Where to Stay in Marrakech With a Family

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Deciding where to stay in Marrakech with a family comes down to one big choice: a riad inside the medina or a resort just outside the walls. We have done both, and here is how we think about it, plus the exact riad we loved.

Marrakech Medina

If you are wondering Where to stay in Marrakech…In the heart of the Medina of course!!!  What is the Medina?  That is probably a good place to start…The Medina is the old city that is surrounded by fortress walls that protected the occupants at a time when protection was needed.  Now the walls simply separate the old part of the city from the new part of the city.  The medina is the lifeblood of the Marrakech.  It is where the locals that live outside of the walls come to shop or hang out on evenings and weekends. It is where the souks are located (souks are all of the shops selling everything from leather goods and clothes to chicken parts and olives).  It is also where you will find the famous Jamaa el Fna square, known for its nightly gathering of entertainers (snake charmers, henna tattoo artists, etc.) and the best place for people watching!  The medina is also home to many palaces, mosques, gardens, etc.

The medina is the most centralized location if you are looking to walk to most sights, restaurants, shops, etc.  It is also a more authentic experience rather than staying at an inclusive resort outside of the city.  For us, there was no question, the medina is where we needed to be. With young kids it is also nice to be able to walk everywhere with a stroller rather than trying to hail a taxi that can carry more than three occupants or depend on anyone other than ourselves when we are hungry and just want to grab a bite to eat.  I also try to opt for the most authentic experience when possible so that the kids can see what life is really like for the locals when we are traveling.

View over the rooftops in the Medina from our AirBnB terrace

We opted to stay in a private riad. What is a riad you ask?  A riad is one of the main types of traditional housing found in Morocco.  It is typically two or more stories with an open-air courtyard in the middle, sometimes containing a fountain, gardens or even a pool.  There are some incredibly restored riads all throughout Morocco.  This is a very spacious way to spend you nights as they are often 3 or more bedrooms and often have a terrace.  In my opinion, much nicer than sharing a hotel room with two beds and a pack-n-play crammed in there.

Our beautiful riad was perfectly located in the medina and beautifully restored by the owners. You can find a a link to book our riad on Airbnb.  It had a private pool (win for the kids!) and you had to climb a couple steps up to get into it so we didn’t have to worry about our toddler accidentally falling in (win for mom and dad!).  We knew we were going to be there during a very hot month, so the pool was almost non-negotiable.  Did I mention this riad came with a pet/guard turtle!? Cause it does and the kids were thrilled!

Our riad also came with a personal assistant of sorts (I am not sure of the official title) but her name is Jihane (Gee-han) and she is THE BEST!  Honestly, she made our experience everything it was!

She is not only nice and fun but so willing to help make your stay comfortable and easy.  She was happy to make all of our reservations at restaurants, run around to try to find a cereal our picky toddler would eat, and she was a friend to shop in the souks with!  She had a wonderful gal come and make us breakfast every morning (included in your stay), and for a nominal fee we also had dinner cooked for us at the riad our first night in so we could take it easy after three flights to get there!

Since our stay Jihane has renovated and operates a riad that she owns.  She took me by the location while we were there and it is not far from the riad we stayed and also in a great location!  You can check out the listing and photos for her riad on Airbnb.  It has fabulous reviews!! We haven’t stayed there yet but intend to on our next visit.  If you are wondering where to stay in Marrkech, look no further.  If you stay with Jihane, you are in great hands!

Everything within the medina was walkable from our riad.  If you have small kids, the stroller is VERY helpful as little legs get tired.

The owners of this riad have wonderful communication skills and were so helpful prior to our arrival.  They also connected us with a driver who picked us up from the airport. His name is Aziz and he has a beautiful, comfortable, air conditioned van. He is young, nice and speaks four languages which is great for tourists.  He gave us his number and we were able to text him whenever we wanted to reserve his driving services to go to places in the new side of town.  He also does day trips from Marrakech into the Atlas Mountains.  We can’t recommend him enough!  If you are traveling to Marrakech and want his contact information, please visit out Marrakech Tips & Essentials page.

There are many options both inside and outside of the medina to plan your stay.  But I cannot speak highly enough about experiencing life in the medina, like a local.  It is the only place you will live and breathe the bustle of the souks: children running around and playing at crazy hours of the night (by our standards at least), cats roaming around everywhere and constant scooter/donkey traffic jams where literally no one gets angry or has road rage.  It sounds like chaos, and maybe it is a bit, but the children were always safe, we always felt 100% safe, and all of the people on scooters are so mindful of everyone that you don’t feel like your three year old is going to get run over.  WIN!

A few family positives of our riad for those traveling with kids…
• There is a washer, yay!
• There are at least two bedrooms on the same floor so if you have young ones they can be on the same floor as you.
• The owners were happy to provide a pack-n-play free of charge for our toddler.
• The railing on the second floor was secure and our toddler could not fit through it.
• There is a bathtub if you need one.
• It is really quiet inside the riad even though you are close to a busy alleyway
• There are lots of local kids that live on this street and they are happy to say Bonjour and stare at you with a smile every time you walk by!

The only con…the stairs in Morocco are often twisty, uneven, and/or steep.  Almost all riads have stairs and you will want to decide if that is a problem if you have small children.  Our youngest child was mostly a good listener and we only let her go up or down the stairs with our assistance. We had no issues.

It was sad to say goodbye…

Choosing Where to Stay in Marrakech With a Family

Whatever you pick, base your stay around your days. If your plans lean toward things to do in Marrakech with kids, a medina riad keeps you close to the action. Pair it with our picks for the best places to eat in Marrakech with kids, and see the rest of our Marrakech with kids guide to tie the whole trip together.