Riad karmela — Hotel in Marrakesh Prefecture

This is a decent Riad and well situated. I have just returned from a trip. I will provide some info that may help fellow travellers. This is of course just my experience and should only be taken as that. You may well feel differently but i will try and provide an honest appraisal as i do find comments which are balanced helpful to me when i am choosing.||General info - Marrakesh is quite chaotic and there are very few signposts in the Medinas and main tourist areas so expect to get lost. On arrival the Riad host gave us a map and suggestions which were helpful. We mitigated our disorientation by booking a walking tour of Marrakesh on our first morning at 10am and used the hour before that to find our way to the meeting point using the map given. The tour gave us a good perspective and orientation. Most activities start in or near a cafe at the Jamma El Fina and locating this area and how to get back to the Riad should be a priority on the first morning. Streets are narrow and there are 2 wheel cycles, scooters, motorbikes zipping about so keep your head up and look before turning. This is not a good venue for disabled people i don't feel. The main areas feel warmer than the temperature suggests. Also - the timekeeping is on par with the Swiss - don't be late by even a minute - this isn't like most of Asia/Africa/Mediterranean - they are really punctual.|Money - get your dhirams at Marrakesh. Don't change much at the airport if any. We booked our Taxi via the Riad as we read Taxi's drop off away from the Riad (true) and unless you know how to get there, you will get lost and its not fun when you have bags. The taxi driver called the Riad and they sent someone to meet and guide us. The drivers don't expect a tip (we gave a small tip on our return trip and luckily it was the same driver). So you can manage not to need local currency until you get to the Riad. The Riad will change money (we just took GB Pounds and converted there). Exchange is very slightly better at Jamma square (the exchange next to the cafe Argana i found was the best option). So if you are converting a small amount just do it at the Riad for convenience but if you are going for a long stay, the main square may be better.|A word of caution about the fasting month - things do get a bit chaotic past 5pm - partly all locals seem to be rushing about to finish jobs and get home to break fasting and after 4pm ish - many can get irritable, i suspect from dehydration/hunger - entirely understandable but being aware helps. I have made a note never to travel to a muslim nation again during fasting month - i had not even considered this when booking.|Riad - specific - good location, quiet, breakfast is excellent and hosts mostly helpful (apart from the aforementioned 4pm to 7pm period). They do serve alcohol but to me seemed pretty judgemental - i also had to pop over to the Karmela that has the reception when i needed to get more (mostly they just handed me what i wanted rather than bringing it to where we were sat and I felt a bit like i was being disapproved off. To me if they feel that way, they should just not serve any. If you are and you are the host, be more hospitable perhaps? This is an ok Riad. Not the cheapest and not sure i felt better for paying more than others i was browsing when i selected - but i haven't actually stayed at a local comparator so this is just my feeling vs what i was expecting. ||There is a barbers just round the corner - lovely man and i got a decent haircut for 70 Dhs (about 6 quid). There is a restaurant called Naima - Bon Couscous about a 2 minute walk from the Riad - they serve only 1 dish - Chicken + Couscous for 100Dhs - was really good. It may be a good place for your first nights meal as it is so close, if you don't fancy eating at the Riad (we did out of convenience and not knowing about Naima, but it was a nice meal) - 2 courses and glass of wine was about 50 quid at the riad.||Trips - we booked a tour of Marrakesh as mentioned plus a day trip to Atlas range via Viator (trip advisors site) - for about 20 pounds each - really good value for money there. I really don't know how they make this work profitably but it included a camel ride and a meal at the end. Well worth it. We also went to the Marjorelle gardens - booked directly with the garden - you have to book a time and even then there is a queue so get there 20mins before allocated slot. Taxi from the main square cost us 40 Dhs one way - they will start with 50+ but if you stick to 40, eventually you will get one. It is walkable - we walked back from the garden - and on route stopped at the handicraft shopping mall - fixed prices there so if you want hassle free shopping - this is worth going to.|Sorry for the long review - but i hope it helps you....

Pros:

We stayed 10 days. Highly recommend this riad. It was a true oasis, a magnificent spot. The decor was magical, during the day and at night. The staff was nice, always offering support and proactively trying to help. They also offered good advice, like how much to pay for a taxi ride from point A to B. Although it’s the type of guest house where you can expect little sound isolation, it was quiet at all times. All the visitors were respectful. The loudest sound we could hear was the birds singing in the morning. Can’t think of a better alarm! The rooms were clean and the team even added some nice touches like water, fruits, and dates. We had to work during the stay and the wifi was good enough to do so in general, even if I had to use the cellphone data from time to time. There are a lot of little spots inside and outside where you can focus without distractions, while having plugs for the computer. During the evenings where we had to work, the team was super accommodating and prepared us a table to eat in the courtyard. We ordered food from the riad’s restaurant and they served it there. The food was very good. The breakfast offered a variety of choices. I was happy to have fresh fruits every mornings. It’s very practical to have spa services directly in the riad. I did the hair treatment, pedicure, and massage. It’s not as great as the full hamman experience you can find in specialized places in the city, but you can’t beat the convenience of being right next to your room. If you want to do only one hamman experience I would recommend places like Marajah or Les Bains de Marrakesh, but it’s still a great complement.

Cons:

Our biggest and only concern was our arrival. The team was helpful by sending a message after the booking to say that the riad is not accessible by car and that it cannot be found without a staff member guiding you. We came by car from Casa. They let us know where to park when we reached out. On the day of our arrival, I reached out a couple of hours before to confirm at what time we would be there. When we arrived, despite texting and calling multiple times on WhatsApp, no one replied or came. After waiting in a sketchy parking with our luggage for a while, we decided to venture in the Medina. Boys were trying to show us the way despite us saying no, and threatened to come and find us at the end when we refused to give them hundreds of dirhams. Rocky and memorable intro to Marrakesh! That said, the team reacted appropriately by apologizing, upgrading the room, welcoming us with tea, and helping us get our luggage from the car. FYI — Google Maps is accurate to find the riad after all. There was a strong unpleasant smell in the rooms coming from the bathroom’s pipes. It’s probably the same in other riads in the Medina. We’ve let the toilet lid closed and put cups on the holes and it fixed it. It could be a nice touch to provide pipe plugs in the rooms. It’s only after 10 nights at the riad and a growing neck and back pain that we realized that the source was the pillows and bed. The staff may have had a solution, but we did not have the chance to ask since we were leaving. Despite those points, we would still go back at Karmela and we have already recommended the place to family members going to...

I don't think I have enough words or the ability to explain just how wonderful our stay at Riad Karmela was. The whole time I was there I felt like I was at home, nothing was ever a problem and we were treated with the utmost respect and care. It became almost like a sanctuary after our days of exploring, to come back to. The courtyard was peaceful and my favourite place to relax. With regards to general feedback, the check in process was smooth. We were offered many options of excursions and we were able to have an amazing traditional Hammam experience within the Riad itself, which was very convenient. ||Breakfast every morning had plenty of varieties. There was always food and drinks available, and we had some delicious food both at lunch and dinner. Huge compliments to the chef! At dinner time there was sometimes a guitarist who was very pleasant to listen to. Our room was spacious and traditional and always cleaned. They ensured that my friend and I were safe (being two young girls) and escorted us to and from taxi's at night-time (a grateful mention to Ibrahim who did this for us many times), as well as arranging taxi's for us. They were patient with our requests and nothing was ever an inconvenience for them. The location was amazing as it was a very short walk to the main square and surrounded by souks. ||I have to pay a special reference to some of the staff members of whose names I can remember (apologies if I have spelt anyone's name wrong). The thing that struck me the most about the staff was that they were always smiling. I have never experienced customer service like it. They had this warm energy about them which makes the Riad feel like a home. Fatima who works at the front desk is a wonderful person. She was so thoughtful and kind and she gave us many suggestions on places to eat and see. She really understood our taste. When I had an allergic reaction, she helped me to get the correct medication. She was honestly one of the best things about my trip and I am happy to have met her. She is an asset to the Riad. |The other staff members Majid, Amine, Mohammed and Hakim to name a few were all very caring and went above and beyond to make us have a good time and to help us feel comfortable at all times. I can't say thank you enough to them. They are all incredibly hard-working and humble people. ||I will never forget the memories I had in this place. I wish the best for everybody working here as they truly deserve it. The owner has really created a special and memorable place with Riad Karmela and he should be proud of everyone there.|I would be honoured to have the pleasure to visit again :) I would recommend Riad Karmela to anybody who wants to have a true authentic and homely...