Angsana Riads Collection Morocco

We have just returned home from Marrakech, where we enjoyed a wonderful stay at the Riad Si Said, tucked away in a small alleyway in the heart of the old Medina, close to the Bahia Palace and just a few minutes walk from the main square. Whereas all around is the daily hustle, bustle and drama of exotic Marrakech, this beautiful riad offered a quiet oasis of calm to return to - such a pleasure! Beautiful and elaborate Moroccan decor and furnishings in the airy courtyard and in the traditionally-appointed and spacious rooms, a small refreshing swimming pool, a rooftop terrace, attentive and very friendly staff, lovely mint tea, excellent food: this riad ticked all our boxes! Thoroughly recommended to visitors to this amazing city!

Immerse yourself in a calm and very friendly atmosphere: - reserved obligingness - no overflowing breakfast buffet - not far from the central market square in a quiet alleyway - no fuss - no TV-set :-) - helpful staff

4 night stay at one of the 6 riads that make up this lovely group of houses in Marrakech old medina. Riad Blanc literally 30 seconds from the main Riad Si Said, calm courtyard with plunge pool, 7 rooms, 2 little roof terraces. Drinks bought over from main riad, great breakfast, kettle in our room - they brought us jug of fresh milk! Met us at nearest car park to guide us and take bags, about 4-5 mins walk. Really friendly staff throughout.

We were dropped, by Youssef - really lovely taxi driver we had the pleasure of being looked after for all our stay in Marrakech - at a little car park and then, having been relieved of our cases, walked a couple of hundred yards through a couple of small lanes to the main Riad - Si Said - where we were very warmly welcomed and treated to mint tea and treats, whilst our luggage was taken to our room, across the way, at the small Riad Blanc, hidden behind a plain wooden door. It was like entering another world. Certainly "bijou" but simple and calming. Our room was quite small, but adequate and characterful/atmospheric. Importantly, the plumbing all worked well and we slept well, woken each morning by bird song. The rooms are on a couple of floors around an open courtyard with roof top terrace. There is a very small pool, suitable for dipping your toes. All the staff, without exception, were absolutely charming, friendly, helpful, going out of their way to make you feel at home and to ensure you are happy. Thanks to everyone - it worked! Breakfast, served in the open courtyard, was strange to us - meatballs and stewy type things, but, hey, that's all part of experiencing another country (secretly, I was glad to get back to fried eggs when we got home though!). We had some dinners included in our holiday package, at Si Said, but, in any event, we ate there every night, as we had full-on tours during the day and were tired and were happy to use their roof terrace for drinks before dinner and then eat in their restaurant. All good. Marrakech is a very busy place - when out and about you find yourself dodging scooters most of the time, but Riad Blanc (and Si Said) were oasis and we were very happy there. Very clean. God willing, we will return one day. If you are travelling with Voyages Jules Verne, don't miss the Atlas mountains day trip - excellent, although the 15 minutes uphill walk to the restaurant is not for anyone with mobility problems of any sort.

Summary: Great riad, the amenities are nice, the rooms are really pretty and have a wonderful cachet. Finally, the staff truly goes above and beyond to satisfy your needs. PROs: - We had the ambassador room, and the decor was breathtaking, you truly felt like you had your own mini-palace; - Many attentions like turndown service, the pillow scent service and overall service makes it feel more like a 5* than a 4* hotel; - The hotel amenities are nice, including a spa, multiple pools (1 per riad), restaurant etc. - When we arrived to our room, there were roses laid all over the bed, which really touched us. Nice one ! - Great overall experience. CONs: - Some elements in the room would need some repair / upgrade. Some tiles were loose on the floor, or some of the windows couldn't be opened because the lock was broken. Really not a big deal, but small fixes that could easily improve the overall experience. - A bit tricky to get to the riad, since you can't go there by car.