Marrakech Travel Guide
Where to Stay in Marrakech
Riad or resort? A neighborhood-by-neighborhood guide to sleeping in Marrakech, from art-filled riads near Jemaa el-Fna and garden hotels in the Kasbah to the palace hotels by the walls, Hivernage resorts and the calm of the Palmeraie.
In Marrakech, choosing where to stay is not just about the room; it decides how you experience the city. Sleep in the Medina and the city is on your doorstep, with the call to prayer at dawn, the souks a few lanes away and the square a stroll after dinner, but also with lanes that cars cannot reach and a bustle that never quite stops. Sleep outside the walls and you gain space, pools and easy taxi access, but every trip into the old city becomes an outing. Most first-timers are happiest in the Medina; families and travelers who want a resort rhythm often prefer Hivernage or the Palmeraie. Here is how the options compare.
What is a riad? A riad is a traditional Moroccan house built around an internal courtyard garden, blank to the street and open to the sky within. Hundreds of them in the Medina have been restored as guesthouses and boutique hotels, from simple family-run houses with a handful of rooms to luxury properties with pools and spas. Rooms face the courtyard, so they can be dim and sounds carry across the patio; in exchange you get beauty, intimacy, personal service and usually a roof terrace for breakfast and sunset. Smaller riads may have only a plunge pool or none at all, so check if a pool matters to you.
The Medina near Jemaa el-Fna. For a first visit, the lanes within ten minutes of the square are the most convenient base: you can walk to the souks, the Koutoubia and the food stalls, and back to your riad for a siesta. El Fenn, eight interconnected riads with three pools, a spa, an art collection and a big rooftop bar facing the Koutoubia, is the stylish favorite. Riad Kheirredine offers a heated pool, a hammam spa and rooftop dining in a smaller, more intimate house. At the top of the scale, the Royal Mansour, built for the king and still royal-owned, gives every guest a private riad with its own rooftop plunge pool inside five hectares of gardens, a few steps from the square.
Mouassine and the northern Medina. The lanes around Le Jardin Secret, the Mouassine Mosque and the Dar el Bacha palace are among the most elegant in the old city, with boutiques, cafes and many fine riads. They put you close to the souks and the Ben Youssef Madrasa but a little further from the square. Expect narrow lanes and a longer walk from the nearest taxi drop.
The Kasbah. The southern Medina, around the Saadian Tombs and the Royal Palace, is calmer and more residential than the area around the square, with good rooftop restaurants and easier taxi access. It is a great choice for second-timers and for families. Les Jardins de la Medina, a family-owned former princely residence with a 3,000-square-meter garden and a pool, is the best value for space and greenery inside the walls.
By the walls: the palace hotels. La Mamounia, opened in 1923 in a sultan's orchard against the ramparts at Bab Jdid, combines park-like gardens, a huge pool, celebrated restaurants and a spa with a ten-minute walk to the Koutoubia. It is the classic choice for honeymoons and milestone trips, and its bars and tea rooms are a social hub even for non-guests.
Hivernage and the Menara. Just outside the walls to the southwest, Hivernage is a district of wide avenues, resort hotels, restaurants and nightlife, close to the airport and a short taxi ride from the Medina. The Four Seasons Resort, across from the Menara Gardens, has forty acres of gardens, two pools, a hammam spa and the best kids club in the city, which makes it the top family pick. Hivernage suits travelers who want a resort base and easy evenings out.
Gueliz. The modern center has many mid-range hotels and apartments and is the best area for contemporary restaurants, galleries and the Jardin Majorelle. It is practical and good value, but it lacks the magic of the Medina, and you will take taxis to the old city.
The Palmeraie and beyond. The palm grove on the northern edge of the city is home to villas, resorts and boutique retreats, about twenty minutes by car from the Medina. Jnane Tamsna, a family-run hotel with 23 rooms, three pools, a tennis court and nine acres of botanical gardens, is the most personal choice. Further out, luxury camps in the Agafay desert and lodges in the Atlas foothills make a memorable night or two at the end of a city stay.
Practical advice for riad stays. Share your arrival time so that someone can meet your taxi and guide you through the lanes; ask for written directions or a pin for the door. Pack light, because luggage often goes by hand cart. In winter, ask about heating, as riads can be cold at night; in summer, a pool or at least a shaded rooftop makes a big difference. Expect a per-person nightly tourist tax on top of the rate, and book spring, autumn and the festive season well ahead, when the best riads fill months in advance.
Our quick picks. For style near the square: El Fenn. For a pool and spa in a small riad: Riad Kheirredine. For value and a garden: Les Jardins de la Medina. For a once-in-a-lifetime splurge: La Mamounia or the Royal Mansour. For families: the Four Seasons. For peace among the palms: Jnane Tamsna.