Riad Barroko

“ Laid back yet very helpful staff. No issues at all with this peaceful oasis - we enjoyed our stay.

“ Top Tip: It takes a while to pick up the 'vibe' of Marrakech - you will be targeted fairly aggressively by people trying to separate you and the contents of your wallet. Working out how to get these people to lose interest in you without getting annoyed took a couple of days - in the end, just a confident smile and "no thanks" was enough.

Do yourself a favour and arrange a transfer from the airport to the riad - you will struggle to find it on your own.

“ We loved Riad Barroka! On the whole, the staff were friendly and welcoming, and the rooms and communal spaces were beautiful. The food was lovely, but the cost of dinner rather pricey compared to other local restaurants. The only (minor) drawback was the rather hidden location, which felt dangerous and unsettling when arriving late at night, but proved a very short walk from the main hustle and bustle and only 10 mins from the main square. Highly recommended!

“ Top Tip: Make sure you get good directions for arrival as even taxis can't take you to the front door. Eat at the Riad one night of your trip, but be prepared to pay more for the convenience. Most staff don't speak English, so brush up on your French, as they are so friendly, a little goes a long way.

“ Read mixed reviews prior to arriving and have to say that the Riad was very clean and the staff very friendly and only problem was our inability to talk French to a good standard. Manager spoke english and was able to communicate when around and asked us to leave messages if we had queries/problems in his absence.

Pool welcome relief from the Medina and Souks and Riad as a whole a quiet haven to relax and escape to some air conditioning in the room. Would stay again if we return to Marrakesh and whilst short/sometimes dark alleyways to the Riad at no time did we feel unsafe. Supermarket c10 min walk through the local market and out through the wall, located under Riad Mogador - good for fruit etc. Used the taxi organised by the Hotel from and to the airport euro15 each way, you could get cheaper but this was fuss free and on time.

Used the taxi to visit Oauzarate and have to say that this trip is too far for 1 day, picked up at 7 am and got back 6 ish pm - scheduled for 8pm but we cut short the stop in the city. Took Supratours bus to Essaouria on the coast for 3 days - c3 hours away and worth a visit, totally different from Marrakesh.

If you are buying gifts go to the fixed price markets first to check out the prices because the souks start at least double and you generally end up paying more!!

“ Top Tip: Food mixed to say the least and a few upset tums, we did find a gem of a restaurant close to the Koutouba mosque called Portofino, air conditioned italian with stone baked pizzas plus fresh well presented salads. Also did a good peppered steak with fries and roasted vegetables.

“ If your looking for a more traditional feel to your holiday then Riad Barroko is perfect. The staff were very friendly, the breakfast was nice and included local crepe type pancakes every morning which our kids loved. The rooms are small and a little rough around the edges, but this just added to the charm for us. There was a larger than average plunge pool in the main courtyard with comfy seating areas all around and a good sized roof terrace so plenty of outside space to relax in. Would be suitable for families with older kids as some of the areas in the Riad could be dangerous if not careful especially the roof terrace area. We were greeted with a lovely glass of mint tea and traditional biscuits and a pick up and drop off to and from the airport can also be arranged which we found extremely helpful.