Where To Stay In Marrakech: Stunning Riads & Boutique Hotels You’ll Love
Nine years ago, I found myself walking through narrow winding alleys of the medina in Marrakech, Morocco. It felt like I was in a maze, and then suddenly, we arrived at a door. The host opened the door and I entered into the most beautiful calming riad. In a corner of the courtyard, a welcoming pour of Moroccan mint tea beckoned. As I took in my surroundings, I was amazed at what lay behind that unassuming door. Within moments, I was transported miles away from the bustle of the medina that lay just a few steps behind that massive ornate door. I promised to return to Marrakech, with friends in tow! It was finally time for that promise to be fulfilled and I found myself searching for where to stay in Marrakech and looking for the best riads in Marrakech.
If you’re in the same boat, I went knee deep into research mode and now, I will help you figure out exactly where to stay in Marrakech during your trip and how to find the best riad in Marrakech for you.
What In The World Is A Riad? What Makes Riads Special?
A riad is a traditional Moroccan house or palace built around an inner courtyard/garden. It is the epitome of Moroccan hospitality and a grounding part of the Moroccan experience. Tours and experiences aside, staying in a Riad is in itself an immersive experience in a rich cultural tradition and a taste of Moroccan hospitality.
The word Riad comes from the Arabic word, Ryad, which means garden. Riads historically belonged to wealthy citizens and often feature greenery, beautiful tilework, and a central pool. Some riads also have a rooftop terrace.
Riad or Hotel in Marrakech
Yes, there are some lovely hotels in Marrakech. However, if you ask me, without question, at least part of your time should be spent in a riad. You’re in Morocco for goodness sake! You can stay in hotels anywhere else in the world.
How To Choose A Riad In Marrakech – What To Look For In A Riad
There are over 1500 riads in Marrakech, where do you even start from? I was very particular about the riads I was willing to stay in. Not only for myself, but also for my friends who were coming along. For most of my friends, it was their first trip to Morocco. I’m very particular about my accommodations when I travel and this was no different.
I’d categorize my goal/desired experience on this trip as affordable luxury. It took me a long time but I was relentless in my search. I was not only searching online, but I was also sending e-mails to each potential riad. In the riads, I paid attention to details and looked for the following non-negotiables on my Marrakech riad checklist:
- A rooftop terrace
- Within the Medina
- Breakfast spread included in the costs
- Plunge pool or Jacuzzi
- Hammam (baths)
- A beautiful courtyard
- 4 stars and above and overwhelmingly positive reviews
- Privacy
- Free wifi (of course)
- Air conditioning (important in the summer)
- Good-sized bedrooms with unique decor and that Moroccan vibe, but elevated
- Adequate spaces to gather
- Great service
- Responsiveness via email
- Onsite staff
- House rules (refundability, deposit, noise etc)
- Overall, aesthetically pleasant ambiance and decor
- Location – close to Jema El-fnaa square and souks (less than 10 minutes walking)
This checklist is really a cheat code, steal it already! It becomes really easy to eliminate choices that do not meet these criteria
Bonus Tip: I tracked all the riads that I was researching against my top desires, and then for those that met most of my criteria, I’d reach out via email regardless of what their availability said online (because you just never know).
Tips For Booking A Stay In Marrakech For A Group
I thought I was starting at a decent time by looking just over 2 months to the trip, but I was wrong. Since Riads are small in nature, with several riads having fewer than 8 rooms, it is important to book early when trying to get a group to stay together. During my search, there were some riads that I loved but just did not have room for a group of our size.
Why I Stayed in 2 Raids in Marrakech
I decided to divide our stay up into 2 riads for two reasons. First, I wanted the experience of renting out an entire riad for our group, just as I dreamt of doing nine years ago when I first arrived in Marrakech.
Further, I love a luxurious experience but being conscious of the budgets of all involved, I chose to stay at a 5 star riad for the second half of our stay as opposed to the full stay.
Both experiences turned out to be just what the group needed. We enjoyed the privacy of the first riad (Dar Emeraude), and absolutely loved the luxury that comes with a 5 star riad at Riad Sakkan.
Why Stay In A Private Riad in Marrakech
When traveling with a group, I would recommend renting out an entire riad if possible. It offers a magical way to experience the city in privacy, authenticity, and luxury.
Now, let’s get into both riads that I selected for our group!
Riad Etoile D’Orient – Dar Emeraude – Private Riad Stay in Marrakech
Dar Emeraude is a sister riad of the main Riad Etoile D’Orient in the Marrakech medina. The main riad is a 4-star riad with overwhelmingly positive reviews. However, as I did my research on their website, I found a sister riad (3 minute walk away) with 4 bedrooms, and all the items on my list. I couldn’t believe my luck, so I shot an email off!
Dar Emeraude is located in the heart of the old medina, within a 5-7 minute walk of the main square. I’ll break down my review of the riad below:
Design & Atmosphere:
When I walked in, I thought, yes! I nailed it! My guests felt the same way on arrival. The architecture was gorgeous and sooo Moroccan! It had a courtyard with the light coming in, a space to hang out on the main level, and a dining area for meals. It was also clearly well cared for!
Rooms:
The rooms were a decent size (not much luggage space though), and all rooms came with a queen sized bed and ensuite bathroom. The rooms also came with hair dryer, shampoo, and body wash (though we couldn’t tell which was which haha). The beds were comfortable and the rooms also had that moroccan design as well.
Food & Dining:
A breakfast spread was made for us every morning by the housekeeper. The breakfast was of good quality and variety, and I had no complaints. In addition, if we wanted to have lunch or dinner on the property, we had to give notice about 4 hours ahead of time. Unfortunately, we couldn’t have our meals on the terrace as the terrace is more for lounging and light bites.
Service & Hospitality:
From the moment I sent my inquiry e-mail, the team at this riad was incredibly responsive. The initial emails were directly from Frank the owner, and later emails were from the staff. The house keeper Jamila was friendly, professional, helpful and cheerful everyday (although I fear our group may have overwhelmed her a bit). While her English skills were not perfect (it was better than my French or Arabic to be honest), she did an amazing job and made sure I got directed around and didn’t get lost as I initially made my way through the medina.
She cooked up a delicious storm and one day, we also pre-booked lunch. The food was authentic, delicious and fresh from the kitchen.
Further, the riad has a more flexible cancellation policy than several others. Also, only 30% of payment was
Amenities and Extras:
This riad hit a lot of the key items on my want list! Rooftop terrace, plunge pool, hammam (which I used), airport transfers at a reasonable cost, as well as tours and activities arranged. I booked a hammam and massage upon arrival and it was the best thing I did after 20 hours of travel! I felt like a brand new person afterwards.
I booked a private walking tour of the Medina through the riad and the tour guide was excellent and tailored the tour to our group’s interests and preferences.
Location & Accessibility –
The riad was located in the medina, a 5-7 minute walk from the main Jemaa el-fnaa square. However, the drop off point after 11am is quite further away and it ended up being a 15-17 minute walk through the square and medina to the hotel. While I loved getting my steps in, it was more walking than I wanted after a long day out.
Value for money –
Dar Emeraude Luxury feels at a really reasonable rate. This riad was very affordable. All in, each guest paid $65 about per night (2 sharing per room). Some hostels cost that much alone! That’s excellent value for money!
Rating My Overall Experience at Dar Emeraude Marrakech–
I would rate Dar Emeraude a solid 7.5/10 with its main winning points being overall value for money, design, atmosphere, responsiveness, space, price, and privacy. I was going to rate it a solid 8/10, however, I deducted 0.5 points for a power outage that occurred on our very first night. Since the onsite staff doesn’t stay overnight, it took us contacting the main riad to get someone to fix it. That being said, they came over within 10 minutes and addressed the situation.
I would recommend this riad for a group of 8 looking for where to stay in Marrakech.
Riad Sakkan – An Unforgettable Stay at A Luxury Riad in Marrakech
Riad Sakkan is a laid-back 5-star luxury riad also within Marrakech’s historical medina. Oh Sakkan!!! We are still raving about you! Riad Sakkan had been on my radar for over a year and I was absolutely certain that we would stay here for at least part of the trip. The question was just whether it would be at the front end or on the back end of the trip. It did not disappoint. Here’s my review of the overall Sakkan experience.
Location & Accessibility:
Also located in the medina, less than 2 minutes from the souks, and minutes from Jemaa el-fnaa square, Riad Sakkan was more accessible as it was only a 5 minute walk to vehicle access. This came as such a relief to our group and was a bigger deal to us than even I had initially anticipated.
Design & Atmosphere:
Riad Sakkan is a design lover’s dream. It’s obvious that there was extra care taken to design both the common areas and each bedroom. Each bedroom is uniquely designed and I loved each one of the four rooms for our group. The riad has a stunning pool (one of my regrets is not getting into the pool), lovely courtyard, and rooftop terrace. Every corner is photo worthy!
Rooms:
Each room was unique and just gorgeous. I actually think my room was the most plain looking of all our rooms (hmm why is that?) and I booked a Junior luxury room as it was my birthday trip. Okay, I had the coolest door and my room was quite large. All rooms were larger than the rooms in our first riad, and the bathrooms were certainly better. All rooms came with ensuite bathroom, as well as higher end toiletries. They offer a variety of room options from small luxury to Master suite.
Food & Dining:
Oh, we loved the lush breakfast spreads at Sakkan! There was also a pretty decent window from 8am to 11:30am, accommodating both early and late risers, We enjoyed freshly made breakfast and fresh squeezed juices, and conversations on the rooftop. I’m still dreaming about those Moroccan pancakes that we had! We loved the tableware so much that we had to ask where it was purchased from. Riad Sakkan also offers lunch, dinner, and drink options throughout the day!
Service & Hospitality:
11/10!! Riad Sakkan really stood out for their service. The manager’s responsiveness to my emails were top notch. They also sent a guide about a week to our arrival and while our trip was already planned, it was a lovely touch. The ENTIRE team was faultless in our eyes. Friendly, approachable and with a can-do attitude for any request or challenge (and we had a few – from glasses left at a restaurant, to shoes left in the dessert- the team sorted retrievals).
When I asked for an iron, the team took my dress and brought it back perfectly pressed! My friend brought back a meal and asked if the team could please warm it up, the meal was not just thrown in the microwave, it was plated and presented so beautifully that they barely recognized it.
I cannot commend the team enough. Every single person in my group of 7 commended the team’s above and beyond approach to hospitality.
Amenities and Extras:
Riad Sakkan had all the amenities and extras that I had on my checklist but at a higher level of luxury and style. Massive rooftop terrace, pool, courtyard area with sitting/reading nooks, hammam (which my friends used), airport transfers at a reasonable cost, as well as tours and activities. Since it was on the backend of our trip, we were done with tours so we did not have the opportunity to book any tours via the riad.
Rating My Overall Experience at Riad Sakkan–
I would rate Riad Sakkan a solid 9.5/10 with its main winning points being service service service, design, and access. I was going to rate it a solid 10/10, however, I deducted 0.5 points as for some odd reason they did not answer the phone when we tried to call several times on the morning we were transferring riads. Aside from that little snafu, we all fell in love with Riad Sakkan.
The staff are excellent, the property is perfectly designed. It is luxurious and yet feels within your reach. The experience absolutely nails laidback luxury and while we loved both riads, several of the ladies (myself included) want to return to Sakkan with more of our loved ones!
Other Riads I Loved in Marrakech
I spent weeks researching riads, and I stumbled upon a number of other riads. Here are some Riads I loved but ended up not working for my group either because they were full, or didn’t have enough rooms available for my friends and I.
Riad Botanica –
An acquaintance posted about their stay at riad and it is stunning so I reached out immediately. They were so prompt and kind in their response even though they didn’t have enough room for my group. Riad Botanica is a 4-star luxury riad in Marrakech that sleeps up to 12. It is a small family-run riad, owned by a Moroccan and Australian couple. It is clear that a lot of thoughtfulness went into every aspect of this riad.
What I Loved About Riad Botanica
- The riad is stunning
- The team’s responsiveness and positive attitude
- They offer wellness packages and it is obvious that they care about the details
- It is a family-run business
- They have all the amenities on my list (pool, courtyard, beautifully appointed rooms, breakfast included, rooftop, plants, and quiet nooks)
Riad Kniza –
I try to find local businesses to support during my travels, and Riad Kniza is owned by a Moroccan family (an antiques dealer and guide), This riad is houses in an 18th century building inside the medina. The decor seems to be richly Moroccan.
What I Loved About Riad Kniza
- Live music on certain nights
- With just 11 rooms, it remains intimate
- All the amenities like hammam, rooftop terrace, and courtyard
- Excellent reviews with high marks for comfort, cleanliness, and service
My Top 3 Tips For Where To Stay in Marrakech
- Compare prices – for the same riad, you might find different pricing on Airbnb, Booking, and directly with the Riad itself. I found booking directly with the riad to offer the best rates.
- Stay in the Medina – For first time visitors, pick a riad inside the medina for that Moroccan magic.
- Book your riad early, especially when traveling with a group, or during the high season
- Ensure you understand the cancellation policies, read the fine print BEFORE you book.
Final Thoughts on Where To Stay In Marrakech: The Magic of Staying in a Riad
Nine years after my first trip to Marrakech, I’m still convinced that staying in a riad is the best way to truly feel the city. When you are searching for where to stay in Marrakech, skip the cookie cutter hotels and step inside a riad. Beyond the tiled courtyard and mint tea, riads capture the soul of Moroccan hospitality. Riads are intimate, design-forward, and deeply personal.
Whether you choose an affordable luxury stay tucked in the medina, or a laidback luxury escape that feels worlds away, a riad lets you experience Marrakech in a way no hotel ever could.
So yes, I’m biased, you should stay in a riad for all or part of your stay in Marrakech. So, as you plan your own trip, take your time, check the details and choose a space that speaks to your travel style and travel mood. Because in Marrakech, where you stay becomes part of the story.
If you’ve stayed in a riad you loved, I’d love to hear about it – drop a comment to share your favourite with me.
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