Riads, Moroccan Hotels

A riad is a traditional Moroccan house or palace with an interior garden or courtyard.


Many riads in the medinas have been converted into small hotels, and can be economical and extremely exotic.  Finding your riad can be a challenge; they often tell you to call, and they will meet at the closes bab (gate) and escort you.  We have stayed at one riad when the mapping program (which one shall remain nameless) had it about two streets over, and even if it's in the right place, the GPS often shows you a street over, because the narrow streets and covered portions of street do not make for good satellite reception.

When you arrive, you enter the large central garden.  This might be open the sky, or have a cover for really inclement weather.  This is in Fes.

Tea is served.  The mint tea is served from great heights, but they do start close to the class and then elegantly raise the teapot as high as they can.  This is in Fes.

There will also be a plate of cookies, and the security form, so you bring out your passport, enter the number, and the equally important entry number that was stamped when you entered the country.  I have learned a valuable lesson, since my number is half illegible, so next time we enter the country, I will check its legibility, because every hotel has noted that the number is incomplete.  Only after the tea and forms do you get your key.  This was from a more modern hotel in Ourzazate, but they copy the traditional greeting room, tea, and cookies.

Many of the riads have roof seating, where you can enjoy a break in the heat of the late afternoon.  This is in Meknes.

The roof is a good place to enjoy sunset, here in Meknes.

Or breakfast, in Tangiers.

Or reading the news, in Marrakech.  The Kindle Fire makes a great travelling companion; in the riad, with the free wee-fee, you can surf the internet to keep up on all the craziness in the world, and on the train, you can read the novels downloading from your local stateside public library.  And they are only $40, so you don't have to worry about anything happening to your brand new $1000 phone.