AnaYela — Hotel in Marrakesh Prefecture

My wife and I booked AnaYela via Marriott Bonvoy for our vacation in Marrakesh. The stay at AnaYela was up to today, the best we have experienced in our lives - in fact it is no wonder this place has a 4.9 star rating at the time I was writing this.

Before I detail our amazing experience it is important to note that my wife and I were looking to get a very traditional experience away from crowds. We specifically searched for stays within the Medina of Marrakesh (a city center where locals live and merchants sell goods) at a Riad (a building with an open air courtyard at the center that is over a century old). We also traveled in January which is not a peak month for travel in Morocco.

Before arriving to Morocco, the owner of the hotel, Andrea, reached out to us via email to coordinate transportation from the train station to AnaYela via a private cab, mentioning it would be quite difficult to locate the Riad in the Medina. When we arrived, our driver was waiting with a sign with our names on it and drove us to our destination in no more than 20 minutes. Overall a very seamless experience to the Riad.

When we arrived, one of our spectacular hosts, Ishan, greeted us and walked us through the Medina with our bags loaded onto a carriage drawn by a mule named Neel! After we arrived at the hotel, we were served Moroccan mint tea alongside homemade Moroccan pastries while the staff handled our check in. After our tasty snack, we were given a tour and history of the Riad before being shown to our room.

From the pictures, you can see our room was decorated with flower petals and was equipped with all the necessities such as soaps and shampoo, an extremely comfortable bed with outlets on the walls beside it, and an AC unit which was very clutch for my wife and I since we are cold sleepers.

On our first night we were tired from our travels and decided to have a private dinner at the hotel recommended by the hotel owner, Andrea. That was a really good decision. The food ended up being so superb that we came back for dinner 3 more times during our 4 night stay. I will not spoil the menu because the surprise is part of the experience, but I can assure you, you will not regret your decision to eat in if you are a foodie like me and my wife.

After dinner, Ishan worked with us to book a private day tour with plenty of opportunities to support local Berbers in Marrakesh for our last day. I will spare the details as that belongs in its own review, but we had an amazing time on the tour. I would highly recommend reaching out to the staff to do something similar if you’re all about supporting locals and getting an intimate / in depth experience.

On our last day, we took a private ride to the airport which was ~ 20-30 minutes away by car during rush hour. While waiting for our ride, I couldn’t help but feel sad that our stay was over. As I mentioned above the stay at AnaYela was probably the best experience we have ever had at a stay/hotel and it couldn’t have been possible without the amazing care we were given throughout our time...

Beautiful hotel, but I had issues with the manager.

The hotel renovations were immaculate. I opted for the pickup service at the train station based on other reviews indicating that the entrance was hidden. The driver was there on time and warmly greeted me.

The hotel has a very limited number of rooms and gets booked fast, so book in advance. The staff greeted you upon arrival and served Moroccan tea and cookies at check in. The rooms were spacious and the bed was comfortable.

The entrance is about a 5 min walk in the old village, but the locals didn’t bother me. However, it’s a 15min walk to the souk and the people can be a little aggressive trying to disorient you and hire them as a guide. The hotel does offer guided escorts to the souk, I’m assuming for a fee. However, I like to explore alone.

The breakfast is delightful and they give you a big array of food for each table. Everything was fresh and the staff provided excellent service throughout.

Also be mindful that it is an intimate hotel and you can hear everything in the foyer.

My only complaint is about the tours offered through the hotel. It was a last minute trip for me and I made a few requests for information about the tours to the waterfalls and the manager refused to provide it over email or WhatsApp. They give you prices by euro and charge the hotel conversion rate. I was there for a few days so decided to book without getting the itinerary and the manager told me don’t worry they will take you to the mountains and hikes to the waterfalls. Honestly, the waterfalls is underwhelming and it was overpriced guided shopping trip of stops along the way. The food included in the tour was horrible. Best to do a group tour at a quarter of the price at the hotel.

Overall, if the manager would have been transparent about the tour, it would have been a different rating. He was also confrontational when I returned because I mentioned to the driver it was significantly over priced. But I already paid and didn’t want to discuss further. The walk to the souk can be sketchy for foreigners, but the hotel is able to arrange a taxi and staff will escort you to...

A staple in many travel lists and publications, including Conde Nast Travelers Hot List, Riad AnaYela is one of the best accommodations among hotels in Marrakesh. It’s a hidden little gem, with only five rooms, however the experience of staying at Riad AnaYela is that of some of the largest, most renown hotels in the world.

Situated beyond a group of local markets, the Riad is not out in the open and is in one of the least touristy areas of Marrakech. The authentic, sanctuary-like riad is quiet, refined, decorated with natural, earthy colors. Because of its small size, Riad AnaYela is very intimate, and the riad’s history, revolving around a young girl’s (Yela) love story, is deeply engrained in the details of the décor. A flying carpet adorns the tower, and represents Yela and her lover’s journeys across the rooftops. The monolithic doors to each of the rooms have the history of AnaYela imprinted into them in Arabic.

I spent a night in the Chapter 5 suite, which was spacious yet cozy. Decorated in soft whites, creams, and natural tans, the whole room offered a soothing vibe. The room offered a view of the patio, where I could take in the natural light. A fireplace offers warmth, and the low, double king size bed was perfect for sprawling out on. My suite features a brick-built bath, large enough for two people.

The panoramic view from the terrace is spectacular! I enjoyed a delicious gourmet breakfast from the in-house chef by the indoor pool. I was only there one night, however anything I need was provided. The personnel were more than happy to offer recommendations on leisure, activities, dining, and graciously ensured my stay was everything I could have wanted.

If you’re looking for something a little different while staying in Marrakech, opt for AnaYela. Immerse yourself in a true work of art, as over 100 Moroccan craftsmen took months to renovate the riad without the use of electric tools. Become inspired by an ancient love story as you explore the medina and relax in the luxury and style of AnaYela’s...