Marrakesh Travel Forum

So the YETI is finally making it to Marrakech.....all the way from Nepal!

Searching for the best riad near the Center... its tough huh? been sitting here with two laptops which are warming up due to our browsing... Any suggestions... would love to budget... as we do not plan to sit in the hotel the whole day... but it should be nice... going 22nd Mar - 28th Mar... Also suggestions please as to what to do around... what would be your ideal trip in these many days?

As you are a mountain man, I suggest you spend a couple of days around the Medina to acclimatise and then head off up the Atlas Mountains, There are lots of tours available or you can hire a car and just take off with a map. Many VTers have written pieces on where to stay so you should read there stuff. My personal choice for a budget Riad style accommodation is Riad Johenna. If you still have time and would like a couple of days at the beach then Essaouira should also be considered.
Have a nice trip

You're spoilt for choice. Marrakesh is worth at least two days...more if you want to really look at the Saadian Tombs & so on, so I think you've only realy got time for one side trip...as Windcity sez, Mountains or seaside?

The Atlas will be a bit tame after the hindu kush!

see if you like this riad.
We loved it.
We paid about 67 E per night in July/August 07.
you get huge breakfast in price (see pictures on my page).
Address: 8 Derb Ahmar
Directions: North-east of Jemaa El Fna. A short walk (3 min) on quiet, narrow, pedestrain (and donkey) street. Really great , quiet area.
Website: http://www.riadorientale.com/index_eng.html

Well ..Marrakesh is a good choice ..at least two days in this magical city..
I know quite a nice ryad for euros a room with breakfast..good location next to the square.
You may write to me at this address to give you the ryad's address:
rachid_qotaibah2002@yahoo.fr

Have a nice trip

As others have said I also wouldn't stay your 6 days in Marrakech.

Perhaps 2 or 3 days in and around the city, visiting palaces, tombs, the walls and gates, Majorelle Garden, the Palmery, the Medina (just walk around).
Two other days to visit the Atlas Mountains (highlights of our visit); we made it to the Tizi-n-Test Pass with visits to the souk of Asni (Saturdays) and the Tin Mal Mosque; the other day was to the kasbah of Telouet over the Tizi-n-Tichka Pass.

For accommodation: we stayed in Hotel Sherazade, very close to the central square. They do have several different rooms with different prices.

happy travels
Jaap

Well ..Marrakesh is a good choice ..at least two days in this magical city..
I know quite a nice ryad for euros a room with breakfast..good location next to the square.
You may write to me at this address to give you the ryad's address:
rachid_qotaibah2002@yahoo.fr

Have a nice trip

about suggestions to what to do around ;and about the rest of days . my advice is to spend 2days max 3 and trek at the mounts then spend a night in the desert riding camels. and end your trip in fez or marakech .

Hi, probably too late but worth a try - this place books out about 2 months in advance usually as its an excellent riad hotel for much less than others - www.jnanemogador.com - otherwise as VTveen has suggested above Hotel Sherazade is a good go.
or try Suvanki's recommendation for The Moroccan House (see her tips on this place)

Have a good look around our tips and pages written to help give you guys wanting to come see this fascinating place a hand. All the best.

I can recommend a superb place in a very good budget. Even a local Moroccan was impressed when I showed him what I'd found. Newly refurbished, with shower. 5 mins from Djema el Fnaa in so called backpacker streets, but definitely not in that league. Below €30. Not as luxurious as Jnane Mogador, but then again they are always booked out. But a good budget version of that. Anyone on a budget would be impressed.

"cabeyp": add your tip to your Marrakech page; it would be very helpful to other travellers too.

spend coupl days in marakech then do some trekking and have a look at the duns for a while or spend a night there you'll see many dif places on the way to the south as it is the best ligne in morocco . many places are well recommended .hiring a car and rive by your slfvs will be very exiting.
enjoy marakech
all the best

Two days in Marrakech to see most of it..palaces,famous square etc..
one day to the Ourika Valley (berber village)
one day to essouira the coastal city which is about 3 hours ride from Marrakech.
one day even to Ouarzazate or the ouzoud falls.

As far as the ryad is concerned there's one nice and cheap one only for 50 € a night with breakfast and located a few steps from the famous square.

Good luck,
Rachid

I am still struggling for accomodation, being the last minute man that i usually am, but have got some real good suggestions here that I am following up. Might end up booking on for two nights in Marrakech as suggested and then head off somewhere.... good idea?

I wonder if this time in the season means I am too late to book online and should take my chances right when I am there... or is that stupidity? I am going of course on 21st Mar 08....

HELP HELP...

Promise if anyone comes to the himalayas... I will "help" personified! :-)

try my smartideas .
well in that case you need a miracl.but i can say you are half lucky...if you need a car or book a car let me know i booked one for 20mar but changed my plan until abril so in case you need a car let me know .i boocked a room at a local hotel that won't atract you .i may go to himalaya so keep your word and you'll help .
if you need a car let me know .
smarti

try my smartideas .
well in that case you need a miracl.but i can say you are half lucky...if you need a car or book a car let me know i booked one for 20mar but changed my plan until abril so in case you need a car let me know .i boocked a room at a local hotel that won't atract you .i may go to himalaya so keep your word and you'll help .
if you need a car let me know .
smarti

As per previous suggestions/recommendations of places to stay in my previous reply generally preboooking not required - unless youre arriving late at night. if arriving during the day then go look for a place to stay first - and the places recommended will usually have something available.
Usually found the Hotel Foucould being a rather large hotel/having many rooms is a good back up if your first choices book up first.

Of the tips that are in my travelpage on Marrakech i have phone numbers included - they can be phoned and booked that way. My well recommended Hotel Toulousain does tend to book out by the late afternoon as its popular with locals/Moroccans from out of town and tourists in the town as its a really good deal and away from the limelight of the medina. but handy enough to be close enough.

as for rental cars I have contacts as well - as do a number of regular visitors/posters to the Morocco Forum here.

I feel at home... warm, helpful... what a nice bunch of guys... am checking out the Riad Souvenir des Marrakech or something like that... looks good... another from a contact here... Rachido! .... but will look at these other options too... ideally would not like to come in and have to search... did that too many times earlier... want to rest easy... also arriving from Casablanca by train...

Q: Do we have to book in advance for the train? We arrive in Casablanca at 10 in the morning on the 21st... planning to hit the train station and take a train... good idea?

btw, the himalayan HELP stands! :-)

Can you give me a number or something... might need that car... will only find out when I am there though....

Can it wait?

Yes it can wait til you get there - Moroccan style - but can give you better leverage to haggle or not get a strong tourist price thrown at you because you appear desperate if you have at least a day before etc.

But I for those dates, March being spring and a particularly attractive time to be there, it is well worth getting a car to drive the attractive routes - out to Telouet and Ouarzazate or a bit further on to the Dades Gorge which is particularly stunning, the road to TizinTest and Ourika and the trip up to Cascade douzoud and khenifra.

As you arrive in Cassa at noon, you might not reach Marrakech before 6pm. So I would have a reservation for at least your first night, meanwhile you can leave your luggage and check out some Riads in the Medina.
Be prepared for a wait at immigration, there are often long queues and not enough officials. Trains from the airport to Cassa Voyagers station take 45 minutes, I think they run hourly, From Cassa Voyagers to Marrakech takes 3 hrs 15 Min's, and leaves every 2 hours. Should you miss the train there are plenty of tea shops in the area for relaxation and people watching.

Well, we arrive at Casablanca at 10 or so... nice to know there are trains from the airport too... to the city station.. then of course hopefully we will make the noon train.. if not the one at three...

Am booking for two nights at the Souvenir des Marrakech... got it for 35 Euros... sounds and looks OK... Rachido has been helpful!

Then of course, its time to explore... will think of what to do when I am there I guess...

Thanks a lot all you guys... and keep the suggestions coming... nothing like a little inside help you know...

oh am happy that you reslvd that point . angiebabe is right a car is needed while beeing there that in order to do it on your own .' freedoom haa". well as is aid befor i booked that car for the 20mar and got change in the whole plan .so in case you want it let mee know .
you may drive along the way dades and todra worth a visit or more ' a night' .
you said you wanted a number or something ...like that i booked it with highwaycar .if you need the email adresse i'll pass t you.

thanks SmartIdea.... maybe I should take the email address from you for the car... in case we decide to use it...

you could email it to me of course....

Thanks again...