Riad EspritBleu

Premise: I have not stayed at the hotel. Which is the entire matter at hand. I had negotiated a price with the owner and agreed a direct booking for their private pool suite (which looks fantastic from pictures) yesterday night for today. This morning they’ve messaged me to tell me their current guests wanted to extend a night and therefore the room would not be available anymore for us, while we’re already on the way for Essaouira. The good behaviour a professional hotel would have employed would have been to tell their current guests that it was too late to extend as the room had been booked already. Or if the negotiated price was not to their liking, simply not accept the booking in the first place. In this way, I find myself in a difficult position of having to accept staying at whatever place I can find for tonight as I’m already on the way. Let alone the idea of surprising my gf with a private pool.

This riad is nice but insanely overpriced. We were initially impressed by the boutique aspect of it, but actually staying here was a different story. The rooms are nice but small and dark. There are some unique features, like the wooden shutters, but the practically of these quickly becomes quite annoying. The breakfast is okay, but you have to pay extra for eggs etc which was disappointing given the price of the rooms. The most frustrating thing is the noise. Obviously we're in the Medina so you expect noise, but it's very loud... there's no way you could sleep without ear plugs. There's a mosque next door so the call to prayer (and we are speaking as Muslims) is very loud, and the first call happens around 4am. Needless to say, sleep wasn't great! It's not all bad - the bedding / pillows are amazing. The bathroom is beautiful and the staff are nice. But I would say you can find better, cheaper riads around like those run by Moroccan families. In fact, we originally stayed in a different riad just around the corner which was a third of the price, more authentic, bigger and quiet (because the rooms are away from the streets).

We spent two nights here and thought it was nice enough. The staff were helpful and the location is central within the medina. Some highlights: - Breakfast: Served on the rooftop, with a simple but nice selection. They also serve breakfast until 2pm which is unique. Worth noting however that there isn’t any shading on the rooftop so if you’re going for a late breakfast, you’re going to be baking in the sun with your pastries. - Staff: Friendly, helpful and speak English well enough. They also arranged fairly priced transfers for us on request. Some lowlights: - Noise: the biggest lowlight for us was the noise at night and in the early morning from the streets below. You can hear everything going on downstairs, and one one morning there was a lot of clattering and banging; on the other morning there was a 30 minute call to prayer at 4.30am. In short, the rooms are not at all soundproofed. - Not quite like the pictures: the whole place is less glossy than the pictures would suggest. - Cleanliness and upkeep: the rooms and bathroom felt a bit tired, and didn’t feel fully clean.

Bone

This exceptional establishment is wonderfully located in the heart of Essaouira's medina. It offers both comfort and exquisite décor. The customer service is outstanding, and the breakfasts are equally superb. Discover it for yourself and you'll be captivated!

Five days of pure bliss. Everything was perfect: the riad's location in the heart of the medina, the spacious rooms decorated with exquisite taste and refinement, and impeccable hygiene. The staff were exceptional and incredibly attentive. A special mention for Hanane, the queen of breakfast. Thank you for your kindness and your tips for exploring the city.

Very comfortable riad. Ideally located in the medina near the Bab Marrakech gate. Attentive and friendly staff, generous and delicious breakfast. High-quality bedding. Highly recommended. Jérôme, Reunion Island.

This riad is truly special. Even as non-guests, we received a very warm welcome and were given a tour of the new riad. The design is incredibly well thought out and locally produced. Nothing stands in the way of a relaxing luxury stay here! You can absolutely trust the photos of the riad!