Avenue Mohammed VI, Marrakech, Morocco | (888) 616-5829
Upscale hotel
with stunning lobby decor
Large indoor and
outdoor swimming pools
Spacious rooms
with furnished balconies
Extensive
breakfast buffet included in rate
Hammam spa with
sauna and steam room
Fully equipped fitness center
Free parking
Major tourist sights not within walking distance
Poor or no Wi-Fi reception in rooms
No alcohol served (a pro for some)
Lackluster room decor
The 244-room Ryad Mogador
Menara is located in the new city in the upmarket area of Hivernage, about a 10-minute drive to the heart of the medina, but not within walking distance of tourist attractions. The lobby is
particularly palatial, and the outdoor pool is large with plenty of loungers. The spa has an indoor heated pool, treatment rooms for massages, and the traditional hammam. There's also a fully equipped fitness center, three restaurants (no alcohol is served), and a more casual cafe and lounge. While rooms are spacious with large balconies, decor is a tad lackluster, and Wi-Fi is practically nonexistent. Rates are reasonable for this upscale property, and the hotel can be a good choice for those who want pool and spa facilities, and prefer to stay outside the medina. Travelers may want to compare rates with the Ryad Mogador Kasbah, an upper-middle-range hotel with similar features.
Disclaimer: This content was accurate at the time the hotel was reviewed. Please check our partner sites when booking to verify that details are still correct.
Scene
Large, modern hotel with stunning traditional lobby decor
The
ornately decorated entrance to the Ryad Mogador Menara -- a long red carpet
running under a row of elaborate stone arches -- sets the tone for this
large, upscale hotel. Stepping inside the spacious reception area, visitors are
met with an impressive swath of polished marble surrounded by more intricately crafted
wood and a superb centerpiece ceiling illuminated by a huge hanging
chandelier. Farther inside, the lobby lounge is a stunning wash of traditional
Moroccan styling comprising "bejmat" flooring, "zellige" geometric tiling, and more beautifully carved cedar wood. Musicians
twanging on traditional North African instruments add to the timeless
atmosphere, though the occasional sound of passing traffic or jet planes overhead
brings the scene back to the 21st century.
Location
Located in the new city, about a 10-minute drive to medina
The hotel is
located on a busy main road in the of the upmarket Hivernage neighborhood of
the new city. While there are plenty of other hotels and restaurants in the
immediate surroundings, there's little in the way of tourist sights within walking
distance. The ancient medina with its bustling souks, labyrinthine streets, and
Djemaa el Fna square is about a 10-minute cab journey away. But for those that don't mind driving or taking cabs, the location is convenient -- the main train station is about seven minutes by car, as is the Palais de Congres in the other direction. Marrakech Menara International Airport is about a 10-minute drive away.
Rooms
Spacious, modern rooms with generic decor, furnished balconies, and poor or no Wi-Fi
The hotel has 244
rooms, all of which have been decorated in a blend of simple modern styling
with a few Moroccan touches evident in the thick rugs and carved wooden fixtures. But aside from those flourishes, rooms feel generic and lack distinctive charm. Rooms
have sliding doors that open to large furnished balconies overlooking either
the main road or pool area. Other amenities include mini-fridges, free mineral water, safes, and flat-screen TVs with some satellite channels, though there's poor
in-room Wi-Fi reception -- or none at all. Basic white-and-beige tiled bathrooms have sunken
tubs, bidets, hairdryers, bathrobes, and a good array of toiletries.
Features
Large indoor and outdoor pools and hammam spa
The hotel serves an
extensive breakfast buffet in its large restaurant (included in the rate)
comprising pastries, fresh fruits, yogurts, and a range of hot and cold
items -- it can also be taken on the outside terrace. Half-board rates are available, which include a dinner menu of Moroccan specialties, and there's a
pleasant lounge bar, but no alcohol is served at the hotel. Guests can cool off in the indoor and outdoor swimming pools -- both sizable and surrounded by loungers; the indoor pool is capped with a blue-sky painted ceiling. There's also a hammam
spa offering massage treatments, sauna, and steam bath, and a massive fitness center equipped with weight machines, cardio machines, free weights, and several flatscreen TVs.
