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Africa, Morocco, Unique Accommodations
Staying in a traditional riad in Marrakech | Morocco
15
Apr
Apr
What is a traditional riad?
Riad Dar Aman
We chose for a stay in Riad Dar Aman, a smaller traditional riad in the heart of the old medina in Marrakech. The thing that struck me the most was that when you when you enter the courtyard of this riad, coming from the busy, overcrowded Jemaa el Fna and narrow streets in the vibrant medina, you immediately feel peace and quiet. You don’t hear medina salesmen shouting how good their products are or the sound of honking motorcycles, … You hear nothing, except the whistling of the birds that hide in the huge fruit trees in the courtyard. These trees bring a pleasant coolness and delicious smells into the whole riad.
The owners became fond of the exceptional architecture of the riad through visiting several riads in Marrakech. In 1998 they started an extraordinary adventure by falling in love with a riad in ruins but with an incredible soul and a perfect location. They decided to have it renovated by Quentin Wilbaux, an Belgian architect expert in the medina of Marrakech. They were among the first foreign owners of a riad in the medina of Marrakech. In 2000, Riad Dar Aman opened its door to the first guests.
Rooms
Riad dar Aman has 3 rooms and 1 suite. The proportion of this riad is just perfect, not too small, not too large. It’s creates a peaceful atmosphere and is the ideal setting for escaping the busy medina.
The rooms are decorated in a traditional Moroccan style, but each has its own character. You see that a great deal of attention has been paid to furnishing the rooms. The owners certainly have an eye for detail. Moreover, they all give a warm, cozy and peaceful vibe. I felt at home right away. You see that all the rooms are well cared for. They are cleaned every day.
Two rooms are located on the ground floor coming out on the courtyard. On the first floor there is one more room and a suite. All the rooms have a private bathroom with shower, bathroom supplies and toilet.
We stayed in thet Africa suite. It is perfect if you want a little extra luxury. The suite is quite spacious with a sleeping- and living room area and a bathroom with a gorgeous bathtub and a separate toilet. The suite even has a fireplace to enjoy romantic evenings. A great advantage is that you can turn the fireplace from the bathroom to the living room and reverse it. So you can enjoy the fireplace from both areas.
Services
Staff
The manager Mohamed warmly welcomed us. He took his time to receive us with a delicious cup of Moroccan tea. Mohamed speaks fluent French and English. You can always ask his advice for activities in the medina and around Marrakech. He also likes to transmit his knowledge on the history of the riads and is a good guide for architectural visits of the medina.
He introduced us to the family Rkia who has worked for over 18 years in Riad Dar Aman. You immediately see that they take care for this riad with heart and soul. This familial atmosphere makes you immediately feel welcome and at ease.
Lounge
As I was telling you before Riad Dar Aman is the perfect place to escape the busy medina. You can relax with a cup of fresh homemade tea on the courtyard terrace near the fountain in the shade of the fruit trees, or in one of the traditional decorated outdoor lounges on the ground- or first floor.
In the daytime I especially liked spending my time in the lounge area on the first floor, because there I had an incredible view over the juicy oranges and bananas in the trees.
In the evening I preferred relaxing in the lounge downstairs because the entire courtyard was always so beautifully lit with traditional Moroccan lamps and candles.
There is also a very cozy indoor salon for when the weather is colder.
And when it is really hot you can sunbath on the rooftop sun deck. I enjoyed watching the sunset there with some wine and the best olives I have ever tasted!
Breakfast
Family Rkia serves breakfast every morning in the dining room on the ground floor. They cook exquisite traditional Moroccan dishes especially those little pancakes and pastries are delicious.
Restaurant
In the evening you can also enjoy their cooking skills by reservation. We ate the specialty ‘tajine kefta’. It was so good!
Other Services
There is wifi available throughout the whole riad.
Location
Riad Dar Aman is located in a little, quiet street in the heart of Marrakech. It is a perfect base to discover the traditional and authentic old medina by foot. Riad Dar Aman is within 2 minutes walking distance of Jemaa el Fna and the souks where you can find a lot of markets, shops, restaurants and bars.
It is also close to the main attractions such as Ali ben Youssef Medersa, Le jardin Secret, Bahia Palace, Saadian Tombs,…
If you want to discover more of Marrakech, check out the best things to do in Marrakech.
Video
Don’t forget to watch our video about our experiences in Marrakech and in Riad Dar Aman.
Thank you for reading!
Yours truly,
Sarah
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Wow! I would never have known about a traditional riad in Marrakech! I absolutely love this idea of staying in a place centered around a garden. This is so beautiful. I love your extra tips too. Thanks for the great article.
Thank you Emmy! It’s definitely a must to stay in riad when you’re traveling to Morocco 🙂
This is amazing! It sounds like an incredible experience. When I visited Marrakech for the day, my favorite thing was visiting riads – I so wish I was able to spend a few nights in one!
Oh I hope you can do this on your next visit 🙂
Wow staying in a traditional riad is 100% the way to do Morocco. How gorgeous this is, I’d absolutely adore to stay here when i make it one day!
I hope you do. Riad Dar Aman is an amazing place to stay in Marrakech.
What a cool place to stay. And I love your dress!
Thank you Megan! Definitely a great place to stay when in Marrakech.
Wow this looks like an incredible experience! I would love to do something like that.
Yes, we had such an amazing time in Riad Dar Aman.
What an amazing place to stay. Morocco has always been on my radar but I never thought of where to stay. This looks almost like a fairytale!
Oh then you should definitely check out this Riad. It’s just an such a great place to stay 🙂
such a lovely place. So cosy and romantic. Whenever my partner and I travel to Morroco will definitely opt for this. Lovely pictures. saving this!
Thank you Demi. You will not regret booking this stay 🙂
What an amazing experience! Riad Dar Aman looks like one of the perfect accommodation options in Marrakech!
It really is. We had such a peaceful stay in the middle of the Medina of Marrakech.