You can’t visit Marrakech without staying in a riad. It’s a simple truth. Don’t argue with me, try not to get distracted by the glitz coming from the Palmeraie hotels, and definitely don’t think about staying in an out of town resort. If you do, I’m afraid we can no longer be friends. Trust me on this, once you’ve tried a riad, there’s no going back.

With hundreds of Marrakech riads to choose from in the city’s atmospheric medina it can be a minefield to the uninitiated (and even those who have been before), so I’ve put together a handy little guide on how to pick the best riad for you. You can thank me later. Believe me, there’s a lot to consider beyond just the colour of the bedspread!

Once you have a vague idea of what you’re after, it’s time for that most enjoyable of past-times…to whittle down your list from 150 to just 1! To make it a little easier, I’ll let you into one of my secrets…below are some of my favourite Marrakech riads, covering a range of prices and all chosen for their style, character and top notch service.

Marrakech riads to die for…

Riad Assakina – elegant luxury: our favourite riad in Marrakech!

In a city where riad hospitality is generally exemplary, Riad Assakina is surely the best of them all! We’ve graced many a riad with our presence over the last few years as we’re all about new experiences and rarely stay in the same place twice, yet something tells me Riad Assakina will be the one to break that tradition. 

This striking riad nestled in the Mellah area (Old Jewish Quarter) has 7 individually designed luxurious rooms and suites and top notch personal service. Carefully styled furnishings unite traditional Moroccan artefact with contemporary comfort, and the home cooked meals are some of the best we’ve had in Marrakech. Rooms are all generously proportioned and elegantly comfortable. We stayed in the Almohad suite, an adventure in itself with exotic art, fabulous view of the entire length of the riad, and a fun secret little wooden door-within-a-door leading to the bathroom. There are complimentary djellabas and babouches to wear around the riad, which are available to purchase in the little shop. Which we did.

Riad Assakina boasts one of the loveliest roof terraces we’ve had the pleasure of enjoying, with another dipping pool and lots of shady spots to while away a hot afternoon (with generous tranches of cake and pots of sweet mint tea). Friendly owners Michelle and Grant are very helpful and sit down with guests when they arrive armed with a map and lots of suggestions of places to visit.

Read more: a review of our stay at Riad Assakina

Delicious food, stylish interiors and a tranquil ambience make this one of our favourite mid-high end riads.

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La Maison Arabe – luxury riad hotel with poolside dining & jazz bar

La Maison Arabe is another luxury Marrakech riad hotel we know we’ll return to. This is pure luxury without pretention, with some of the best service in the entire city. It’s bigger than most traditional medina riads, which means there’s more choice of 37 rooms and suites, as well as a range of prices. The Moroccan architecture is stunning, with lots of nooks and crannies showing off different styles. There’s a lot of space here (unusual in most riads), and there are several public courtyards and salons where you can hang out after a morning exploring, cocktail or mint tea in hand.

Read more: a review of our stay at La Maison Arabe

We loved being able to dine at the onsite restaurants (apparently Sir Winston Churchill was a regular diner here too back in the day!), especially Les Trois Saveurs (The Three Flavours) which has candlelit tables beside the beautiful pool. There’s a stunning spa, and a cooking school, where we learned to cook authentic Moroccan cuisine under the watchful eye of the friendly dada (traditional Moroccan cook). Honestly one of the most fun things we’ve done in Marrakech. We also enjoyed a day at their Country Club in the Palmeraie, where aromatic gardens and Berber tents surrounded an enormous pool. Perfect on a hot afternoon.

Read more: our experience at the La Maison Arabe cooking workshop

La Maison Arabe is in a great location on the edge of the medina, just a short walk from Djemaa el Fna, so it’s well placed for exploring the new town as well as the old.

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Riad Cinnamon – stylish suites and delicious home cooked meals

I think Riad Cinnamon makes the list thanks to its beautiful room design. It boasts lavish suites from the more traditional in design, to the tastefully modern with a ‘dash of zen’ Casablanca Suite. Several have their own mezzanine area with snugs and TV spaces, and bathrooms are elegantly huge with cosy bathrobes and slippers.

We stayed in the sumptuous Meknes suite, one of the most gorgeous rooms we’ve seen in Marrakech, very colourful yet calm. Service was top notch, with great food served up on the roof terrace or the patio below. The riad has a really lovely tranquil ambience and is somewhere you will want to spend time rather than hot-footing it out into the city.

Check availability for Riad Cinnamon

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Riad Papillon – a beautiful budget option in the heart of the medina

Sister riad to Cinnamon, this gorgeous turquoise themed riad is located in a traditional and easy-to-navigate location in the Mouassine district. The small but tasteful rooms have very romantic bathrooms, and the whole riad has touches of the traditional mingled with the modern.

We stayed in the Bougainvillea room, which is cosy yet perfectly formed, and one of the best tadelakt bathrooms we’ve seen. The photos don’t do it justice. The riad staff are brilliant, and they even give you a mobile phone to call them if you get lost in the souks (they will come and find you no matter where you are!!). That’s the boring option of course, getting lost is all part of the fun, but several other first-time guests used this and thought it wonderful.

The food is excellent, and service was up to the standards we’ve come to expect. We’d definitely stay here again, and the prices are quite realistic, with frequent discounts on their website.

Check availability for Riad Papillon

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Riad Mur Akush – a quiet, welcoming retreat from the city bustle

Here we opted for the incredibly romantic Suite d’Olive, which boasts yet another amazing bathroom and a four poster bed to die for (it was very comfortable as well as looking gorgeous). This is the stuff of 1001 nights!

A little lounge area gives this suite ample space in which to settle in for a few days, with seductive lighting for a sensual ambience. Again, great staff and wonderful food, couldn’t fault any part of our stay. They also often have room discounts on their website so it is a good idea to book direct, and we were also given a discount for booking several nights so its always worth asking what is available.

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Riad Carina – great value medina gem with impeccable hospitality

A smaller, more ‘rustic’ riad, but still beautifully decorated, and really good value for money. Great location too. We enjoyed the traditional room Safran on the first floor, which had everything we needed, and were served with a lovely romantic dinner in their terrace tent, complete with rose petals on the table. They have equally good sister riads, all with very different styles – check out the Moroccan architecture at Riad Viva and the quiet elegance at Riad Diana. The staff were very helpful and friendly despite the language barrier, and we felt very comfortable and relaxed.

Check availability for Riad Carina

Dar Eliane

The very first riad we stayed in and where we retreated after being traumatised by our first souk carpet haggling experience. The only downside is that it’s a bit further out than the others (about 15 mins walk to the main square) and rather difficult to navigate on your first visit. On the other hand, it’s definitely the ‘real’ local side of the the city, and will always hold a special place in our hearts as it was our first! The food here is glorious, and possibly the best aubergine salad and lamb tagine ever! A tranquil, tasty and authentic stay.

So now I’ve shared my secrets, it’s time you went and discovered some of your own…and if you think you can beat my favourites, I’d love to know!