Frequently asked questions

Why stay with us?

Riad el Zohar is more than 300 years old and has been refurbished to the highest standard, but retains its original features and charm. It is also one of the only riads in Marrakech to have its own swimming pool, allowing you to cool relax and cool off when the weather gets warm.

We have been visiting Marrakech for over 40 years – we know and love the city and love to share our passion with you. We pride ourselves on being able to offer amazing recommendations for activities and restaurants throughout your stay.

Many visitors to Morocco mistakenly believe that Riad means small Hotel or Bed & Breakfast house. A Riad is a Traditional Moroccan house, usually with two or occasionally three floors around an Andalusian-style courtyard that contains both a garden and water usually in the form of a fountain. Riads were the stately city homes of the wealthiest and most powerful citizens such as merchants, military officers, minor royalty and courtiers and usually situated within the Medinas, Old Cities.

When ‘Riad’ is applied to the house name then it is understood to be a courtyard house where the family rooms are all positioned around the courtyard looking into the centre. There is usually just one very secure door leading into the house and very few, if any, external windows. Riad el Zohar has not a single external window and is nestled amongst its neighbours having only one external wall. This design makes riads extremely private, safe and secure plus extremely quiet, shutting out most of the external noise and hubbub. The principle of the riad has evolved over a thousand years and has made them well protected from the weather, cool in summer and warm in winter.

Many riads today have had their usage converted to small hotels, guest houses, maison d’hôtes and for the comfort of their guests will place a PVC cover over the courtyard for approximately 10 weeks in winter.

At Riad el Zohar we have a total of five luxurious bedrooms available. Each room has been individually and beautifully decorated to a very high standard, and all feature air conditioning, an en-suite bathroom, luxury bedding, plush dressing gowns and more. Each room sleeps two people.

El Zohar Riad is a luxury riad situated directly at the heart of Marrakech’s old town, the Medina. Close to many of the city’s most famous and popular attractions, this is truly a fantastic base to explore Marrakech from. You couldn’t hope for a more privileged location, absolutely central within this 1,100 year old walled city.

We pride ourselves on our superb customer service and high levels of repeat business – we were recently nominated for TripAdvisor’s Travellers Choice Award 2017, a highly sought-after award.

Many first time visitors to Marrakech worry that they will struggle to navigate the city, but you shouldn’t be concerned. We greet you with detailed maps and a location app for smartphones, then take you out to show you the immediate locality of the riad. There is also a book of guidance that we have written for guests which can be found in every room and saloon. And we are always happy to provide advice and recommendations.

Some of the best dinners you will have anywhere in Morocco can be found in a high quality riad. We are fortunate enough to have three excellent chefs who create exceptional and classic Moroccan dishes with fresh local produce at both lunch and dinner. You can choose to dine with us every night or just on the odd occasion – it’s completely up to you.

We have a table with average temperatures and rainfall, which you can view here. The most popular times to visit Marrakech are spring and autumn when the weather is most pleasant. It does get hot during mid-summer but this is dry heat, which feels more manageable. Each of our rooms have air conditioning for the summer and heating for the winter, so you will never face extreme temperatures.

“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.