Gueliz (Avenue Mohammed V)

Radisson Blu Hotel, Marrakech Carre Eden

★★★★★

The Radisson Blu Carre Eden is the best mid-priced base in Gueliz, the modern district built by the French in the early twentieth century and now the city's center for shopping, cafes, galleries and nightlife. The hotel stands at 166-176 Avenue Mohammed V, the long boulevard that runs from the Koutoubia through Gueliz, as part of the Carre Eden development, which includes a shopping center with international brands, a supermarket and restaurants. When it opened it was the brand's first hotel in Morocco. Rooms are contemporary, with clean lines, good beds and Moroccan touches, and they suit business travelers and families as much as couples. The heart of the hotel is a courtyard with an outdoor pool, which guests report is heated, and the spa offers a hammam and massages. A restaurant serves breakfast and Moroccan and international dishes, and the bar is a pleasant place to end the day. The location is the main reason to choose it. Gueliz has some of the best restaurants, wine bars and cafes in the city, the Jardin Majorelle is a short taxi ride away, and the walk down Avenue Mohammed V to the Koutoubia and Jemaa el-Fna takes about half an hour, passing the Cyber Park. Taxis are easy to find, and the area feels more relaxed than the Medina, which suits travelers who want a break from bargaining and lanes. The trade-off is atmosphere: this is an international hotel in a modern district, and it does not give the sense of place of a riad. Many travelers split their stay, with a few nights in a riad and a few here.

Location math: the Carre Eden shopping center is next door, Gueliz cafes and galleries within a few minutes' walk, the Jardin Majorelle about ten minutes by taxi, and Jemaa el-Fna about ten minutes by taxi or thirty on foot. The railway station and the Hivernage district are also close.

Room and booking advice: ask for a room facing the pool courtyard rather than the avenue for quiet. Radisson Rewards members may get better rates and perks booking directly. A per-person tourist tax is added.

Who should stay: travelers who prefer modern comfort and a central new-town location, business visitors, and families who like a pool and supermarket nearby. For riad character, choose a Medina property; for a resort, the Movenpick in Hivernage or the Four Seasons. Gueliz is also the best district for evenings out without the Medina's hustle: wine bars, French bistros, contemporary Moroccan restaurants and the galleries around Rue de la Liberte are all within a short walk of the hotel.