Riad Amina

“The Morrocan vibe in true-to-style Riad Amina”

Having never been to Morocco or Marrakesh before, this was our first attempt, and we wanted to experience Riad life. Riad Amina really gave the vibe and atmosphere we pictured a Riad would have. Having booked airport transfer from Amina, was a fail as that order never came through, so we had a bit … more

Having never been to Morocco or Marrakesh before, this was our first attempt, and we wanted to experience Riad life. Riad Amina really gave the vibe and atmosphere we pictured a Riad would have. Having booked airport transfer from Amina, was a fail as that order never came through, so we had a bit of a messy arrival late at night. However, the taxi system at the airport was so smooth that this did not cause us to lose hope. They had a ticket stall where you'd buy your taxi ticket, and then the queue of taxis would be organised to have an appropriate size car take us to our destination. As our Riad is located in the middle of the Old City, right at the border of the Medina, well hidden in a tight alley, it was difficult to spot in dark, and the taxi had to leave us a few blocks away, as cars cannot drive in these narrow alleys. The staff were polite, not all eloquent in English, but hand gestures and finger pointing combined with our English and theirs, had us well covered in the end. Also, the front desk clerks were decent in English, but not always available. Our suites were in an adjacent building, on the third floor - stairs only. But that goes for most of Marrakech so prepare for (in)voluntary stepping exercises. The suites were decent size, clean and not fresh and modern, but that's not what we aimed for either. The place was fairly fully booked while we stayed there, which was apparent during breakfast hours, though service was good even with lots of people to serve. Morrocan tea and pancaces with honey or whatever pleases you in the morning. You could also request eggs from the kitchen. The rooftop terrace of the Riad was where we spent most of our time while at the Riad, the tiny pool let us cool off, and we'd enjoy drinks and the company of other guests while up and in there. Again, the staff would be helpful and serve us all the way up there. The stairwells on opposite corners of the buildning is where you access the rooftop. The best part about the Riad Amina, was probably the location for us, travelling without a vehicle - in only a few minutes you can be smash bang in the middle of the medina market. Google Maps did struggle to place us on the map from time to time, but you'll get to know the surroundings fairly quickly if you pay attention while walking around. Also, just a 3 minute walk from the Riad, there was a taxi stand where there would be taxis available at all hours - this would also be the natural drop off place for getting back to the Riad.

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