Riad Akka

We read at least one review that said they had been 'moved', so were not too pleased when this happened to us, in the way it did! We booked 6 nights as 2 then 4, with a trip to the mountains in between. We were 'advised' on the second day that we would be staying in a different Riad on our return for 4 nights. Not asked. Told, even if courteously. They'd never been there, so couldn't say if it was good or not. We looked it up, it seemed OK, if a long way from all the things we'd come to see, and why we'd booked Akka. We found out they had 'sold' our booking through a booking agent (prob. not for profit though) at least a month before we got there, with no advice to us at all, at any time! They said they'd 'double booked'. The relocation Riad was fine, with much bigger rooms and windows but too far away from most tourist areas. However, about Akka itself. Good brekkie, v. good location, friendly staff. But rooms are very small, with no space for wardrobe or drawers. It's life entirely from a suitcase, which has nowhere to sit without being in the way. And the rooms have no windows at all (a glass entry door though). We've stayed in many Riads, and this was easily the 'pokiest'. The room colour scheme is quite dark, making the rooms feel even more claustrophobic.

Nice is an understatement of this beautiful Riad. From the moment we arrived to the time we left we were made welcome and all the staff (of four) provided excellent service throughout. The Riad is in the bustling Medina but once you enter it is peaceful and quiet. Our air conditioned room was very tastefully decorated and spotlessly clean, as it was throughout our stay. Breakfast was taken on the roof terrace which was a change from the cold, wet weather we left behind. The breakfast itself was excellently cooked and well prepared. There was a slight change in the menu each day but any special requests were willingly met. We spent some time every day on the roof terrace sunbathing on the loungers and taking a cooling dip in the jacuzzi. As mentioned earlier all the staff gave excellent service but I must give a special mention to Mohammed who seemed to be always present and only too willing to help in any way.. We can thoroughly recommend this Riad to anyone going to Marrakech

We stayed in Riad Akka near the end of our trip and it turned out to be a very nice experience. Riad Akka is a small riad (about 5 rooms), off a narrow alley and no real sign except on the door. So you better know where you are going. In fact, finding it and then later finding our way around is a lot of fun. The hostess in the riad gave us a map, but that would be cheating. The location is great and walking through the narrow alleys and streets to the main square is part of the experience. It is only about a 10 minute walk to Jemaa El FNA and dodging the bikes and motorcycles make this walk a truly fun experience. Similar to many riads, as we entered the building, there was the reception area, and then a small pool, lounge, and dining area in a covered courtyard. The lady that greeted us at reception was extremely friendly and spent a lot of time getting us oriented to the riad and how to get around the local area. Also, her English was very good. Our room, Tazzarine, on the 2nd floor, was very modern, and offered all the in room amenities that we needed. ( heater, TV, Big soft towels, hair dryer, safe, coffee maker ) It had nice wall decorations and excellent lighting. In addition, there was a window in the room and enough glass in the room door to give us natural lighting. Best of all, the room was spotless. The first evening we ate our dinner in the courtyard on the riad's main floor and had a meal of chicken couscous. It was excellent and the service was great. In addition, Riad Akka offers wine and at a very reasonable price. Both of our breakfasts were served on tables in the lounge area just off the courtyard. Again the food and service were excellent. The downstairs lounge contained not only comfortable seating and a TV, but also a library and magazines in several languages. There was also a computer for guest use, but the keyboard was set to Arabic so the conversion took a little time. There was a nice rooftop terrace, but we were so busy that we never got a chance to use it. There were a few negatives such as the room was on the smaller side, and we had intermittent trouble with the WIFI. However, overall our experience was great. So if Marrakech is on your itinerary, give Riad Akka a try. You won't be disappointed.

Stayed for 4 nights at Riad Akka. It's a friendly, small place and the staff will help you in anyway they can. Airport transfer organised through the Riad is recommended. Our room was a good size, nice big bed, good shower and air-con. The breakfast was included, basic some days but enough for us.

Sitting here waiting for our taxi I can't help feeling sad to leave after only 3 days. The Riad itself is beautifully presented with a calm, stylish interior. Only 5 rooms means it's never crowded or busy but you don't feel hemmed in or pressured by the friendly, helpful, attentive staff. Breakfasts were lovely with special mention for the homemade yoghurt. The small room and curtain across the bathroom added to the comfortable charm for us & the decoration & attention to detail was wonderful. Really enjoyed our first ever hammam & sorry we didn't get to try the hot-tub on the roof terrace. When we come back to Marrakech this will be our first choice for lodgings. Even the walk to & from the taxi was a delightful step away from the norm

A traditional riad, within the narrow streets of the medina. Difficult to find at first, but you soon get to remember the 'easy when you know how' route. Riad is traditional and authentic, clean, comfortable and an excellent bolt hold location for the main sites in the old town and city. Although it is without the frills and facilities of the bigger hotels, its location and traditional feel more than makes up for this. With only 5 rooms, it did sometimes feel a little 'lonely' and without the hustle and bustle of bigger establishments, but for some, it's just that that attracts. We only ate once in the evening, with wine and although the meal was good, it was borderline good, and not the best we had eaten during our Marrakech break. Given its location, I'd recommend getting the riad to arrange your transfer from the airport or rail station - note cars cannot get any where near the riad, so you will have a 5 minute walk through the street to get to the door of the riad (it's flat and reasonably flat under feet)

Great small hotel. Very friendly, kind and attentive staff. Lovely home cooked food. Comfortable and tastefully decorated rooms. Calm, sunny roof terrace with service, hot tub and sun beds. What's not to like!!!!!!

Outstanding personal service from Kelmout and both Mohammeds... thank you for making our stay so special. We stayed in the smaller of the rooms, Amizmiz and once cases were emptied and stored away, found it perfectly adequate for our needs for a week; liking the fact we had a window out onto the street so we could hear the birds first thing in the morning. Good toiletries, kettle and tea bags, hairdryer, soft towels, safe in the room. Hearty breakfasts with variety over the week, although perhaps too many egg/ pancake type dishes? Half our breakfasts taken on the roof when the weather was warm enough. Enjoyed our on-site hammam and massage plus use of hot tub. The better eating places for us were the most local: Un Dejeuner (excellent with a modern twist) and Riad El Jama (the best traditional we had, good atmosphere even though we were the only ones there, good wine a bonus) plus Un Porte du Marrakech was good but a bit chaotic. All three in same area on main route into Jaama el fna. Plus in the opposite direction the Kozybar did a lovely light lunch (excellent salad starter as a main and calamari stuffed with beetroot). Our day trip out to Ourika valley organised by the Riad was good but as there is little information to read about it in the Riad, so check out the details in guides. It is a hearty walk / rock scramble up to the cascades; you need trainers and a head for heights.. the challenge suited us though and we hillwalk regularly. The only downside, not the fault of the Riad. is that for any accommodation in this area you need to cope with the awful pollution from the menacing scooters down the alleyways. Teenage bicyclists also thought it amusing to race round blind corners. However, Riad Akka is an oasis of calm and very relaxing. Thank you again.

We have just returned from a 4 day break to beautiful Marrakech, and staying in this small, friendly riad was the icing on the cake. Once we managed to find our way around, we realised that the riad is only 5-10 minutes walk from the Jemaa El Fna, so it is a very accessible part of the medina. It was also only a stone's throw from the Bahia Palace. Despite being central to the hustle and bustle of the old town, the riad is an oasis of calm and tranquillity. The staff were delightful and helpful, the room was stylish and comfortable and the breakfasts were fantastic (freshly squeezed orange juice, homemade yoghurt, freshly baked bread and pancakes, good strong coffee - all excellent). After a day excursion into the mountains, we had dinner at the riad, and it was the best meal we had and less expensive than the restaurants. We also made use of the roof terrace and its hot tub - lovely after a dusty day in the medina (and if you are in Marrakech at a hotter time of year, there's a cold plunge pool downstairs. Our room only had a curtain between the bathroom and the bedroom, which made for interesting sound effects! Otherwise I would have given Riad Akka a five star rating.