and they finally let us out. I strongly advise travelers to avoid this place if they want to feel safe.

The location was nice. Everything else was disgusting. I left a night early and am writing from another hostel in marrakesh. I'm an experienced traveller and have stayed in lots of hostels, but this was the worst place I've ever seen. The photos I added don't even show how bad it was. I fully believe the Hostelworld reviews are fake. The bedding and towels were old, damp-smelling, and covered in orange or brown spots. The pillows and covers smelled dirty and had stains too. The laundry room and the way they washed sheets seemed like the most unhygienic practice I've ever seen. In the shared toilet, there was barely room to sit; I'm 155 and had to put my knees to the side. The doors were thin plastic. Beard hairs stayed on the sink for about three days before anyone cleaned it. Almost everything was broken or damaged, including tiles, glass, paintings, walls, windows, and locks. There were holes and missing pieces everywhere. The sofas and their cushions were stained, torn, and smelled bad, and the place was covered in carpets despite how little it seemed to be cleaned. The staff seemed untrained and odd, made strange comments, and asked for extra money even though I'd paid the city taxes. They played loud music at all hours, shouted, and slept on sofas. The man who checked me in slept in the hall, and the “cleaning lady” was at reception in her pajamas. I paid 140€ for a private room for two for three nights, far too much for those conditions. The facilities weren't just old, many were so dirty and broken they were almost unusable. They claimed to offer lots of things that weren't there: a free city tour or map, adaptors, TV or DVD, a bar, coffee facilities, kitchen, fridge, microwave, pool, security, safe deposit, air conditioning, and hairdryer. They said smoking was meant to be on the terrace, but a big group of men and women were always smoking at the building entrance. Other guests weren't respectful either. A friend in a shared room said people shouted and turned on the lights in the middle of the night. Forget health and safety, peaceful sleep, or hygiene here. Please don't book this place. Spend 10 euros more and stay elsewhere.

Badr & Hamza were the best hosts, so sweet and accommodating. It's a fun, sociable hostel, and staying in the private room felt like being at home. The beds were comfortable and the blankets warm, which we appreciated on our December trip. Ladies, bring your own mirror, sandals, towel, and wipes.