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The Hidden Treasures of Morocco

By September 10, 2017 No Comments
Inside a Moroccan riad

In Marrakech, we stayed in the Medina, which means walled city and is the old trade center or bazaar. The hotels there are old houses turned into hotels which are called Riad. Apparently, many hotel names started with Riad around this area as we went to a different hotel thinking that it is ours. It was in a doggy street and a very poor quality one, so it came as a shock to us! Finally, we realized that it wasn’t our hotel, which was a relief!

Outside of a Moroccan riad

Outside of a Moroccan riad

One important architectural detail about these hotels, from outside they are just a three-story wall with no windows, but when you go inside you walk into a big courtyard with many rooms opening to this court yard. They explain the reason for this architecture was in the olden time they didn’t want people to know about their wealth, so it is a bit more like keeping everything private.

Pool inside Moroccan riadI have to say our hotel, Riad Mehdia, was very nice and our room had a nice décor, little colorful windows (of course looking at the court yard). Even in these tiny hotels there are pools fitted in but they are very small, and Shane barely fit in. ???? So, swimming is not possible and it is more like a jacuzzi!

We preferred these hotels to modern ones as it gave us the local, Moroccan feeling. Every corner of these hotels deserves a picture as they are nicely decorated and very colorful! I call them the hidden treasures of Morocco!

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