CASABLANCA
In a city that somehow lacks good quality hotels, the Barcelo is a very good option. We stayed for just one night, and it was very adequate for our needs. Location is fairly central, although we were not too concerned about this as we had transport. The room was a decent size, in a contemporary style. Bathroom was good sized as well. Everything was very clean. The buffet breakfast the next morning had both hot and cold options. The hotel seems to have a loyal business clientele, and has its act together. Recommended.
FES
Has been rated as one of the best riads in Fes. The riad consists of two old Moroccan houses which have been restored. One of the houses is decorated in a traditional style, while the other, with the water body, is done up in a more modern style. There is a garden with tables and sit outs. The rooftop terrace provided panoramic views of the Fes medina. Access to the riad is easy, through a nice garden alongside it that leads to a parking space just outside a large gate.
We stayed in two rooms at the riad, the first was a traditional long room, done up in tones of gold. The lack of windows did not bother us over our two day stay, but for a longer stay, a room which opens out into the garden might be a better bet. The room was comfortable, with TV, minibar, and there were bottles of water and cookies laid out everyday. The bathroom was in the traditional tadelakht plaster style.
The second room we stayed in looked out over the garden and was also traditional in appearance but with a more modern twist. We liked this room a lot more for the light and air afforded by the windows. The only drawback was the bathroom. Done also in the tadelakht style, it looked great, but the tub is free standing, and as such is not conducive for taking a shower in. There is no sealing at the back, which means if anyone takes a shower, the bathroom floods and water seeps into the room.
Breakfast at the riad is very good, with lots of fresh breads, and hot options by way of egg omelettes. One can have breakfast in the room, on the terrace or in the garden.
Dinner at the riad was very good. We ate there all three days, and it seemed to be popular with outside guests as well.
All in all, its a very nice riad, but I would personally prefer to have stayed in the newer building.
The Maison Bleue has two properties in Fes, in different locations. One is the La Maison Bleue, and the other is the Riad Maison Bleue. We opted to stay at the latter due to its slightly better reviews.
We stayed in a Deluxe Suite for one night, since the Riad Fes could not accommodate us for our last night in Fes. The riad is an agglomeration of 4 houses, and even after a guided tour, it would be difficult to find one's way around initially. There is a spa on the terrace, a decent sized pool and 2 different restaurants, one for traditional Moroccan and one for more western tastes.
We found our room, which was again a traditional room, to be more luxurious than either of the rooms at the Riad Fes, although in all fairness, those at Riad Fes were not suites. The bathroom is huge, but quite dark, so its atmospheric for those who may like that sort of thing.
We were leaving very early the next morning and so were unable to partake of the full breakfast, but the riad did provide a continental breakfast for us in the room, which was a nice touch. Access is easy, its about 100 m down a small alley from a large public parking space, and there is help at hand to schlep luggage.
ERG CHEBBI
We loved the camp at Erg Chebbi, even though the sandstorm did put a dampener on things. Its very luxurious, with flushing loos, hot showers and running water for washing up right in the tent. The service is attentive, and since we were the only ones there that night, we felt like loyalty. Dinner and breakfast is included in the stay, and are of a very high standard. Highly, highly reommended.
ZAGORA
This is a large place with very nice gardens, a pool and the opportunity to live in individual "pise" or adobe mud brick houses. The houses are airconditioned, and quite large, with large bathrooms with all the mod cons. There is a fridge but no television. Dinner was included in our stay and was decent traditional fare. Breakfast was continental with breads, condiments, juice and coffee. Recommended.
ERG CHIGAGA
I suffer from a serious lack of apt words to describe our experience here. We booked it with great trepidation, as it was going to be the single most expensive stay of our travels, ever. At the end of it all, I can state with absolutely no prevarication - it was worth every penny. The solitude, the service, the facilities, the attention to detail, the location, the food - these guys know luxury. The tent is very comfortable and done in a very contemporary explorer style. Think Indiana Jones meet Crate and Barrel. The chemical toilet functions well and is the only option in this remote spot. The furnishings are top quality. A welcome drink is set up on the dunes, there is an evening tea on Berber rugs with lanterns deep in the desert, and dinner is a sumptuous affair of the best wines and delicious flavours on a beautifully laid out table on the sands. Walking back to the tent, with the starry sky above, and following the path laid out by dozens of lanterns amidst the dunes, perhaps the only word that comes to mind is - magic. An absolute must do once in a lifetime.
AIT BEN HADDOU
We came across this place during our research, and I think it wins the best newcomer award of the trip. In a small village outside of Ait ben Haddou, this authentic ksar has been restored into a wonderful hotel. Wonderful gardens and a large pool, which look great when lit in the night, and warm service, hit the right note. The food was a real discovery with gourmet fusion takes on traditional food, and we enjoyed two of the best meals of the trip here. The room was not very large, but imaginatively decorated with beautiful lampshades. The bathroom was large enough, and there is a hammam on site. Breakfast was continental, and adequate, but given the standard of their dinner service, could be upgraded a notch. Very highly recommended.
IMLIL, TOUBKAL
There is a lot that has been written about this award winning eco-friendly restored kasbah in the hills, so I will simply describe our experience. It has a stunning location, with perhaps the best view of the mountain. The interiors are warm and comfortable, largely in the traditional style, but with modern surprises like CD players in the rooms. Thoughtful detail such as providing large woollen overthrows in each room to help against sudden chills are very welcome. The garden is a work in progress, and they have their own bakery on site. Food is decent, traditional fare, and breakfast is adequate. They also provide a 2 hour free walk up to some Berber villages every morning at ten, which we did not do.
There is a pre-supposition that the place is extremely luxurious, and those who come with that expectation may be a bit disappointed. I would characterize it as a warm, comfortable and well located place, and the best option for any one who plans a visit to these parts. Recommended.
ESSAOUIRA
Our first option in Essaouira was the Sofitel, simply because it's location placed it 5 minutes away along the seaside promenade from the medina. For some reason, the hotel never confirmed our reservation, which led us to booking with the Atlas, newer, and another 5 minutes further down the promenade. The hotel is new, with a very contemporary look, and was a good break from the traditional ambience that we had had for the most part of the trip. Initially, they could not locate our reservation as there was a mistake in the date in our communications, but they were able to offer us a sea facing room as per our booking request. The room was very large and comfortable. Gordon used the spa, quite pricey, and which was just about average from his perspective. The room service dinner was very good, and the restaurant on the beach opposite the hotel was also good, but with very relaxed service. One particular woman at the reception seemed to have an abrasive attitude, she chased us down for a 10 dirham payment for a bottle of water from the mini bar that they had forgotten to check. Not a problem, but after check out formalities had been completed, and we went for lunch and returned, to be accosted for this seemed petty. Overall its a good hotel, just some service standards need to be elevated.
MARRAKESH
The one place you want to get it right as far as accommodation is concerned is Marrakesh,and this is paradoxicallu also the most difficult. Marrakesh is spoilt for choice, with over 400 riads, and the very best of these are in turns expensive as well as have wonderful features, making it very difficult to choose from between them. We decided to go with the recommendation given to us by Liz of Authentic Morocco, and we were not disappointed. Ksar Anika is very new, and is the luxury offering of the British owners of Dar Anika, another riad that has been around for a while and has gotten consistently good reviews at the mid range section of the market. It is situated a little away from the main streets, in the Jewish Mellah, but walk 5 minutes and you are at the main street that leads into the Djemma el Fna square. Total time taken to walk to the square is 15 minutes.
The staff is very attentive and anxious to please, and they went out of their way to address our every need, including the wonderful receptionist Meryam who rolled up her sleeves and cooked dinner for us the night we arrived, as the chef had already left by then. The interiors are a beautiful contemporary twist on Moroccan style, and the courtyard and patios are quiet and relaxing. The roof top terrace has places to lounge on with enjoying the sun. Since the riad was new, they were not up to full occupancy, which meant that the level of service was even more attentive. I would hope that would not change once more people hear about the place. The room was huge, and very nicely done, with a large bathroom, nice toiletries, and plenty of peace and quiet. They do not have TVs in the room, instead they have a cinema room, where you can watch movies on a large screen, as well as a cocktail lounge. We loved our stay here, and very highly recommend it.
