Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Luxury resorts from the likes of Amanjena, Taj Hotels and Bulgari are closing ranks
around Marrakesh, offering suburb-sized rooms at stratospheric rates - but for personal at-
tention and Marrakshi style, they can't compete with medina riads and Palmeraie villa
guesthouses.
Wherever you go, know that the rates for Marrakesh accommodation are more expens-
ive than anywhere else in Morocco. Low season is mid-June to August, mid-January to
mid-March and mid-November to mid-December. Book a month ahead and expect high-
season rates during major European holidays. The cheapest hotels line the sinuous Rue
Sidi Bouloukat just south of the Djemaa between Rue Bab Agnaou and Riad Zitoun el
Kedim.
R&R WITH B&B: MARRAKESH RIADS
Paris has its cathedrals, New York its skyscrapers, but riads are what set Marrakesh apart. These spec-
tacular mudbrick courtyard mansions are oases of calm in the bustling medina: push through the
brass-studded ancient door and you'll find yourself listening to songbirds, ice clinking in drinks and
your own thoughts - suddenly, Marrakesh's balance of extremes makes perfect sense.
Over the past decade, hundreds of these historic family homes have been sold and reinvented as
guesthouses, mainly by Europeans. The best are not just marvels of the Marrakshi tradition of crafts-
manship - which guesthouses helped revive - but unforgettable experiences of Marrakshi hospitality,
complete with insights into the local culture and shifting social mores. 'Riad' is now a synonym for
guesthouse, and the ones recommended here have been selected not on looks alone, but for convenient
locations, gracious staff, home-cooked meals and prime opportunities for relaxation and cultural im-
mersion. Staying in a riad isn't just about sleeping in posh digs; it's about gaining an understanding of
Marrakesh behind those studded doors.
Specialist agencies dealing specifically in riads are as follows:
Marrakech Riads
(
www.marrakech-riads.com
)
Marrakech Medina
(
www.marrakech-medina.com
)
Hip Marrakech
(
www.hipmarrakech.com
)
Marrakech & Beyond
(
www.marrakechandbeyond.com
)
Medina
Equity Point Hostel
HOSTEL
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