Ryad Ayad

The owners staying at the property made the stay feel like no break at all. There was no privacy, and they kept telling us we were making noise, staying out too late or needed to switch off the lights. They wouldn't let us use the advertised kitchen except at breakfast, so there was no kettle or drinking water, and we had to go out for tea and coffee and buy bottled water. The owner stayed in the living room with the only TV and wouldn't let us use it. The rooftop terrace was kept locked all day. Service was poor from start to finish. They also cancelled our return airport transfer and wouldn't let us leave our bags after checkout for our late flights in the morning, even though that had been arranged. When the electricity shorted out, they blamed us for charging too many things. Very petty. I've attached the conversations so you can see for yourself. If the owners didn't stay there with guests, this might be recommendable, but I wouldn't recommend it as it is. The rooms were okay and as expected, except for the see-through toilet door nets. The location was good: a two-minute walk to a busy market-like area. Cars can't get down the narrow roads, so luggage has to be carried.

On checkout day, the owner said we had to leave by 10 AM, which is correct, and take our bags right away. He also backed out of arranging our airport transfer, despite having promised it, and told us to arrange our own. We weren't allowed onto the rooftop terrace because the owner's bedroom was upstairs, something never disclosed even though the terrace was advertised. The whole stay at Riad Ayad was uncomfortable and stressful. The owner lives on the property with guests, which wasn't disclosed, and we felt watched with almost no privacy. We were repeatedly called disrespectful and told we had no decency for being quiet when we were simply talking to each other in our room at night. There were serious issues with the facilities. The toilets had only thin, see-through curtains instead of doors. The living area and TV were advertised but suddenly off-limits. Breakfast was served at one fixed time with no flexibility. We were also falsely accused of taking food from the kitchen, which was insulting. The bedroom layout felt unsafe and poorly planned. Protruding arches on the doorframes made us hit our shoulders repeatedly, and in one room the bed blocked one side of the door from opening, making it hard to move around. On our last day the electricity went out, and we were blamed because we'd left phone chargers plugged in. Between the lack of privacy, misleading listing, strict and inconsistent rules, awkward spaces and unprofessional behaviour, this was extremely disappointing. I wouldn't return or recommend it to anyone seeking a comfortable, respectful and professional stay.

Although the riad itself was good and could have been much better, the service made the stay very disappointing. We were repeatedly called noisy for coming back late, even though other people were always outside. Breakfast was hard to arrange because everyone had to eat together at one fixed time. The listing said we could use the kitchen and living room, but neither was allowed once we arrived. We were even accused of taking food from the kitchen, which wasn't true. When the electricity went out, we were blamed, and one owner told us to leave and cancelled our return airport transfer. There were other smaller problems too, but these were the major red flags.

Mohamed was helpful even before we arrived, sharing useful information. When we reached the Medina, he was waiting to take us to the house. Naima and Mohamed welcomed us warmly, and Naima made delicious breakfasts and dinner. Mohamed also gave us good advice about what to see in Marrakech. The house was very clean, every room had a bathroom, and there was a terrace with a turtle. It's in a great spot, within walking distance of Djema el fna and the souks. Recommended!