Dar Aida

Majid and Sofia are lovely, helpful people who take care of this very nice hotel. The location is its biggest plus, close to many interesting places in Rabat.

Majid, Sofia, and the rest of the staff made us feel completely at home. Their kindness and care for guests stood out, and we rarely get such a warm welcome from a place we've stayed. The riad is tucked into a quiet part of the busy medina, close to the beach and seafront. We could walk there from Rabat Ville train station in about 20 minutes, and it was lovely to come back to somewhere peaceful after exploring the city. We stayed three nights at Aida and would happily return on our next trip to Rabat.

Once we were checked in, the service was lovely. They gave us a map and explained how to get around, which we really needed because finding the riad in the middle of the medina was tricky at first. My room had its own bathroom, though the toilet wasn't properly cleaned and the room could have been cleaner. An extra blanket would've been welcome too. The rocky start was arriving to find no one there to check us in. Another guest eventually opened the front door, and we used the phone in the patio to get someone to come over. They also arranged coffee for me at 04:30, and at 05:00 a taxi driver came to the door to pick me up and take me to the airport. In the end, it was a good stay.

The building is lovely, with high ceilings and beautifully decorated doors. My small room had authentic touches that still gave it a royal feel, and there was a reception open 24/7 even though the front door didn't work well. A lot of the basics feel badly out of date, though: the chest, towels, bed sheets, shower, door lock, and TV. The building has real potential if they bring those facilities up to modern standards while keeping its character.