Riyad El Cadi

The rooftop is something else, and the staff made the whole stay feel easy with their calm, kind help. We had dinner there on our first night, and the food was fantastic, especially the soup and mixed salads. This was my first time in Marrakech, and I arrived tired and grumpy, but everyone was patient with me. The Riad has a beautiful, atmospheric maze-like feel. I’d happily recommend the experience.

The hotel itself was beautiful, with a striking pool and good service. We stayed in mid-October with our three kids, aged 5, 7, and 10, after visits to Marrakesh, Essaouria, and Fez. Food here felt extremely overpriced. Breakfast was lovely, but at 15 euros per person it adds up when you’re going out, especially for our five-year-old, who ate about four bites of his croissant. We arrived at midnight, and the staff had kindly stayed up and offered to prepare a snack for the children. I agreed to a small snack, but they made a full meal and charged 20 euros per person. The kids had fallen asleep as soon as they saw the beds, so none of them ate it. That came to 100 euros for a snack. We left feeling hustled and grossly overcharged. We booked through Booking.com.

The WiFi worked great, and we loved having breakfast and morning tea in the sunshine on the beautiful terrace. The place is tucked away in the old city, so the location is great. I only wished there had been a radio in the house so we could listen to local music.

Inside Marrakech's fort area, a World Heritage site, this place gives you a feel for Morocco's old culture, especially that of the Berber people, the area's natives.