Novotel Marrakech Hivernage

“Good Hotel, Great Location, One Disappointing Experience”

We recently stayed at Novotel Marrakech after having to leave our villa at short notice due to security concerns. The hotel did a great job accommodating our large group of 32 people across 12 rooms, which was greatly appreciated given the circumstances. The rooms were spacious, clean, and comfort… more

We recently stayed at Novotel Marrakech after having to leave our villa at short notice due to security concerns. The hotel did a great job accommodating our large group of 32 people across 12 rooms, which was greatly appreciated given the circumstances. The rooms were spacious, clean, and comfortable, with tea and coffee-making facilities provided. The bathrooms and toilet areas were also well maintained and cleaned to a good standard throughout our stay. Breakfast was good, with a decent selection including juices, pastries, eggs, sausages, and other breakfast staples. It wasn't the most extensive buffet I've seen, but there was certainly enough choice and plenty of food available each morning. The hotel also has a swimming pool, which was enjoyed by the children in our group and provided a nice place to relax during the day. The best thing about this hotel is its location. It is very central and convenient, with easy access to the city. Uber was readily available, and we were also able to use the Glovo food delivery app without any problems. There are plenty of restaurants, cafés, and shops within walking distance, making it a great base for exploring Marrakech. The reason I have given 4 rather than 5 stars relates to an unfortunate incident during our stay. One of the children in our group was celebrating a birthday, and we spoke to a hotel manager in advance to ask whether we could order pizzas and eat them in a sheltered area near the pool. We were informed that outside food could only be consumed in our rooms, but we were told that we could bring the birthday cake to the pool area and cut it there. However, when we went to do exactly that, another manager came out and started shouting at us, despite us having received prior permission. This was embarrassing and disappointing, particularly as we had tried to follow the hotel's instructions and had clarified everything beforehand. Overall, this is a good hotel with clean rooms, a decent breakfast, a nice pool, and an excellent location. The staff were generally helpful, and the hotel was able to accommodate a very large group at short notice. The only negative was the inconsistent handling of our daughter's birthday celebration, which unfortunately detracted from an otherwise enjoyable stay.

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“Accor management empower your staff”

Well I ignored the reviews, as I wanted to form my own opinion. Feel complete empathy for the majority of staff. It's obvious senior management will not spend the money needed to upgrade parts of this hotel, and this shows on the faces of the staff. Mainly bathroom, toilet and general decor of bed… more

Well I ignored the reviews, as I wanted to form my own opinion. Feel complete empathy for the majority of staff. It's obvious senior management will not spend the money needed to upgrade parts of this hotel, and this shows on the faces of the staff. Mainly bathroom, toilet and general decor of bedrooms. Pool area and restaurant are fine. In the restaurant, you almost feel like staff have a small budget for the choices. To the point, that when they were replenishing the paper napkins, they'd put the minimum quantity out. Now there was one member of the team who let everyone else down. I don't like to normally call people out, but........ I wanted to wash my hair and therefore needed a hairdryer. I spoke to the receptionist Aicha and told her there wasn't one in my room. She insisted each bathroom had one fitted and she did not hold back in her rude tone. I checked and found mines did not have one. So phoned her from my room, she was still insisting I was mistaken. She said she would send someone up. Two hours later no one arrived. Luckily my friends were in the room next door, so I ended up borrowing theirs . So if you need a hairdryer, avoid room number 105. Accor management, you can't empower staff to provide a truly effective customer service without giving them the tools. And in this case you need to invest in the property.

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“Needs urgent staff training!”

The facilities are good, the hotel is well located with a 15 minute walk to the medina and a 5 minute walk to modern bars and clubs. However, I found the service horrible. I was kept waiting in the lobby for an hour and a half before I could check in, despite arriving later than the designated 2p… more

The facilities are good, the hotel is well located with a 15 minute walk to the medina and a 5 minute walk to modern bars and clubs. However, I found the service horrible. I was kept waiting in the lobby for an hour and a half before I could check in, despite arriving later than the designated 2pm check in. The staff told me check in was 3pm but the booking clearly said 2pm. When I was given my key to a room overlooking the pool I found it wasn't ready so was then reallocated to a room at the front of the hotel overlooking a busy road. The noise from the nearby bars was very loud, and the air conditioning was ineffective. The room was large and clean and by that point I didn't have the mental strength to complain and wait to unpack! During my stay I left my purse on a table, and it disappeared so had obviously been taken. I asked for the CCTV to be reviewed, which took them several hours and my asking continually. When it came to check out, they kept my luggage for a few hours and I'd booked an airport transfer the night before for 6pm, confirming three times it was for 6pm. Reception told me to wait in the lobby and at 6:10 I asked if it would be much longer and they told me that it was booked for 7pm I asked for them to request it straight away as I needed to check in luggage but they said no, 7pm would be fine as the airport isn't far! It wasn't until I started to complain that they grudgingly arrange a pick up. Horrendous service and experience, which is a real shame because it could be a very good hotel.

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