Marrakech

I have been to Marrakech twice. It is so different and quite exotic! You feel as though you have stepped back in time when you visit the markets and winding streets and hidden gardens. i was fortunate enough to stay at the La Mamounia Hotel which is well worth a visit (where Winston Churchill used to stay to paint!). Well worth having a "guide" to help you explore. The views towards the Atlas Mountains can be quite breathtaking.

Definitely on my wish list to return one day.

We loved our stay in Marrakesh - but I'd say it is not for everybody. There is a lot of poverty around, a lot of litter, and a lot of harassment of tourists, day in, day out. We stayed for 2 weeks, 1 week in a all-inclusive resort on the outskirts - very nice, but surrounded by wasteland and huts and sheds where young children looked after goats. Then one week in a small Ryad (Ryad Shalimar) near the centre. That was lovely, only 6 rooms- but with sharp climbing stairs (so no good if you have very bad knees) - the rooms on 1st floor were the nicest, with a typical morroccan recessed lounge area in the middle of the floor to read and rest, and a terrasse on top. Very reasonable too - and Youseff the young manager spoke very good English. Access is via some drjerb, typical narrow pedestrian streets, which can be a bit scary - take a torch! Lots of kids and old ladies sitting out in the evenings to cool down, crochet and natter.

We took trips to the desert and mountains, and the red bus around Marrakesh- and walked all around the souks, easy to get lost!

I went for a week with my daughter about four years ago. We stayed a couple of nights in a Rhyad in the Medina - owned by two British guys - very helpful and could give good advice about places - Rhyad Jonan - very near Les Bains de Marrakech - we went there for a hammam - need to book there as far in advance as possible.
We then moved to a nice hotel opposite the Palais de Congress - that was lovely too but we needed to take a taxi to go into town and they charge the tourist about three times the rate of the locals!!
We went to La Fondouk restaurant in the Medina - lovely food - the souk was a great place and we just walked through down the middle until seeing a place we wanted to look at. If they started to hassle us we just walked away and did not turn round.
In the winter months there is an open top bus tour which is well worth taking. If you stay in a hotel in the Palmery area most of them have a bus for taking guests into the town.
Next November we are all returning as my daughter is getting married again in a villa just outside the city.
There are a lot of animals about such as donkeys and horses as well as cats and dogs - just incase anyone suffers allergies it would not be the best place without the appropriate medication.
We thoroughly enjoyed our stay.

Thanks for these reports - we do like the idea of going there. We like interesting places and this would certainly be an experience. We are looking to go in Spring now as the diary is filling up a bit, so we have it all to look forward to. cheers I appreciate your input. :-)