Traditional Riad With Pool

What is a Riad?

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.

How many bedrooms does the Riad offer?

Here at Riad el Zohar, we have five luxurious bedrooms available – each sleeping two people. As with most traditional 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.

Where is the Riad situated?

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.

Why choose Riad el Zohar?

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.

The City is a labyrinth, how will I cope?

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.

Can I dine in the Riad or is it just B & B?

Of course! Some of the best dinners 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.

Will it be too hot, too cold?

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.

What is Travellers’ Choice?

This award is our highest recognition and is presented annually to the top 1% of businesses across select categories. There is also Certificate of Excellence which on the occasional year we do not get the Travellers Choice we will always achieve the Excellence Award.

Founded in 2010, the Certificate of Excellence award honours hospitality businesses that consistently achieve outstanding reviews on TripAdvisor. This award is only given to the the top 10 percent of accommodations, attractions, restaurants, and vacation rentals listed on TripAdvisor.