Frequently asked questions

Why stay with us?

Riad el Zohar is more than 300 years old and, despite being refurbished to the highest possible standard, still retains most of its original features. It is also one of very few riads in Marrakech to have its very own swimming pool, allowing guests to relax and cool down after a day of exploring the city.

As visitors to Marrakech for over 40 years, we know the city like the back of our hand and love being able to now share that knowledge and passion with our guests. We pride ourselves on being able to provide incredible recommendations to guests, allowing you to truly make the most of the various activities and restaurants that Marrakech has to offer.

When people come to Morocco they mistakenly believe that a riad is a small hotel or Bed & Breakfast. In actual fact, a riad is a traditional Moroccan house, usually with two or three floors situated around an Andalusian-style courtyard. Within this courtyard there will be a beautiful garden, as well as some form of water, usually in the form of a fountain or – in our case – a swimming pool.

Previously, riads used to be the stately city homes of the wealthiest and most powerful people in Morocco, used by military officers, minor royalty and merchants. Nowadays however, many of these riads have been converted into small hotels, guest houses and maison d’hôtes.

Each room within the riads have windows which face into the courtyard, in line with the Islamic idea of privacy and inward reflection. This also helps keep the air cool and comfortable within the riad itself, which is particularly useful during hot Moroccan summers. Our riad also features a thick external wall to block out street noise and help create an internal oasis of tranquillity for our guests.

Here at Riad el Zohar, we have five luxurious bedrooms available – each sleeping two people. As with most riads, there is an overriding quality over quantity characteristic. Each room we offer has been beautifully decorated to a high standard, featuring stunning Moroccan architecture and furnishings. All of the rooms also feature air conditioning, an en-suite bathroom, luxury bedding, plush dressing gowns, and much more.

Located only five minutes from the city’s most popular attractions, the Riad el Zohar is based within the popular Mouassine district, at the very heart of the ancient Medina. It’s also very close to Jemma el-Fna – Marrakech’s most popular square. It truly is a fantastic base to explore Marrakech from and you couldn’t wish for a more privileged location. It is based absolutely central to everything within the 1100 year old walled city.

We pride ourselves on delivering first-class customer service and having high levels of repeat business. We were even nominated for TripAdvisor’s Travellers Choice award back in 2017, demonstrating just how dedicated we are to ensuring our customers have a fantastic stay with us.

Marrakech may seem a bit overwhelming at first but don’t worry, we’ve got your back. We will greet you on arrival and navigate you back to our riad so that you know where to go. We will also provide you with detailed maps and a location app for smartphones, as well as take you around the local area to give you a brief glimpse of the city.

We are also more than happy to provide guests with advice and recommendations during their stay with us. Each of our rooms and saloons feature guidebooks to advise you on what to see and do during your stay in Marrakech.

Of course! Some of the best dinner you will find in Morocco will be at high quality riads like ours. We are fortunate enough to have three excellent chefs who can create a wide range of exceptional Moroccan dishes. Whether you choose to dine with us every night or only on the odd occasion, our chefs will be ready and waiting to cook your lunch or dinner whenever you need.

Spring and autumn are typically the most popular times to visit Marrakech since the weather is at its most pleasant. It can get fairly hot during the summer months – reaching highs of 38oC – but this is a usually dry heat, which feels more manageable. Each of our rooms features air conditioning anyway, so you can feel rest assured that you won’t have to face extreme temperatures during your stay. To see a table of the average temperatures and rainfall you can expect throughout the year, please click here.

“You can stay in a four star hotel anywhere in the world and it will be pretty much the same experience. However, when you stay at El Zohar it’s like coming home. You are truly treated like family….family that’s liked!! Sitting at the spectacular table in the beautiful courtyard of the boutique Riad enjoying that tea is as comfortable as sitting in your own living room. Alan, one of the owners, will give you tips and advice as to where to shop and how to avoid being ripped off in the souks. The rooms are comfortable and clean. The staff…more like new found friends than staff. Breakfast is literally a feast…way too much food…. a great selection that’s far more than you could ever eat, but boy is it good!! If you are going to pick a Riad in Marrakech this is the one I would recommend without reservation.”Read more reviews…

What is Travellers’ Choice?

Certificate of Excellence.