Where to stay in Morocco

Riads and the last 200 metres

• A riad is a traditional house built around a courtyard, converted to a small guesthouse. In Marrakech and Fez they are the reason to visit.
• No car can reach one. Medina lanes are too narrow, and your taxi stops at a gate.
• Arrange a meet-in-advance. Every riad will send someone to the nearest square or gate if you tell them your arrival time. Do this for your first night, without exception.
• If you do not, someone will offer to guide you and will want MAD 100 to MAD 200 at the door.
• Save the riad's phone number and a photo of the entrance. Addresses in a medina are not navigable and the signage is minimal.
• A porter with a cart for your suitcase is a normal, fair service and costs MAD 20 to MAD 50. Agree it first.

Other options

• Hotels in the ville nouvelle are conventional, drivable and duller. Gueliz in Marrakech, the Hivernage district, the Agdal in Rabat.
• Beach resorts at Agadir and Essaouira are all-inclusive in style and completely different in feel from the interior.
• Desert camps at Merzouga and Zagora range from a mattress under canvas to a luxury tent with plumbing. Book through a reputable operator rather than in the street.
• Mountain gîtes in the High Atlas are simple, warm and often the best food you will eat.

Practical notes

• Your passport is taken at check-in and your details registered with the authorities. That is required of every property.
• Riad rooms can be cold in winter. The Atlas gets snow and traditional houses are built for summer, not January.
• Air conditioning is essential in Marrakech from June to September, when 45 °C happens.
• Ramadan changes hotel service, with restaurants closed during daylight, though hotels catering to tourists keep serving.
• Unmarried couples: Moroccan law restricts unmarried Moroccan couples from sharing a room. It does not apply to foreign visitors, and hotels do not ask.