Riad Omara Alkasbah

Although I had a wonderful time in Morocco overall, with incredibly friendly and welcoming people, this booking experience was upsetting. I booked directly through the website about a month ahead, but when we arrived, the staff member said outright that there was no reservation under my name. I showed the email confirmation, but he still said no rooms were available and offered no explanation or help. We were left stranded and stressed, spending the rest of the day looking for somewhere else to stay. It was a peak weekend and nearly every place in the city was booked. It seemed they prioritized guests with all-inclusive packages over individual bookings.

My friend and I were hoping for a relaxing hammam and massage, but the well-regarded places were booked, so we tried this one after seeing some decent reviews. I paid 650 MAD for a mediocre treatment in awful facilities. We had to change in the massage room, then walk naked to the hammam, even though a glass door opened onto the rooftop where someone could have seen us. In the hammam they used very little soap and a loofah that looked old and reused, which was honestly disgusting. The massage room was tiny, with barely enough room for the two women to move. They kept bumping the tables and pressing against us while massaging. The tables had cracked leather against my bare skin, and they didn't cover the whole surface with towels. The women laughed and giggled throughout, which felt unprofessional and made it hard to relax. Everything felt rushed, unhygienic, and extremely uncomfortable. For 650 MAD, you can find much better hammams in Marrakech with actual standards. I wish we had asked to see the massage room first.

The worst part was the massage. The room was so cramped the women had to push the tables with their bodies to get around us. The beds were flimsy, with cracked leather, and when one woman stood at my head to massage my back, her stomach pressed so hard into my head that my chin was red and my jaw hurt afterwards. There was no real technique; it felt like paying someone just to rub oil on me. My friend and I chose this Riad for hammam and massage because nearby places were booked, the price was similar, and the reviews were generally good, which is shocking now. The facilities were tiny and old, everything felt crammed, and nobody explained what to expect. We weren't given robes or towels to get from the room where we undressed to the hammam. We had to walk unclothed past a glass door facing into the riad. The hammam itself was underwhelming: one woman started by working on both of us, so we had to take turns while soaking wet. When a second woman came to scrub me, she rushed through it and wasn't thorough. The women were whispering and giggling on and off throughout the massage, which made me feel very uncomfortable. Afterwards they denied talking when we confronted them. They laughed so much my friend even asked if I was laughing during the massage because she was confused. We gave them our feedback directly afterwards while still on the tables, though we hadn't complained during the treatment. We also explained to the manager how disappointed and upset we were, but got neither an apology nor a refund. For this price, you can go to a GORGEOUS, premium Hammam for 50 dirham more. Please don't spend your money here, complete waste.

Bouchna was absolutely lovely, and the Hammam and massage she gave me were excellent value and left me feeling ten years younger. I’d definitely recommend her and would go back next time I’m in Marrakesh.