66 Derb Jdid, Douar Graoua, Marrakech, Morocco | (888) 708-2081
Small, friendly traditional riad-style guesthouse
Located in the heart
of the medina, about a 15-minute walk to Djemaa el Fna square
Simple rooms with
traditional Moroccan decor
Rooftop terrace with
sun loungers and city views
Excellent
breakfast and dining
Free Wi-Fi
throughout
No hammam or plunge pool
One room's layout feels a bit snug
Riad Aguerzame is a four-room, mid-range riad located in the ancient medina, about a 15-minute walk to Djemaa el Fna square. While it is a perfectly pleasant, traditionally styled guesthouse furnished with lots of local handcrafts and mosaics, it's not overly lavish -- there's no hammam or plunge pool. Rooms are long and narrow with terra-cotta tile floors, but have distinctive Moroccan touches. An excellent
breakfast comes with the room, and the riad serves a Moroccan dinner, which needs to be arranged in advance. The terrace offers superb rooftop views, but the standout feature here is the attentive, personalized service provided by the owner and his staff.
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Scene
Small and intimate riad with orange trees in the courtyard
Differing from
the usually inconspicuous doorways of many riads, the impressively decorative
entrance to the Riad Aguerzame is lined with metal studs and crowned with intricately
carved plasterwork and green-glaze "Qarmud"
tiles. Inside, the rectangular patio is a pleasant and unpretentious blend of wrought-iron
furnishings, potted palms, and a swath of coordinating "bejmat" floor tiling. With only four rooms, it's smaller than many similar riads, which means plenty of attention from the friendly, hospitable hosts Laurent (the owner) and Aziz. The inner courtyard provides a lovely place to
recline amid the scent of orange blossoms; it's dappled with sunlight that filters
through the leaves of two large orange trees that are as old as the house.
Location
Set in the labyrinthine heart of the medina, a 15-minute walk to Djemaa el Fna
The hotel is
located in one of the cobbled alleys of the medina -- an 11th-century UNESCO recognized quarter awash with
bustling souks and secluded shady courtyards. The famous Djemaa el-Fna square
-- full of snake-charmers, fortune-tellers, orange juice vendors, and nighttime food stalls -- is about 15 minutes away on foot, and most of the old city tourist attractions are
within walking distance. There is no direct car access to Riad Aguerzame, but taxi ranks can be found
on the south side of Djemaa
el-Fna. Marrakech
Menara Airport is about a 15-minute drive.
Rooms
Simple Moroccan-style rooms with air conditioning and Wi-Fi
There are only four guest rooms, all of which are -- typically for a riad -- long and narrow,
with colored "tadelakt" (Morrocan
limestone plaster) walls, terra-cotta tile floors, and lovely intricately carved
cornices. One room, where the bed is placed in the middle of the space, feels a bit more snug compared to other layouts. Some of the beds are fashioned from twirly wrought iron, while all
rooms have plush traditional seating and filigree-patterned hanging lanterns. As is common in riads, which seek to emulate a home more than a hotel, there are no TVs or telephones in the rooms, but safes and hairdryers are provided. Rooms are air-conditioned, and
the free Wi-Fi covers the whole property. Patio-level rooms can feel a little
less private than those on the second floor -- and get noise from the courtyard
-- though are a little less expensive.
Features
Excellent breakfast and rooftop dining under the stars -- though no hammam or plunge pool
The Riad
Aguerzame keeps things simple -- hammam and plunge pool are
conspicuously absent. It does, however, take its dining seriously,
and guests are treated to an excellent breakfast each morning of bread, cakes, yogurt, Moroccan pancakes, and fresh orange juice -- all included in the rate. The home-cooked dinner, which must be arranged in advance, offers a hearty spread of Moroccan specialties -- it will likely include at least one tagine -- and can be taken on the roof terrace under the stars, or in the courtyard. The rooftop area also has plenty of
loungers to soak up the sun during the day as well as superb views over the
medina.
