We spent, my wife, daughter and I, 10 days at Riad Souad in early August.It is well located: in the heart of Medina’s Ben Salah neighbourhood, a short...

We spent, my wife, daughter and I, 10 days at Riad Souad in early August.It is well located: in the heart of Medina’s Ben Salah neighbourhood, a short walk from Place Jemaa El Fna. On arrival we were warmly greeted by Hafida and her husband, Sherif. The owners were away on vacation. From the get-go we were treated like family. Tea was served and we relaxed a while before we were shown to our rooms. Our luggage had already been taken upstairs. After we unpacked and settled in, Hafida offered to show us how to get to Place Jemaa El Fna. Once there she pointed out where the ATMs were located (very useful if you intend to do some shopping in the souks) the different main streets, recommended some cafés, where to buy the best juices and sweets etc.. On the way back to the Riad she guided us on an alternate route pointing out where La Place des Épices was, the different souks’ alleys also a small open air market selling fruits and vegetables on the way. She gave us her card with her phone number and offered to assist us if we ever got lost, which we never needed to do, she did such a good job showing us around. The Riad also provides a map annotated with ‘good adresses’ and highlighted routes to and from Jemaa El Fna and other points of interest. I’d go to the market and buy fruits and watermelons during our stay which were kept for us in the Riad’s fridge. Nothing like slices of cool watermelon and peaches after a hot day of bargaining in the souks.Our whole stay at the Riad was like a dream. Hafida and Sherif were so helpful and friendly. Without them Marrakesh would have turned out a more daunting experience. I’ll give you an example. We’d taken a 3 day trek out to the Sahara and I realized only the day after our return that I’d forgotten my running shoes in the back of our guide’s minivan. Hafida took it upon herself to call the tour operator and arranged to have them delivered back to the Riad at no cost. Little things like that take away the ‘vacation headaches’ and glitches we all come across when travelling. The Riad itself is gorgeous and charming. The pictures do not do it justice. The moldings, columns, floor tiling and wall covering are all hand crafted. The minutiae of the details are stunning. The beds are comfortable and their bathrooms exotic. There’s a welcoming pool on the rooftop terrace for cooling off. The morning breakfast is generous and delicious. It was enough to keep me going all day.As for the neighbourhood adjacent the Riad, you will meet nothing but friendly faces and welcoming hellos.I strongly recommend Riad Souad and its staff for an experience you will never forget. I’ve travelled to many countries and this place ranks tops in my book.

Staying at the Riad Souad was a fantastic experience, and we would highly recommend it to anybody who wants a proper Moroccan experience. Below is a breakdown...

Staying at the Riad Souad was a fantastic experience, and we would highly recommend it to anybody who wants a proper Moroccan experience. Below is a breakdown of our experience.Inside the RiadBeautifully decorated in a sort of ostentatious but traditional Moroccan fashion (i.e. lots of Maroccan lanterns, tables, glasses, etc.). The room that we were in was nice and big, with an en suite shower room (nice big shower too). Crucially, as it was over 40 degrees centigrade, there was individually controllable air conditioning in the room! There was a dipping pool (not huge, but big enough for about 6 people to chill out I guess) on the roof, with a lovely roof terrace to relax - day or night. We had dinner there on one evening, and the food and drink was good and reasonably priced.The hostsThe hosts, Natalie and Gerrard, are delightful and very welcoming indeed. Gerrard, upon our arrival, gave us a map with a number of recommendations noted on it - we visited many and were disappointed by none. Throughout the week, we also had a number of restaurants and attractions recommended to us, all of which were perfect! Similarly, they organised a trip to the Atlas mountains for us, including lunch in a traditional Berber village, which was spot on and is definitely recommended!!LocationThe Riad is located in the centre of the Medina (old town), about a 10-minute walk from the main square, the Jamaa el Fna. It's outside of the market area, which is good because you're hassled less than when you're right in the centre, but it makes it ever so slightly harder to navigate yourself. However, the hosts are brilliant and Gerrard showed us the right route on the first day, to make sure that we didn't get lost. At night, a number of streets get closed off, so we would always suggest going back to the main square and walking from there, even if it seems to take you out of your way a bit. The locals are generally nice and will give you directions, but they will charge you rather a lot of money for the privilege. Again, the hosts will explain when you're there.

My girlfriend and i spent four nights in Riad Souad and was the perfect and very autentic experience.The location was very good, very close to everything...

My girlfriend and i spent four nights in Riad Souad and was the perfect and very autentic experience.The location was very good, very close to everything (Jama el Fna, Souks), the room was cleaned everyday and Ikhlas was the most professional and kind person you can meet there. My girlfrind was sick at the time and Ikhlas saw that she didnt eat that much at breakfast, so she decided to take some tea to the room, she was very kind, gives you the full welcoming experience.

This Riad was so fantastic! Our flight got in late but they had a taxi pick us up and then dinner and tea ready for us when we arrived. The woman working...

This Riad was so fantastic! Our flight got in late but they had a taxi pick us up and then dinner and tea ready for us when we arrived. The woman working at the time was so sweet and has highlighted a map for us so we could manage the streets. The room was BEAUTIFUL!

We stayed with Nathalie and Gerard for six nights in June this year. They were very friendly, but not intrusive. Nothing seemed to be too much trouble...

We stayed with Nathalie and Gerard for six nights in June this year. They were very friendly, but not intrusive. Nothing seemed to be too much trouble and they had a great sense of humour.My only niggle was that I would have liked some fruit with breakfast. We eventually bought our own fruit. Probably, we should have asked. They still rate five stars.

My partner and I recently stayed at the Riad Souad for four nights in May. The weather was unseasonably hot at 42C average every day – far too much for...

My partner and I recently stayed at the Riad Souad for four nights in May. The weather was unseasonably hot at 42C average every day – far too much for our British bodies to handle having come from a mere 15C in London..! Fortunately each room at the Riad has its own individual air conditioning system and there is a small pool on the roof terrace, so we were able to sleep well at night and take a refreshing dip in the pool to keep ourselves cool when the heat of the city became too much. The view from the terrace is lovely and includes some of the best features of the Marrakech skyline, including the Koutoubia Mosque as the Riad is based just a 10 minute walk from the central Jamaa el Fna square.Our hosts and owners of the Riad, Nathalie and Gerrard, were fantastic and we really couldn’t have asked for a warmer welcome for our first visit to Morocco, or indeed the continent! Gerrard recommended several of the best places to visit, shop and eat and we found each of them to be well worth a visit. Nothing was too much trouble for Nathalie and Gerrard as they catered for us, chatted to us about life in Marrakech, made evening table reservations for us and booked day trips and taxis at our request. They were so accommodating and their enthusiasm and passion for the city was infectious!Whilst the city can be very busy and bustling with lots of street sellers and some of the locals hassling tourists for payment for providing directions, we found a very warm welcome to the city at the Riad Souad and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a friendly, pleasant atmosphere with all the comforts one would expect from a great hotel!