The Best Family Hotels In Marrakech
Marrakech is famous for its beautiful traditional riads. These tend to be hosted guesthouses with only 4-6 bedrooms with lots of lovely living spaces, courtyards and roof terraces. Set within the heart of the Medina (Marrakech's old town), they offer a secluded respite from the sounds, smells and mania of the souks. Many are owner operated, few have swimming pools, but without doubt they are the best base for exploring the souks and sights of Marrakech. Why? It is all about the location. The sights, sounds and smells of the souks can be a lot to take in, and for families it just works so much better being able to pop into the souks for a couple of hours before retreating to the peace and serenity of your riad as needed. Another hidden benefit of riads is that with all the living spaces, you can put the kids to bed and then relax with a book or a drink in a comfortable lounge area just outside their room. View all of our Morocco Family Holidays
Riads with Family Rooms That Sleep 4 or More
Unfortunately, very few riads have family rooms. Two of the best that do are Riad Dar Hanane, whose Grande Suite comfortably sleeps a young family of 4 or 5 and Riad Dar Housnia whose Douira Suite has two bedrooms and sleeps 4. We often also use Riad Jona when those two aren't available and for an upgrade, El Fenn has superb two bedroom rooms. Although be warned, El Fenn is one of Marrakech's most exclusive riads and not all families will enjoy the rather grown up atmosphere.
Family Friendly Riads with Swimming Pools
Plunge pools and small swimming pools are increasingly common in Marrakech's riads. It is worth noting that these are only really useful from May to September as they tend to be in the shade and not warm enough in spring and autumn. Riad Dar Housnia is lovely choice with its two bedroom douira suite and a refreshing small swimming pool. Riad Up is an excellent affordable mid range option with a small swimming pool. Riad El Arsat is a larger riad which in truth feels a little more like a small hotel, but does benefit from an unusually large garden and swimming pool. The luxurious and uber stylish El Fenn has a good sized pool and some of the family suites have private pools
Riads For Exclusive Rental
It is wonderful to have the run of a riad for your family, you don't need to worry about noise and you still have the staff to take care of breakfast and give you plenty of tips on what to do and where to eat. Riad Tzarra is a lovely 4 bedroom riad we often use for exclusive riad rental.
Larger Hotels in Walking Distance of The Medina
Although not strictly riads, these hotels all have a strong sense of place and are within walking distance of the Medina. La Maison Arabe has a reputation as one of Marrakech's best hotels and deservedly so.
Family-Friendly Resorts in Marrakech
There are plenty of lovely resorts with larger pools and extensive facilities in the broader Marrakech area, but with the exception of the Four Seasons, these are all at least 15 minutes taxi drive from the old town. They are perfect bases for relaxation by the pool and taking advantage of Marrakech's hot and sunny climate, but in our opinion are less useful as a base for exploring the souks. The barrier of havig to get a taxi in, just sets you up on the back foot for a day exploring the souks, you have to deal with negotiating a rate with the drivers and end up feeling like you need to stay out all day. We just find it a more stressful and less successful way to take on the souks.
We often end up booking two centre trips for our clients who are families, with 2-3 nigths in a traditional riad in the old town and then a stay in a relaxing resort hotel with all the pools and facilities to keep the kids happy. That way you get the best of both world.
Whilst other resorts come and go, Les Deux Tours has consistently been one of the best options in the Marrakech countryside with beautiful gardens and large pools. Jnane Tamsna offers a similar proposition with the added benefit of a tennis court. The Royal Palm is one of the best larger family friendly resorts in Marrakech and has always had fantastic feedback from our family clients. For families on a budget, Villa 55 is an excellent mid range option.
Tourdust is a boutique tour operator specialising in luxury and adventure family travel for families of all ages. Our team have all travelled to Marrakech with their own children aged from 1 to 18 and everything in between. So whether you are travelling with young toddlers, teenagers or the whole family with multiple generations of babies, toddlers, teenagers, parents and grandparents, get in touch to start building your Morocco family adventure.
