Riad De La Belle Epoque

“Don't think about it, just do it!!!”

Marrakesh was one of our “bucket list” destinations and for us it had to be as close to the authentic Moroccan experience as we could get (at least in our imaginations) so it had to be a Riad in the Medina. After a lot of research we opted for Riad de le Belle Epoque and it was one of the best hol… more

Marrakesh was one of our “bucket list” destinations and for us it had to be as close to the authentic Moroccan experience as we could get (at least in our imaginations) so it had to be a Riad in the Medina. After a lot of research we opted for Riad de le Belle Epoque and it was one of the best holiday choices we have ever made. We arranged with Teresa for airport transfers and also arranged for lunch on arrival as we would have been travelling for eight hours at that point. We were collected at the airport as arranged and much to our surprise we were greeted by a member of staff at the drop off point in the Medina (the Riad was approx 100m from the drop off point). The welcome was fabulous and that was just the start of a magical week in Marrakech. The Riad is towards the north of the Medina about 300 yards from the north most entrance to the soukes. Close enough to be convenient and far enough away to be peaceful. The Riad was everything we had hoped for. It was decorated with a mix of Moroccan with art deco furnishings creating a fantastically relaxing atmosphere. If we could have created the setting in our minds this was it!!! The room was a really good size with an amazing feel and again, was everything we had hoped it would be and had everything we needed. The water pressure from the shower was excellent, the whole room really clean and the bed was lovely and comfortable. The air conditioning was a godsend as the weather was VERY warm and got hotter as the week went on. Everything we went to see was within walking distance of the Riad with the furthest place visited, Bahia Palace, taking a little over half an hour. Pretty much everything was south of the Riad and every day we had to decide to take the short route directly down the road to the west or the long route through the soukes. As good as the Riad was, it was the staff that stood out for us. In our travels we have almost exclusively stayed in four or five star hotels, but the staff at Riad de la Belle Epoque were on another level. Honestly, without question the best staff of any accommodation we have EVER stayed in. Unbelievable friendly to the point we were almost treated like family (and no, that is not an exaggeration). As much as the Riad made our stay special, the amazing staff made the stay twice as special. The one minor hiccup was the air con unit leaked. We told the staff before we went out for the day and they had it fixed by the time we got back in the afternoon!! A sincere thank you to all the staff for memories of a lifetime. We will return to Marrakesh in the future and sincerely hope that Riad de la Belle Epoque will have a room available.

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“Beautiful Riad, BEST couscous”

I loved staying at this beautiful Riad! The location is perfect - just a quick walk from the Medina, but down a small alleyway that felt secluded, private, and quiet. The staff was incredibly helpful with recommendations about the area, and I so appreciated Abdejalel going out of his way to help me… more

I loved staying at this beautiful Riad! The location is perfect - just a quick walk from the Medina, but down a small alleyway that felt secluded, private, and quiet. The staff was incredibly helpful with recommendations about the area, and I so appreciated Abdejalel going out of his way to help me with my bags in the morning as he his overnight shift was wrapping up. The couscous I ate for dinner Friday was the best I had in Morocco and one of my favorite meals during my week and a half in the country. I also appreciated the property helping coordinating pickup from the airport.

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“Nice little riad with no frills, ideal for very short stays at a reasonable rate”

A very small riad, with nice and familar staff. Rooms are quite small, but well appointed, with the bare minimum for a short stay. One feels like being in a private house, with very few staff (appart from breakfast where there's an extra member in the kitchen), only the guy in the reception (a do i… more

A very small riad, with nice and familar staff. Rooms are quite small, but well appointed, with the bare minimum for a short stay. One feels like being in a private house, with very few staff (appart from breakfast where there's an extra member in the kitchen), only the guy in the reception (a do it all) and a cleaning lady were seen. The decor is hit or miss - some rooms are fancier, others are quite dark a with very little natural light. The rooms facing the patio in the upper floor have big wall windows and good light. The Isadora Duncan was quite nice. The rooftop is small and less fancy than the riad next door (also with spanish ownership). Breakfast is served with care but very limited in terms of offer (a typical no frills moroccan riad breakfast). Natural fruit is missed. The price is quite fair for what you get - a nice place to sleep in a not very fancy but safe and convenient area in the outskirts of the Medina. The place is run with no stress - no sight of the owner - and in 3 days, 3 different guys in the reception (each one with a distint approach).

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“Great place in brilliant location”

Really lovely place to stay for a few days, with clean big rooms, nice showers, plenty of friendly advice from the team that run the Riad, and loads of places to chill out also. I stayed there on my own and found them very accomodating. My room had two massive beds, a very nice shower, a safe, tab… more

Really lovely place to stay for a few days, with clean big rooms, nice showers, plenty of friendly advice from the team that run the Riad, and loads of places to chill out also. I stayed there on my own and found them very accomodating. My room had two massive beds, a very nice shower, a safe, table, chairs, and everything felt pretty safe, with locks and padlocks too. When I arrived, its owner sat me down, gave me a drink and a map and showed me some key sights he thought were interesting. He did this with every guest which was lovely, and a nice personal touch. I like the fact there was no TV, as I very much went away to have a bit of a break, while the WIFI reached the room, no problem, so I could plan my day. The Riad has a small pool in the courtyard which is too small to actually swim in, but the sound of water is really nice to have when you're sleeping, eating, relaxing etc. I really enjoyed its roof garden also, with plenty of space to sit down in the sun or in the shade, including an area under cover The food was really good. I had breakfast there every day, with local produce used, and finished most of it. After a few days I had some illness due to gluten so I had to say no to any wheat, and they just made me omelettes, and gave me fruits, yoghurts and other things, which made sure I had enough. The staff are super friendly and always say hello and make polite conversation, but at no point did I feel like they were being intrusive or anything. They even give you mint tea and biscuits without asking if you're reading or something. The Riad itself is in a really central bit of the old city. It's down a narrow street past a large carpet shop. It's a 15/20 minute walk to the main square, and there's of course lots to see on the way. You're also near plenty of the sights and museums, which is really good. I also used a lot of the local shops to buy food and drinks, and they were all pretty friendly and convenient. Only downside of the place is there were one or two days I had no hot water, and I couldn't get the air con to work (though my room was nice and cool regardless). It was not particularly cheap, and I was kind of expecting a few more amenities, maybe some more entertainment at the Riad itself to keep me occupied after I'd been out all day. But in general, it's a lovely place to stay.

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