Recommendations for accomodation in Marrakech???

[monkeybumsmum]

We would really like to go to Marrakech in Feb next year. Have had a look at some places on the net, but it's so difficult to decide where to go!

DS will be almost 2 by then, so we're looking for somewhere that would be good for him, and I also want a bit of pampering so any recommendations would be muchly appreciated, thanks!

I went to marrakech last feb and we stayed in a riad in the medina (riad Hayati, beautiful) but i wouldnt take my ds there. I think most of the traditional riads in the medina are like this, very tranquil and not really the place for little one.

Having said that, although the riad was beautiful, if I had my time again I wouldnt stay in the medina, I'd stay out in the palmerie. We found the medina very intimidating to walk around, esp at night, and certainly not with a toddler, the motorbikes and cycles whizz down the narrow lanes like mad men, I got caught with the handle bars a few times and I felt I was being on guard!
I'd stay out of the medina and go once to visit the square/ souks. Other places worth a visit are the Majorelle Gardens which Yves Saint Laurent owned (and I think is ashes are now interned there) and the new town (Gueliez sp?) for people watching in the Cafe de la Poste.

Try Trip Advisor for accommodation ideas, that's where I started! The Time Out guide is also very good for when you are there.

Dar les Cignoges a riad spa in central Marrakesh. Lovely - went in February. Can tell you more when Ds is not trying to bite my arm off.

Jojo - do you mean the Palmeraie Village/Resort? Have seen pictures and really like it but it doesn't have great reviews...

Wobblypig - LOL hope you still have an arm left Just looked at your suggestion and it looks gorgeous! Am really torn between going to a riad or going to a bigger hotel which I think would be better for ds.

Thank you both for your suggestions!

By the way, what was the weather like when you were there?

Went in February for Valentines, Weather was lovely - t-shirt weather. The riad I recommended has a lovely roof terrace.

Only drawback for central Marrakech is that the hotels/ riads are based on fairly busy roads .
Once inside thought very peaceful and wouldn't disturb toddler sleep. Dar Les Cignoges provides excellent Moroccan food in very intimate settings. You also get to see the storks nesting on top of the Baha palace.

I didn't feel unsafe in Marrakech, easy to walk aroud although not easy buggy territory.

don't stay at the palmeraie village! we stayed there in april and while the accom. was good it was very inconveniently located, had poor (fewer than advertised) services, and staff unhelpful to the point of rudeness.

i don't think riads in the medina would be the right choice for a family with very active young children either (imvho). they seem far too small for my two to be able to have a good run for eg.

i chose the pv so that there would be plenty of space plus a large pool for my two to let off steam after tourism... while the pv didn't really work out for us, i still think the reasoning was sound. i think next time i would choose somewhere like the sofitel - which would be big enough but also much closer to the medina.

we stay at jardins de la koutoubia. handy for the square and the restaurants that are more touristy too.

look

btw normally i would run a mile from large places like for eg sofitel, but the alternatives in marrakech are just a bit too bijou, plus the medina doesn't offer alternative "debouncing" options.

it has a clarins spa btw.

oh, yes, jardins de la koutoubia! we had lunch there. it is very central and has a decent sized pool... and smaller than other modern alternatives too.

had fantactic sevice and food at riad el mansour in Jan 07. The rooms are quite small, we went for the minisuite. Just seen it has top tripadvisor reviews. one couple had 2 incredibly well behaved lo's under 3!

god yes lunch is fab there. breakfast is even better though.

Weather was really nice when we visited (25c blue skies every day), we would sit out on the roof terrace early evening sipping mint tea listening to the calls to prayer, bliss!

re the Palmerie, I meant the area rather than specific resort as I personally don't think the Riads are suitable for very small children and you seem to get bigger more child friendly resorts further out (and its only about 20mins from the centre). I think we saw the sofitel, it looked lovely from the outside!

Koutoubia looks lovely though, if I were to go back I think I'd look at staying there! (Although dp didnt really like Marrakech so it might not be any time soon )

Riad Farnatchi is lovely - cannot remember if children are allowed though.

Amnjena is very expensive.

Have you thought about going to the coast too? Essaouira is worth a visit (2 hour easy drive from Marrakech)

Essaouira is supposed to be lovely, I wish we'd have been staying long enough to have visited there. I heard a lot of people on the flight home saying it was really nice, better than Marrakech even.

It is lovely. Known as the 'Windy City' - and it is! Lots of character - much more real than Marrakech.

Fantastic windsurfing. Lovely old port - where the opening scenes of Orson Welles Othello was shot.

Atlas Mountains well worth a visit too. Only 45 mins from Marrakech. Kasbah Tamadot beautiful. Kasbah Toubkal more rustic - but good trekking.

if you really wanted a bit of the Riad experience, but were staying in a hotel, a lot of them do lunch and dinner to non residents.

Yes I've heard that hf128219, many people say that Essaouira is like Marrakech was many years ago before it became a tourist hotspot.

yes, i also recommend a trip to the High Atlas if you can - gorgeous.