We selected Riad Mur Akush for our stay in Marrakech because we were looking for one with a home feel, it had great reviews, and it was reasonably priced. Before we committed to it we had my friend, Fathi, visit in person while he was attending a conference in Marrakech.

We arrived in Marrakech early afternoon from Madrid on Sept 2nd. The riad arranged our transfer from the airport. After exiting the airport, it was a bit confusing to find our driver among all the other drivers holding signs. The 20-minute drive to the riad was pleasant and we encountered no traffic.

At the Riad we were greeted by Kate and Mustafa. Both are extra friendly and genuinely helpful. Mustafa brought us mint tea with Moroccan cookies, which was a nice touch, while Kate explained the process and what to expect. We then inspected the rooms and moved-in.

First night, We had dinner at the riad on the terrace. The three course meal was great. We had a selection of Moroccan salads, beef tajin with prunes and almonds, and chocolate moose for desert. The terrace is spacious and well furnished.

At dinner we met Mohamed who takes care of the riad. Mohamed has a great personality, very knowledgeable, and speaks good English. He has been at the riad since its inception, and helped renovate it. On our third day, Mohamed helped us organize a day trip to Ourika Valley, which we greatly enjoyed.

Breakfast was included in our room rate. Every morning we had a great selection of local pastries, fresh orange juice, jam, honey, eggs, tea and coffee.

The riad is strategically located within the Medina; it is close to most of the attractions. Kate gave us directions to most attractions, and the way she did it was a bit funny – everything was LLR (left, left, right) and LLL (left, left, left). The riad is clean, charming and has an authentic Moroccan home feel. The rooms are well appointed and look like the photos you see online. However, they are a bit dim and could use some additional lighting.

We booked this riad online and dealt with the owner, Maria. Throughout our interaction via email, she was very helpful and professional. When she discovered a mistake in the booking, she quickly corrected it and offered us complimentary services without us asking for compensation.