Hotel & spa Riad El Walaa

The worst part of my stay was the internet. It barely worked, and when it did, it was weak and unreliable, basically unusable. The shower drain was clogged, so water sat there for ages. Breakfast was very basic, the worst I’ve had across all my riad stays. The biggest issue, though, was what felt like being scammed by hotel staff over the “city tax.” They charged it in Euros using an inflated EUR to MAD exchange rate, which made me think at least part of it wasn’t really going to the city. I asked whether the city of Marrakesh sets the tax in Euros and whether they pay it in Euros rather than Dirham. The man said yes. I then asked for any official website or document explaining how the government tax is regulated and managed, and he said none existed. Getting scammed in the street is one thing, but this happening inside a hotel felt like a low blow and was absolutely shameful.

We were refused check-in by the property manager. The staff were extremely rude and unprofessional, with no sense of hospitality. The whole place felt suspicious and very unwelcoming, and the pictures didn’t match what we found. A very disappointing experience.

The best of the five places we stayed in Morocco, and I did recommend it, taking into account what’s acceptable around Marrakesh. It’s perfectly placed for getting around all parts of the medina, and the room top terrace was lovely. The staff all speak French, and some speak English. The rooms worked fine, though they looked a little tired compared with the advertised pictures. WiFi was intermittent, and the pool didn’t feel usable. The big problem was a group in the room above us. They stayed up until the early hours and kept us awake for three nights, which was a shame. The shower water took 30 minutes to drain, so get in before your wife! Bathroom ventilation seemed poor everywhere we stayed. We weren’t affected by water damage or mold, but could smell wet plaster for a few hours after showering.

The staff were gentle and superb, and both breakfast and dinner were excellent. A beautiful riad in the medina.