Casa D'orient & Spa

AG Hotel is a little way out of town, and that made it peaceful, relaxing, and very clean. The real highlight, though, was the team. Adil and everyone else were warm and professional, with lovely attention to detail. Aziz, Issa, and Bushra deserve a special thank you for making our few days feel unforgettable. We were welcomed so warmly as soon as we arrived. Well done to the whole team, we’ll definitely be back soon.

The staff were super friendly and couldn’t do enough to help. Rooms are large, modern, and spacious, and there’s a reasonably priced spa and gym. Lunch and dinner are available as well as breakfast, all freshly cooked and reasonably priced. The hotel is very quiet and quite out of the way, which is the biggest challenge if you want to spend time in central Marrakesh. A taxi into the Medina in Marrakech was around £15, but getting back was harder. Once drivers started talking about the hotel being around 20km away, that £15 fare could turn into £30. The outside of the hotel could also use a bit of TLC.

We paid £150 for spa services before we could leave, even though Adel had told us they were complimentary for my birthday. We’d been told during his hotel and spa tour that the sauna, hammam, and massages were included. At checkout around 7 a.m., with our 10 a.m. flight coming up, a staff member stopped us and said we had to pay. He repeated that it was for the spa and because we were tourists, but wouldn’t explain the charge properly or let us go without paying. We asked them to contact Adel to clear up what he’d said. Instead, another manager, a woman, came over. I understand Arabic, and heard her tell the staff not to let us leave until we paid. She also said we couldn’t get into our waiting Uber until the payment was made. We felt pressured because we were afraid of missing our flight, so we paid despite the lack of explanation. Later, we found that the usual tourist spa fee at this property is about £12.50, which makes the amount charged very questionable. The delay meant we missed our flight, had to spend an extra night in Morocco, and book another hotel, bringing more unexpected costs. When my friend and I first arrived, we were warmly welcomed and offered complimentary Moroccan tea at check-in. One of the managers, Adel, asked whether it was our first time in Morocco. After we said yes, he offered to upgrade our stay and said we were “like family” at his hotel. It was my birthday, so we were grateful and excited by the gesture. Our stay went smoothly until that checkout morning. I’m sharing what happened so other travellers know about our experience and, hopefully, don’t face the same situation. The only reason I gave this hotel one star is that I couldn’t give zero.

The deluxe double room my husband booked was huge, and it was nice and clean. The pool was cleaned every day, the surroundings were very quiet, and the staff were friendly and helpful. I loved our stay, it’s an absolutely amazing hotel. The one downside is the trip into the city centre, which takes nearly 30-40 minutes. If that travel time doesn’t bother you, I’d definitely recommend booking. Otherwise, it’s a top hotel.