RIAD LES LAURIERS BLANCS

Flew out EasyJet from Bristol which was nowhere near as bad as you may be thinking. Okay, being 6ft tall I could always do with a little more legroom but you need to accept that budget airlines are cheap for a reason so you're going pay over the odds for everything whilst on board. The usual advice applies here; buy your Pringles and nuts from your local supermarket as you can take these through security without any problems. Buy your drinks airside. Yes, they rip you off too but not to the extent as the airlines. Anyway, the Riad..... Wow! Talk about a backstreet Tardis. You have to walk for a few hundred yards, with the streets getting narrower and narrower (but without the number of motorcycles, cyclists, pedestrians and donkeys diminishing) until you reach a dead end. Unlock the door and the place is amazing. Massively spacious, open to the sun (but nice and cool still) with the most attentive and obliging manager I have ever come across in all my travels. Fluent in English, French and (presumably) Arabic we had little to no trouble in conversing with her and she went out of her way to make us feel welcome and to give us some guidance on how to get in /out of the city and places we may like to go. The room was perfectly adequate. Good (enough) WiFi and air conditioned. A large (powerful) shower in the bathroom and good space for changing and luggage storage. Breakfast was pretty much served when you want it, and where you wanted it (we chose the amazing roof terrace, which although didn't have the best views certainly was a great way to start the day). Breakfast was deliberately varied each day too, so no monotony there. After walking to the centre (let's call the centre of Marrakech the big square), bartering and buying in the souks on our way in (and out), as well as stopping off for mint tea and lunch in 45C heat, coming back to the Riad and slipping into the cool waters of the pool was absolutely fantastic. Grab a towel, head up to the roof terrace (with another pot of Riad-made mint tea) to dry off in the afternoon sun before showering and heading back off to the big square for the evening was a great little routine we got ourselves into. So, why not 5 stars then I hear you ask' Purely because 5 stars is the best I can give, and although wonderful the Riad looked a little tired in places. Nothing major, and I'm the first to admit I'm being picky here, but if they were to close for a couple of days and have a few guys go round to replace the cracked tiles, skim some plaster over the walls and give it a lick of paint then I really wouldn't be able to justify not giving 5 stars!!

My husband and I had a great stay at Riad Les Lauriers Blancs. The riad is difficult to find on your own the first time- we recommend arranging an airport transfer through them and then the driver will take you up to the door (costs 15 euros). The room was a good size and comfortable. There are some nice places to hang out and relax- a lounge on the first floor, cozy nook on the second floor, and very nice rooftop area with a table and loungers. The wifi is okay but not very fast. There is air conditioning in the rooms, and while ours worked, it also dripped the whole time it was running (we just put our trash can underneath the drip). They will do your laundry for you for 5 euros. Dinners at the riad are delicious and cost 19 euros each. A full bottle of wine costs 14 euros, and it's a nice treat because it's not easy to find alcohol in Morocco. Water costs 2 euros a bottle. We had breakfast included which typically was an assortment of pastries, fruit, crepes, or yogurt, along with coffee/tea/orange juice. The owner is charming and friendly. She mainly speaks French, but she speaks a little English so we were able to understand each other. There is a member of staff who speaks fairly good English. We asked to set up a tour, so the riad connected us with a great tour guide for a half day (costs 500dirhams/50 euros). The riad itself is pretty walkable, with many restaurants and attractions being a 15-20 minute walk away. The main square is a 25-30 minute walk. I don't think I would want to stay too close to that square- it's very chaotic over there! Overall, we had a great stay and would stay there again.

Charming Riad! Excellent service and a really cosy room. Dinner was excellent. We would've eaten here again in a heartbeat if not for wanting to see as much of Marrakech as possible. Katy was a truly fabulous host and introduced us to Briouates, proper tasty Briouates on our first night. Yummy! Have noticed that a few reviewers have complained about the location. We could not disagree more! This is a lovely neighbourhood and walks back through the medina will not be forgotten. Would recommend pre booking a taxi service if arriving from the airport. Finding the Riad could be tricky on arrival.

Amazing service in a charming Riad. Great room with attention to details. Birdsong as a soundtrack. Nice breakfast - that differed everyday! This was a perfect base for our Marrakech experience, and if we return to Marrakech this is definitely where we will stay. A great oasis and a perfect exit point to exploring the medina and souks.

Stayed here for 2 weeks with the aim of trying to get to know Marrakech. Amina and her team- Samira and Nezhia were very friendly and helpful and went to a lot of trouble to make our stay comfortable.The Riad was an excellent base situated within the Medina but close to the Ville Nouvelle. We liked the position- in very much a residential area where the children were keen to talk and laugh with us. We were surprised it was so quiet and peaceful amongst the hustle and bustle of the city. There has obviously been a lot of thought put in over the small things- eg the toiletries were brilliant, there were books on Morocco in each of the rooms- in several languages, the breakfasts were excellent, the sun terrace had hats and towels for guests to use. Although there were 7 rooms for guests, because the breakfast time was extended, it often felt as though you were the only people staying there. When Amina cooked us an excellent meal one evening it felt as though the Riad had been opened especially for us! The 2 wild birds that lived on the roof and sung throughout the day!