Riad dar Essalam

A very nice suite, but the staff was difficult to find when we needed help. We ordered an airport pickup through the hotel and were left waiting for almost an hour for an unprofessional driver in a dirty car. We called the riad multiple times asking what the issue was and were told "he's on the way" multiple times. After the mess with the airport transfer we were still charged the full amount! We also tried to call the reception desk a couple times during our stay, but no one ever answered.

We stayed at the riad essalam for 2 nights in may 2017. Overall, we were not impressed by the hotel. First, they welcome you with an information séance with is useful. That’s where the service ends. Often, there is no one at the reception. Maybe some one will be there between 9-10am to 5pm. Also, there is only one Stuart for all the guests. In the mornings at the breakfast, the Stuart did the setup with the cold breakfast. However, he does not comes often to check if the guests have arrived at the tables, resulting in no service , and most importantly, no drinks. We had to walk ourselves in the hotel and restaurent to tell the Stuart that we have arrived. Also, the rooms are small, except if you have the royal suite. In our room, the shower head was spraying water all over the place. Not the kind of shower head I has expecting from a 4 or 5 star hotel. Location is good, near the central place of the Medina. My recommendation would be to book with a near Riad, called Riad Annabelle. We had a 5 star service there, the rooms were sublime (even the small rooms are sublime), the welcoming cocktail was better with fresh bakery, and the food is home made by their staff. ( they have lots of staff, not just one Stuart) . Don’t get fooled by the nice pictures if you want service!

Great location if what you're coming to Marrakech for is to be in the hustle and bustle of the medina, and close to Jemma El Fna. deck outside our room and the rooftop deck provided great views of the medina and the Atlas Mountains. The riad staff was great and responsive to our needs and questions, both before our arrival and during our stays. Karima made arrangements for a driver to meet us at the airport. Our room, and the whole riad was clean and well-taken care of. Cookies and fruit, and bottled water were waiting for us in our room when we arrived. We had arranged for a three-day trip to the desert while there, and when weather threatened to cancel our trip, Karima was there to make sure we were taken care of, either with a room at the riad, or a different trip outside Marrakech. Fortunately, our trip was a "go." Dinner at the riad's restaurant is a must - good food and drink and a show. Only thing I would add is, it could use better lighting.

The staff at this riad were excellent. Friendly, helpful and multi-lingual. The breakfast was also good. But the hotel itself is a rennovated riad in a very old building on a far side of the medina. It is a far walk from any parking area. The room lighting is very dim, too dim to put on make-up for example. The stairs to the second floor rooms are narrow and slooping down, risk of falling if you slip. The rooms are narrow like all riads but this one does not have a beautiful center courtyard as most riads do so there is nothing to look at. The riad is mostly known for its tourist restaurant and floor show. Indeed, the food was very good. They seem to have a large group every night and are far more equipped as a restaurant than as a hotel. That said, the staff was excellent and the rooms comfortable enough.

When the hostess Karina found out that I prefer a gluten free diet she could not have been more helpful, the staff prepared a homemade gluten free flat bread which was served warm each morning..... delicious! They also gave us fresh fruit and my partner enjoyed the usual cakes and pastries