"Overall Experience
We chose this hotel because it had a high rating and a good standard, but at a slightly lower price. We expected there to be some compromises, and that is exactly what we experienced. Overall, our stay was a mixed bag. This is a busy, enthusiastic, and often noisy hotel. It is fantastic for some, but it is not a relaxed or quiet space.
Arrival, Reception, and Shops
Check-in was very personable. The staff bring you drinks and encourage you to sit down and relax. Reception staff were very friendly and helpful throughout our entire stay, except when it came to issues with the towels. They gladly helped us book taxis, arranged the free shuttle bus, and answered general questions.
The hotel shops are well-stocked and feature great examples of local crafts. The prices are fair and not overpriced compared to the artisan market in Marrakech. You might be able to get items cheaper if you haggle in the souks, but the shops on-site are a good option.
The Pool Towel System
To get a pool towel, you must pay a 100 dirham deposit per towel. This gets you a card, which you exchange at the towel hut on the grounds. You can exchange used towels for fresh ones anytime during the hut's opening hours. At the end of your stay, you must swap the towel for the card, and then return the card to reception to get your cash back.
This system has flaws. The towel hut has limited opening hours, meaning if you arrive before or after it is open, you cannot get a towel. We also had to return our towels the day before we left, essentially losing two hours in the pool on our last day. Furthermore, we had two towels stolen from around the pool while we were swimming, even though we clearly had our belongings on top of them. The hotel does not consider this their responsibility, so we lost our deposit money. Be very mindful if you use your towel to hold your sunbed during meals, as towels do get taken.
Pools and Sunbeds
The pools are gorgeous. We mostly used the main pool, which was clean and clear throughout our stay. It felt cool at first, but it was very pleasant for escaping the heat. The pool is built on a gradient, which allows swimmers of all ages, heights, and abilities to find a comfortable depth. It also has easily accessible stairs and handrails.
There is an adults-only pool which is quieter and calmer. The children's splash pool features a slide and a giant water bucket, which is a fun way for kids to cool down. However, half of the splash pool was not working during our stay.
Sunbeds are plentiful across all the pools. We woke up early before breakfast (largely due to poor sleep) and spent time relaxing on the beds. Even on days when we went out on excursions, we never struggled to find a sunbed when we returned.
Daytime Activities, Kids Club, and Evening Entertainment
There is daytime entertainment around the pool, including water polo, aqua aerobics, music, and dancing.
The kids' play area is surrounded by shady trees, so children can use it even on the hottest days. It is part of a come-and-go kids' club where children can interact with the staff as they please. The club offers table football, arts and crafts, and real tortoises. However, the children's disco takes place at 4:00 or 4:30 PM on certain days. This did not make sense to us, as it meant the children had to leave the pool early, and it left them with no entertainment options in the evening.
The main evening entertainment takes place on the upper level and is only accessible by a large staircase. It starts at 9:00 or 9:30 PM every night, lasts for about two hours, and has a different theme each night. It is extremely loud. If you request a pool-view room, be aware that you will be directly opposite this noise. We did not attend the entertainment because it was too late for the children, and it was simply too loud for the adults who stayed up to enjoy.
Bars, Drinks, and Table Service
Throughout the hotel, including at meal times, the pool, and the bars, there is little to no table service. We occasionally saw a small number of specific guests receiving table service, but it was not consistent or available to anyone else. We did not receive table service at any point.
The bar by the restaurant is fine, and it is the only bar available all day. The indoor bar area has no air conditioning. There is also a pool bar open during pool hours, and an event bar open from 9:30 PM to 11:30 PM during the evening shows. The bars are generally understaffed, usually with only one staff member working. In the evenings, this resulted in long waits.
Drinks consisted of what you would expect: local spirits, tea, coffee, and soft drinks. The pool bar serves fizzy drinks, water, and hot drinks, though the hot drink machine was inconsistent. The staff will make basic cocktails or provide spirits for you to mix with the fizzy drinks from the machine. There was a flat fruit juice dispenser, but it only worked for half a day on our first day. There are no other flat soft drinks available at the pool bar.
Food, Dining, and Allergies
For guests without allergies or dietary restrictions, it is easy to find a good range of options, and the food is well-made and tasty.
Breakfast included local and international hot foods, eggs, vegetables, and a cold section with pastries, fruit, cereals, cheeses, and meats. There was a self-serve bread station with crusty rolls, loaves, and baguettes available at every meal. The omelette station is fantastic, and the omelettes are fresh and worth the wait. The fresh pancakes were also especially good with the local amlou. There is only a single, rotating toaster oven for the entire breakfast service. It is kept on a low setting, meaning you have to put a slice of bread through 4 to 6 times to toast it, which creates a queue.
Lunch offered two options: the buffet or a snack van next to the pool. The buffet featured soup, local and international options, freshly cooked meat to order, various potatoes and vegetables, and extensive salads. Dinner was similar to lunch but offered more complex salads and different main meals. Both meals had a good selection of desserts, including ice cream, fruit, pastries, and cakes.
The snack van served basic burgers and chips at lunchtime, and waffles and pancakes in the afternoon. There are no alternative options here. The food was tasty, and they provided a good range of both sweet and savoury sauces.
The restaurant only serves hot drinks, water, and fruit juice at breakfast. At lunch and dinner, you can only get fizzy drinks, beer, wine, and water. There are no fruit juices or hot drinks during these later meals, though each night features a specialty local drink, such as mint tea. All drinks are self-service. Getting a beer at lunch and dinner was extremely difficult. The tap was technically working, but it poured pure froth most of the time. We had three former bar and pub workers in our group, and even we struggled with it every day.
We travelled with two vegetarians and one child with a dairy allergy. Managing food was extremely difficult and potentially dangerous. Mislabelling was a major issue at all meals—we even found seafood in items marked as vegan. Please be vigilant and question the staff about ingredients. At breakfast, despite being promised alternative milks, none were available. Thankfully, we brought our own. We also brought our own pre-packed sweet waffles from home to ensure our child had safe snacks at the pool.
Water Stations and Hydration
There is no bottled water available anywhere on the property. Instead, there are water machines located regularly throughout the hotel corridors, and there are water fountains in various areas. In your room, you are provided with a glass decanter and two glasses to fill at the stations. This is a great initiative to reduce plastic waste. However, this makes bringing your own refillable drinking bottles an absolute necessity, and you must bring your own cleaning equipment (a sponge and washing-up liquid) from home to wash them.
Rooms and Comfort
The rooms are a mixed bag. They are beautiful, well-appointed, feature lovely local design elements, and are exceptionally clean. We were very impressed with the housekeeping staff. However, the rooms are quite worn. It was disappointing to see multiple cracks, dents, and missing tiles that had simply been patched or painted over instead of properly fixed. The handles on our wardrobe and window shutters regularly fell off because they had shorn off their bases.
The worst part of the stay was the beds. We use a firm mattress at home, but these were solid and lumpy, with rigid edges and a severe dip in the middle that caused you to roll to the center no matter what. Our entire party struggled with comfort and poor sleep, and we all ended up in pain by the end of the week. One evening, our bed actually collapsed. When we moved the mattress, we found that all the wooden slats had been installed upside down, which may have contributed to the severe dip. If the hotel changes one thing, they need to update the beds.
Grounds and Staff
The staff throughout the hotel were wonderful. They were always lovely, pleasant to talk to, said hello, and offered support. It created a really lovely atmosphere.
The hotel grounds are beautiful, featuring well-kept gardens and a lovely pond with terrapins and fish. There are peacocks, tortoises, and cats roaming around the grounds, but they never bothered the guests.
Key Tips for Future Guests
* The beds are an issue: If you have any back pain or struggle with sleep, seriously consider this before booking.
* Bring reusable bottles and cleaning supplies: Water bottles, a sponge, and washing-up liquid are an absolute must for every guest due to the water fountain system.
* Take your own pool towels: Save yourself the deposit fee and the hassle of the towel hut opening hours.
* Be careful with allergies: Mislabelling is common. Be aware of your dietary requirements and do not rely strictly on the buffet signs.
* Expect a lively environment: This is a busy, enthusiastic, and often noisy hotel."
