Kaktus Hostel — Hotel in Marrakesh Prefecture

It was my first time in Morocco, and I was a bit nervous being in a 3rd world country for the first time solo. Everything was overwhelming, I was worried about pick pockets, and was harassed by the street hustlers left and right Needless to say I was freaking out!

Then I arrive to the hostel. Here comes Yassine who welcomes me in open arms, offers to help me with my luggage, and that's when my nerves calmed down thanks to this young man. He was so welcoming, like the friendliest hostel personnel ever! He was kind, funny, we started to talk about Eminem music, Chicharitto and soccer, and how much he wants to visit the United States! I was pretty tired so he excused me to get some rest.

Now about the place, first of all I am pretty spoiled with HIlton stays for cheap so this was a huge change! It wasn't the most elegant place but I felt safe, at ease and belonged! Everyone in my room was friendly, and I was off to get some good sleep. It wasn't the nicest place but for $4, I can't complain. What was great about the place is LOCATION! You are so close to the famous Jemaa el-Fna square to witness so much!

I woke up and hung out with my new friend Yassine and his other pal. They were very open minded to try the snacks I had brought from Mexico and allowed me to record their reactions for future youtube videos. It was a fun experience. Also theres a wall inside the riad with information for 1, 2 and 3 day tours. Yassine and his friend were very helpful on helping me select the perfect tour with absolutely NO PRESSURE like the other Moroccans in the square. I selected the 3 day 2 night tour to the Sahara desert (Prepare to waste a whole day in the road overall) and was surprised to find out the whole tour was 800 dhms (Approx $80). Sucks I had booked 2 nights at the hostel but Yassine was very nice to hold my luggage during my 3 day tour! That was nice of him.

On the day of the tour, they fixed our hearty breakfast which was sufficient enough to fuel up. The shower wasn't the best but I got something done. Also the rooftop had a nice atmosphere. Not much of a view of the center but I couldn't experience it as much since it was raining!

After that long drive back from Merzougah, Yassine was there waiting for me with a big hug and my luggage in one place. Seriously I had never met anyone so friendly in all my travels like Yassine. He felt like a close friend! Well he's got a friend for life and if he ever comes to Los Angeles, he's invited to my home! Thank you for...

Stayed at the hostel for a week with my sister and couldn't have wished for a better experience.

Staff are fantastic and nothing is too much trouble, they are incredibly kind and accommodating and create a wonderful vibe in the hostel. Muha is an excellent host, he knows exactly what is going on in the hostel and knows who everyone is. He speaks a variety of languages and his English is almost perfect so communication in the hostel is not a problem in the slightest. Fantastic for Brits (like we were) who don't speak Arabic or French! Our last night before travelling home was spent in a Riad (it had a pool) which was nice and an experience in itself - but we did keep popping back to Kaktus because the vibe was so great there. Other staff in the hostel seems to be a female cleaner/chef who is lovely but I think only speaks Arabic, and another junior host who speaks foreign languages okay.

Breakfast is included (I think for everyone who stays) and is served on the terrace, nice and sets you up for the day without being extravagant. Location of the hostel couldn't be better, a 2 minute walk from Jemaa el Fna (the main square in the old town, which is a hub of activity and the starting place for the souks). But the hostel is down a small and quiet street, and had almost no noise disturbance from the square or people wheeling carts at night. It felt very safe as the door was always locked and to get in you need to knock or ring the bell, so staff keep track of who is in the building.

Facilities are decent, very clean and never felt like you were waiting for someone to finish in the shower or toilet. Lots of communal space and seating to relax on, either on the ground floor or the terrace to meet people and chat about the trips they had been on or places they'd recommend to visit. WiFi is great, never had any problem with it on ground or first floor, but probably wouldn't be a strong enough signal to Skype call on the terrace.

We spent a lot of time chatting in the hostel, learning about the Moroccan and Berber cultures and the language. They are more than happy to make everyone tea and sit to have a chat.

I couldn't recommend Kaktus enough, it is a budget hostel for sure but is truly wonderful and I would go back...

I'm a travel writer, so I stay at plenty of hotels, and its rare that I stay in hostels anymore. I need a clean, quiet place to work.

However, I recently spent 6 months in Morocco and to save $ I decided to check out Kaktus.

To be honest, at first I was extremely nervous because I've heard many many horror stories about people getting bed bugs at many of the hostels in Morocco, so I was really hesitant. Plus, I'm a single female traveling alone.

However, I had nothing to worry about!

Kaktus was lovely! It was very clean, much nicer than I expected, and it is located so close to Jemma al Fna Square, so I felt safe walking alone at night. The door on my room didnt seem to work, but again, I felt really safe and the staff was present.

Houssine is one of the sweetest, nicest guys, and he will give you the best advice on where to go, the best toura, and which spas to go to.

One thing to note; bring your own towels and toiletries.

If you're going to stay in a hostel in Morocco be very careful amd read the reviews...but if you choose Kaktus you'll make the best choice.

It really is a fantastic hostel; you'll love the rooms, the roof terrace, the staff, and you wont find another hostel so close to...