EARTH HOSTEL — Hotel in Marrakesh Prefecture

One of the Worst Travel Experiences of My Life

I wish I could give this hostel zero stars. My friend and I had one of the worst travel experiences of our lives here, starting from the moment we arrived.

We were picked up late by a driver holding a sign for the hostel. He barely spoke to us, spending the entire ride on his phone, seemingly making random calls. Without explanation, he suddenly stopped in traffic and told us to get out. An older staff member then appeared with a wheelbarrow, took our backpacks, and proceeded to wheel them through a chaotic scene of construction and crowds.

This was my first time in Morocco, and this experience was genuinely scary. We were led down numerous alleyways filled with trash and vendors. The staff member, who didn't speak English, wouldn't let us carry our own bags, leaving us completely in the dark about where we were going. After a long, unsettling walk, he stopped, picked up our bags, and walked the rest of the way, then demanded money, which we didn't have for him. The driver also demanded cash, which we were never informed about beforehand.

Upon arriving at the hostel, the person who opened the door didn't even greet us. When I asked if it was indeed the Earth Hostel, given that we'd just followed a stranger for 20 minutes, he seemed annoyed. The check-in process was a disaster. They didn't have a card reader, and we later discovered in the fine print that payment was cash-only. The staff member was incredibly angry because, apparently, the ride wasn't meant for us, and his boss was upset that the intended guests were left without transportation.

The hostel itself was appalling. There were cockroaches in the lobby, and it was sweltering, despite the booking stating there would be air conditioning. The showers and bathrooms had no locks, and there was only one toilet. All NOT CLEAN! The rooms had no locks or lights, no safe place to store bags, and absolutely no privacy. Also NOT CLEAN! The staff member who checked us in was consistently mean and inconsiderate throughout our brief stay.

Overall, this hostel was a complete disaster. From the misleading transportation and hidden fees to the unsanitary conditions and lack of security, it was a truly awful experience. I would strongly advise anyone considering staying here to look elsewhere. There are plenty of other options that offer a safer, cleaner, and more welcoming environment. This place is not worth the risk or the stress. Save yourself the trouble and book...

Overall, we loved our stay at Earth Hostel! If I ever come back to Marrakesh, I'll stay here again for sure.

Our rooms were very comfortable with working air conditioning, clean blankets and pillows. The vibes were immaculate with lots of cozy lounge areas. The star was definitely the rooftop terrace, where the kitchen is located. The staff, Momo and Norden, were AWESOME: helping us navigate not just the hostel, but Marrakesh as a whole. They booked all our taxis for us, walked us through the Medina multiple times, printed our boarding passes, and were very easy to work with while checking in. The location was great, with it being located in the Medina and being a short walk to the main square. The included breakfast was a great touch. We left super early one morning before group breakfast takes place, and the hostel employees still made us (12 people!) breakfast to go! It was very tasty and a lot of food.

However, there are a few important things worth noting: The hostel is CASH ONLY!!! But Euros and Moroccan Dirhams can both be used interchangeably. This goes for most places you would stay in Marrakesh, but the hostel is not directly accessible by car. It's a 5-10 minute walk to get to a road where a taxi can drop you off/pick you up. Come with friends, or make friends when you get here, because you do not want to be walking through these windy back streets of Marrakesh by yourself. We had a very large group, so we felt very safe, but one solo-traveling girl was really shaken up by a random man who gave her directions to the hostel. You won't receive any keys for your stay, because all the doors lock from the inside. Including the main hostel door. You have to knock on it and have someone come let you in. One dorm room we stayed in did not have a working lock. The entire hostel is is exposed to the outdoors, so the windows don't have screens, and when the weather is good, the roof is completely open. There wasn't a specific place to put our bags. I ended up sleeping with my bookbag on my bed to keep it...

This was my first experience at a hostel and l thoroughly enjoyed my stay. I was treated very well by Osama, Hussain and Muhammed; they were extremely helpful in how to navigate Marrakesh markets and the big square; nothing was too much trouble. The beds were really comfortable, (l slept really well), the breakfasts, (served on the roof terrace) were great, Mia who cleaned the place daily did an excellent job. The whole vibe of the place was exactly as the images on their website portrayed; the evenings were great as well if you didn't want to go out; you were welcome to stay in for family meals of Moroccan Tagine and dessert and good conversation if you wanted and if you didn't you could do as you like, respectfully . Prices were very reasonable. l met some wonderful people from Argentina, Poland, The USA, Germany, France, Sweden and Moroccan/English,. London, Canada, Brazil etc and had a great time celebrating my birthday with some of them and the great atmosphere of Moroccan's celebrations in the square of of their team's successful performance at The World Cup quarter final against Portugal.. l would highly recommend staying at Earth Hostel to anyone who loves a chilled vibe, lovely ambience. and enjoys meeting people.. Big up to those who made my visit memorable including cool dudes "Hisham and Ben in...