Three Reasons Why You Should Stay in a Riad

There are plenty of luxury hotels in Morocco, yet many people are opting to stay in a more traditional riad when they visit Marrakech on their Moroccan holidays. Here are three of the main benefits:

A Riad is More Traditional Than a Hotel

Whilst there are a number of luxury hotels in Morocco that are perfect for a weekend away, staying in a riad in Marrakech offers you a far more traditional experience on your Moroccan holiday. The term 'riad' is used to describe a Moroccan house, or Palace, arranged over a central courtyard, with a fountain or water feature located in the centre. It's believed that Moroccan riads were first adapted from the designs of traditional Roman villas and were first built in the Idrisid Dynasty of 780 AD. You will discover on your Moroccan holiday that all of the riads in Marrakech arrange their guestrooms around the courtyard, which has been well adapted to suit the hot Saharan sun. In keeping with tradition, each garden also features four orange or lemon trees and the walls are often adorned with tadelakt plaster and zellige tiles. Some of the larger riads in Marrakech even contain their own traditional hamman spa and you can guarantee that the experience you receive will be far more authentic than any similar experience offered at a luxury hotel in Morocco.

Riads in Marrakech Serve Alcohol

As Morocco is a Muslim country it has strict laws governing the sale of alcohol, and nowhere are these rules as strict as in the religious walled city. Outside of the walled city most of the hotels and restaurants frequented by tourists are licensed to serve alcohol to tourists only, but alcohol is not sold to anyone in the confined area. However, there is a solution for visitors that wish to stay in the area of the walled city, but who can't imagine not touching a drop of alcohol on their luxury holidays in Morocco; a Marrakech riad. The riads within the walled city are permitted to sell alcohol to their guests and if you simply must sample the local produce, then the Guerrouane wine grown in the Meknes region is particularly note-worthy. However, as is always the case in a foreign country it is important to respect the local customs. Asking for alcohol during the month of Ramadan is likely to cause offence, and as a result some riads will stop selling it completely during the holy month.

You're Closer to the Attractions

If you want to stay in the centre of the action on your luxury holiday in Morocco then a riad is definitely the answer. Whilst most of the larger luxury hotels in Morocco are located on the outskirts of the city, the riads are the only form of visitor accommodation that you will see within the area of the walled city. Therefore, by staying in a riad you will be significantly closer to the souks, historical monuments and, most importantly, the Jemaa El Fna Square, which comes to life at night with exotic food stalls and traditional dancers. With snake-charmers and belly-dancers located on your very door-stop you're sure to have a completely different Moroccan holiday experience, and definitely one which is a lot more traditional then staying in a standard luxury Morocco hotel.