"RIAD MARRAKECH_DAR NAJAT" LOVES DESERT BLUES Duniya

MARRAKECH COOLEST RIADS
“A friendly, safe and very nice looking oasis in the heart of Marrakech old town”
We treated our selves to a long weekend and didn't want issues with our accommodation detracting in any way. A Morrocan friend suggested the Riad formula and eventually I plumped for Dar Najat ... on e-feeling really.
We were met, very punctually, late on Thu night by a minibus driver at the airport and within 20mins we were sipping mint tea as we were introduced to the crew at the Riad.
The whole place has been very pleasingly decorated and furnished with wrought iron, woollen pillows and lashings of dark wood giving it a bohemian cool. The staff exude the same!
The first day we were led by one of the staff to the Jamaa al Fna square (as it serves as the hub for all subsequent exploration of the medina or old town) down some lovely streets - but, after that, even I could have found my way back blindfolded in 5-10 minutes.
Our room ('Walida') was smallish but cozy with an ensuite shower/loo/washbasin that met our requirements. The only thing I would have changed was to put a second bedside light from the start, to avoid the inevitable marital strain. The airco unit was easy to use (in Feb its chilly at night).
The terrace on the top floor is fabulous - done out jungle style with bamboo matting and the steady tinkle of water into a little corner pool (i guess very useful in the hot summers). By 9.30-10am its warm enough in Feb to enjoy the fresh air and sounds of the old town (mainly people and the odd scooter, not cars) as you scoff down a freshly made breakfast.
As my wife had a bit of a fluey episode (caught off me in Belgium) we were delighted at the staff's flexibility and, indeed, the excellent and very reasonably priced internal cuisine of Dar Najat (I had not known there was any food in the offing beyond breakfast) which enabled us to snuggle up in the Riad without feeling sorry for ourselves.
On the last night the staff booked the restaurant Dar Essalam for us (and most Riads probably have arrangements with these quite large dining establishments). Despite my 'I'm not really a tourist' pretensions and initial scepticism I have to say that the 'eat till you rip open at the seams/belly dancing/trad music ticket' was actually an experience worth having. Be prepared for the shock (even after just 3 days) of paying almost as much as for a run of the mill meal in a bog standard european diner (ie 35 euro per head incuding wine) for such an extravaganza :-)
In short: great place, strategicaly located, attentive, friendly and certainly not overbearing staff, great long weekend (except for the flu)

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Thématique :Décoration | Tags :marrakech riad riads

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