Riad 63

The building feels completely original, and staying in such a historic, maybe even ancient, part of the city was an adventurous way to begin our Marrakech holiday. It felt like sleeping in a museum. Breakfast on the rooftop was pleasant, and the staff were kind. The king bed suite was acceptable until we got to the bathroom. It was very large, had no door, and was separated only by a curtain. We had to ask for towels and bathroom tissue. The toilet was missing its porcelain cover, so flushing meant pressing the inside of a button. Water pressure and flow were almost nonexistent. The tub had no shower curtain, and the attachment only misted hot water slowly over me after a full day of travel. Water splashed everywhere unless I crouched in the dirty tub. The room echoed, so the misting and soap squishing sounded awful in the quiet. It was not relaxing or a flattering start to the stay. Still, what an adventure. I might stay again if you twisted my arm. Get there in daylight. This hostel is almost impossible to find at night. We arrived after midnight, and a street peddler had to lead us to the iron door and knock until someone woke up to let us in. We might never have found it otherwise. The residence also had no idea we were coming, even though we’d made an online reservation 12 hours earlier.

The staff were friendly, and the price was very good. The room wasn’t luxurious, but it was clean and a good size. Finding the place was tricky because there’s no sign, and at night people may offer to guide you and rip you off. The excursions seemed a bit overpriced, so we booked them through another company.

Mustafa is a great host. This was an emergency stay after an Air BB screw-up left us with nowhere available on New Year’s Eve. I’ve never stayed somewhere like this, and it was three steps below motel 6.

A quiet, nice place with really friendly people. Thank you.