43 Derb Fahl Ezzafriti, Quartier Laksour, Marrakech, Morocco | (888) 616-5829
Large, attractive riad-style guesthouse in the medina
Within a 10-minute walk of Djemaa el Fna square
Pleasant
Moroccan-style rooms with fresh dates
Rooftop
breakfast, lunch, and dinner (weather permitting)
Hammam and
rooftop hot tub
Small gym (rare for riads)
Plunge pool
Free Wi-Fi
throughout
Standard Rooms are
small
Slight drain smell in some
bathrooms, which is common in the medina
With 17 rooms, Riad Al Rimal is
one of the larger medina riads, and its location is excellent for
exploring the bustling souks and the famous Djemaa el Fna, which is about a 10-minute walk away. It includes a hammam, and offers massages and various beauty treatments. It's one of the rare riads that has a small fitness room, with a treadmill, stationary bike, and weight-lifting machine. Rooms are colorfully decorated and verge on the lavish, though Standard Rooms are small.
The rooftop terrace is a particular highlight here -- it has a hot tub and plenty of loungers and Berber-style daybeds. Rates are on par with other medina riads, and are perhaps a bargain, considering the added perks here.
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Scene
Fresh and elegant Moroccan styling in a spacious riad-style guesthouse
Tucked away down a warren of alleyways, the brass plaque of the Riad
Al Rimal -- or "House of Sands" -- marks a typically unassuming polished wooden doorway. As guests step inside, the property opens up into a spacious example of riad-style lodging. Opened in 2008 by a French couple, Marie-Annick
and Christian, Riad Al Rimal is actually three interconnected riads. It includes
a lovely central courtyard with a terra-cotta-tile bridge that spans a
nicely designed shallow pool (heated in the winter) and a series of lounges. While chock-full of local
handicrafts and traditional touches -- from "bejmat" tiled floors
to plenty of colored hanging lanterns and Moroccan furnishings -- the riad offers a
fresh and elegant contemporary take on traditional Moroccan styling throughout. The
property also has plenty of snug nooks to hole up in, including a small
lounge with a TV, books, and fireplace, as well as a lovely rooftop terrace complete with
Berber-style daybeds and panoramic views of the surrounding medina.
Location
Set in Marrakech's labyrinthian medina about a 10-minute walk to Djemaa el Fna square
The hotel is
situated in a particularly maze-like area of cobbled streets in Marrakech's
sprawling medina -- though once shown the way it's easy to remember how to find it. It's a few turns to the medina's bustling souks, while the
main square of Djemaa el Fna -- abuzz with snake-charmers, fortune-tellers,
orange juice vendors, and nighttime food stalls -- is five to 10 minutes away
on foot. As is the case with most properties in the medina, there's no direct car
access, but taxis can be found on the south side of Djemaa el Fna. Marrakech
Menara Airport is about a 15-minute drive from here. The hotel has an airport shuttle service for a fee, which is
recommended when first arriving.
Rooms
Gemstone-named rooms with particularly nice Moroccan decor
The hotel has 17
rooms and suites, each of which is named for a gemstone. Rooms are individually
styled in a tasteful blend of traditional Moroccan touches, including polished "tadelakt" plaster, ornately carved wooden
furnishings and plasterwork, and colorful hanging lamps. While there's no TV, telephone, or minibars in the rooms, each comes with a bowl of dates, free bottled water, and
lovely scented rosemary soap and juniper shower gel, as well as air conditioning
and hairdryers. Suites have corner living areas and dressing areas with mirrors. Some of the Standard Rooms are on the small side, and
don't have a full partition between the sleeping area and bathroom, and the slight
whiff of drains has been reported, but this is common in the 11th-century medina.
Features
Ground floor bar and pool, rooftop dining and hot tub, and a small gym
Breakfast is a nice spread of fresh fruit, warm homemade rolls, Moroccan pancakes,
yogurt, and jams -- all included in the rate. In warmer weather, it can be
taken on the rooftop terrace. There's also a dining room where guests can
choose from a menu of typical Moroccan cooking (both lunch and dinner need to
be ordered in advance), as well as a small bar with plush velvet seating. Guests can soak in the refreshing courtyard pool (which is heated in winter), or in the rooftop hot
tub -- big enough for a handful of people. The hammam is beldi style, meaning it's dry heat, and massages, and various beauty treatments -- facials, manicures -- are also available. There's also a small gym, with a treadmill, stationary bike, and a weight-lifting machine, which is unusual for this sort of property. Free Wi-Fi is
available throughout, though it can be patchy in spots.
