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Riads in Morocco

The big new trend in Moroccan holiday accommodations are riads. Strictly speaking, a riad is a house built around a patio garden – in fact, the word riad correctly refers to the garden rather than the house – while maison d’hóte is French for “guest house”. In the tourist industry, however, both terms are used, pretty much interchangeably, for a residential house done up to rent out to tourists, usually by the room, though you can often rent the whole house.

The craze started with Marrakesh riads, where it took off big-time, and quickly spread to riads in Fes and Essaouira. Since then it has gone nationwide and almost every town with tourists now has riads in Morocco. Even the Atlas mountains and the southern oases are now dotted with them, and there appears to be no shortage of takers.

Riads in Morocco range from simple homes where you can stay with a Moroccan family to deluxe palaces elegantly done out in carved stucco and zellij tilework, but most of them are eighteenth- or nineteenth-century Medina town houses which have been bought and refurbished by Europeans or prosperous Moroccans (often Moroccans who have been living in Europe).

Moroccan Riad

They tend to have a standard interior-design look, and you’ll frequently find interior design magazines lying about in their salons, indicating the source of the owner’s inspiration. Most of them have roof terraces, some have plunge pools or Jacuzzi’s, pretty much all offer en-suite rooms, and breakfast is usually included in the room price.

However, the sudden popularity of Moroccan riads has attracted a fair few amateur property developers, some of whom invest minimum money in the hope of maximum returns. Before you take a riad therefore, even more than with a hotel, it is always best to give it a preliminary once-over. Even in the best cases, you’ll find riads substantially more expensive than hotels with a similar level of comfort. Despite the popularity of riads, therefore, and their undoubted charm, it is nonetheless worth bearing in mind that hotels are generally better value.