Riad & Spa Esprit du Maroc

The riad is absolutely beautiful, the rooms are elegant and spotless and it’s a calm oasis from the frantic pace of the city. The location is ideal - just moments away from the souks, the Museum of Marrakesh and other attractions. The main square is only about 10 minutes brisk walk away. An enjoyable stay overall but there were a couple of things I didn’t like so much, and I can see other reviewers have said similar things. On arrival, after a long day’s travel and then a long walk in the rain to find the riad I just wanted to settle in to the room and rest but instead had to sit through a sales pitch, even though I’d politely declined and explained that I already had plans for my stay. It felt a bit too much and wasn’t the most welcoming experience and I’ll admit it did slightly colour my view of the stay. Then, the night before leaving I was asked to settle my bill in cash. I’m used to paying the bill on checkout (and to using a card) so this was a bit strange, and as I didn’t have enough cash I felt I had no choice but to go out and find an ATM. These are both relatively small things, I know, but they did take the gloss off my stay a little and they are things people should just be aware of. Overall, though, it’s a beautiful calm place in a perfect location.

We received a very warm welcome from Madame Sylvie and her lovely staff. We arrived at lunch time and had a delicious lunch by the pool. The riad is an oasis of calm after the hustle and bustle of the medina. It was initially hard to find and we were given minimal directions from our taxi driver (the Riad being in the souk meant that we had to walk the last part). We should have taken Madame Sylvia’s advice and used her taxi transfer so that we’d have been taken to the door. Next time we shall! The rooms are fabulous. Spacious and beautifully decorated with large bathrooms. They were unbelievably quiet, and therefore we all slept very well. They were cleaned meticulously every morning and always a pleasure to return to. The dining room was lovely and a fire was lit every evening which was very welcoming. The food and service were great, and it was nice to be able to have wine with our dinner and a few gin and tonics on the roof top. Thank you Madame Sylvie for being such a graceful host, I look forward to returning.

Lovely stay in this magnificent Riad, interesting route to front door , as everything is within the medina, but once inside a stylish and welcoming place. Sylvia runs a tight ship and her staff are attentive and helpfull. Lovely Morrocan breakfasts and dinners in the salon and lovely drinks on the roof terrace provided welcome breaks in busy days of exploring. Thanks to Halid for his patience and support and to all the other staff members for making this a memorable stay.

We had an absolutely amazing stay here. The staff were so friendly and accommodating. The space itself was stunning, and super cool to stay in a traditional Riad! The location was great also, very close or at least walking distance to the souks, sights and restaurants. Thank you so much for helping us have a fantastic first visit to Marrakech!

If you’re considering staying here, I strongly recommend reading the negative reviews first, as they better reflected our experience than the 5-star ones, which felt less genuine. There were some positives. The riad’s exterior areas are beautifully decorated and the room looked lovely at first glance. Breakfast was filling, though identical every morning with no choice. The bed was comfortable despite two beds pushed together. The highlight of my stay was the masseuse, who was friendly and highly skilled. Unfortunately, the negatives outweighed the positives. Dinner was pleasant but lacked atmosphere, with no menu options unless you paid extra. Drinks and dessert were also chargeable, which wasn’t clearly explained, and I found a hair in my food without receiving an apology. We chose to eat elsewhere, which seemed to frustrate staff. While staff were generally friendly, service felt understaffed and inconsistent. Small requests made us feel like an inconvenience, and some advertised services, such as room service, were unavailable. The room itself was worn, particularly the bathroom, which had black mould, a cracked mirror, a dirty bath and cold water. The mezzanine bed was unmade, there were no complimentary drinks, and the TV was outdated. Lastly, a safety note: navigating the area at night can be difficult due to closed souk doors. Despite GPS, we encountered dead ends and were aggressively threatened and touched inappropriately by multiple men while trying to return. This isn’t the riad’s fault, but it’s worth being aware of.

A beautiful hidden gem - truly Morrocan. Hard to find along a winding pathway of what seems like tunnels - but worth the search! Very welcoming and friendly staff. Rooms very grand - stunning decor and palatial. Typical Moroccan style. Simple breakfast but good value. Would stay again.

What a beautiful hotel. Our stay has been amazing. Very traditional Moroccan. Rooms are clean and beautiful. Air con is superb. Hairdryer in room. The hotel has a feeling of calm as soon as you step inside. Friendly and courteous staff. Would definitely stay here again. Just a tip re the WiFi. The hotel has more than one WiFi connection. Password is the same for the all. Depending on where you are in the hotel you need all 3. Something we learnt on our second day.

Such a wonderful hotel and an oasis of calm in the Medina. The staff were amazing, a wonderful owner who was attentive to our every need. The food was also exceptional, from the lovely very simple but fantastic breakfast to elegant evening meals which are both good value and very authentic. We were there for 5 nights and it was simply a fantastic place to base ourselves for experiencing such an amazing city.

The riad was very comfortable, very authentic, clean, and fabulous location, (quite central). Staff were very friendly and extremely helpful. Very welcoming and I would certainly visit again.

First time I have stayed in a. Riad in Marrakech and I have loved every minute of it. The staff have been amazing and so attentive, the rooms were clean and smelled amazing too. My mum has stayed in Riads before but has said this is the best one and will definitely return! Thank you to all the staff and owner Sylvie for making this trip a special one for me and my mum