Hotel Riad Ali

Riad Ali has a little garden to stroll through, a pool that’s always open, and a great view of the dunes just beyond the courtyard wall. Mohammad was kind and welcoming, and made sure I enjoyed my stay. My room was very clean and the air conditioning could be set to my liking. I had an amazing time here in Merzouga.

The desert begins right behind the hotel. There’s a door by the pool that opens straight onto the dunes, so we didn’t need to pay 60€/pp for transport to camps that aren’t even in the dunes. They offered to take us deeper into the desert by SUV at night, but we ran out of time. The rooms, pool, breakfast, and people were all amazing. Everyone was friendly and welcoming.

We’ve visited the area many times, but our stay on July 29 and 30, 2025 was by far the worst. We paid months ahead by credit card, then at arrival the owner canceled the transaction and demanded full payment in cash. The currency conversion he used seemed shady and meant we paid more than we had originally agreed. We chose this riad largely for its pool, hoping our child could cool down in the heat. It wasn’t available before 11:00 a.m., so our child had to wait in the sweltering weather. When we did start swimming, we were told to get out because of “sand storms” that weren’t there. It felt like each chance to enjoy the stay was being blocked. They wouldn’t serve us food, saying the cook couldn’t work in the heat, but we later saw them cooking for other guests. We were told those guests had food included with their booking. We also couldn’t eat our own food in the room or dining area because it might “leave odors,” while other guests ate cooked meals inside. There were many other arbitrary rules, and the place felt more like a correctional facility than the “luxurious” riad it claims to be. It seemed different rules applied to different guests, with no transparency. The whole stay was chaotic and stressful, and the treatment felt unfair. I’d strongly advise visitors to avoid it. It wasn’t worth the money or frustration. Ali, the owner, called this review spam in his response. It isn’t. I’m using my real name, and Google can verify it. Ali knows we stayed in his “palace” on those dates. His response shows his dishonesty and lowness. Really pathetic!

A very nice room, great food, and a top location. The service was really friendly. I’d highly recommend staying here, 10/10.