4.0/5 OVERALL: Who would have thought you could stay at a former Jazz musician’s house in the heart of the Marrakech, Morocco medina? The Riad Star was once Jazz musician Josephine Baker’s holiday getaway and strikes the perfect balance between old world charm and modern luxury. The convenient location of this Riad and the super accommodating staff make it the ideal choice for anyone looking to have an unforgettable stay in Marrakech. Also don’t forget to check out a variety of Marrakech travel tips left by our community that range from Things To Do, Local Food, Nightlife, Adventure etc.
HOTEL REVIEW
4.0/5 LOCATION: The Riad Star is located in the heart of the medina and conveniently located near the Marrakech museum. You will quickly learn that the Marrakech medina is a complete labyrinth that may take some getting used to if you’re not familiar with this type of old city. When we arrived, we were greeted by the hotel staff at one of the medina entrances and escorted to the riad as cars are not allowed in the heart of the walled city. Upon getting to the hotel, we were given an in-depth overview of the hotel and a local phone to use throughout our stay and went over the map of the medina. In addition to the phone provided by the hotel, the riad also offers an amazing free app (https://apps.apple.com/au/app/marrakech-riad-travel-guide/id489129273) that was very helpful in navigating the maze of the medina. Be sure to download this app as soon as you arrive because it includes many helpful tips, restaurant recommendations, and attraction suggestions that are a bit less touristy than some of the attractions you may be more familiar with.
4.5/5 VIBE: From the outside, the riad is very unassuming…actually we missed it a few times because there are no clear markers outside. When the door opens however, you are transported into a beautiful, calming sea of ornate white hand carved walls. The vibe of this riad is extremely unique. As the former home of Josephine Baker, the owners have done a wonderful job of maintaining many of her artifacts such as old posters and costumes. As is common in the architecture of traditional riad’s, the Riad Star opens to a beautiful courtyard and soaking pool on the ground floor and the rooftop has ample lounging areas for sitting and enjoying your breakfast, a bottle of wine, or soaking in the Marrakech sun.
4.0/5 AMENITIES: It is not common for riad’s to have the same type of amenities as you would expect in a traditional hotel so don’t expect a gym but this riad is well appointed with everything you would need (and more). We had very strong wi-fi throughout the entire property and the riad had a very good breakfast each morning. While we did not take advantage of the on-site Hammam, there is a hammam right on the rooftop so you don’t need to go far to get your traditional Moroccan beauty treatments.
4/5 ROOMS: There are 13 rooms at the Riad Star, all with their own unique décor and charm. We stayed in the Chiquita Room during our two night stay. The Chiquita Room is located on the roof terrace near the outdoor lounge areas and Hammam and was well appointed with a comfortable queen bed, fireplace, and air conditioning.
3.5/5 FOOD AND LIBATIONS: The traditional Moroccan breakfast each morning was wonderful. The property also offers lunch and dinner as requested. If you’re having dinner, make sure you come with an appetite because the three course meal was extremely filling. The meal started with an assortment of Moroccan appetizers including an eggplant salad, apple salad, and Moroccan Briouats followed by a huge lamb tagine followed by a traditional pastry for dessert. While the property does not have a bar on site, they do offer interesting mocktails and a mini fridge in the room stocked with water and soft drinks.
4.0/5 AFFORDABILITY/ VALUE: Depending on when you go, you can find rates at the Riad Star for as low as ~$120/night for a double occupancy room. While there are a few properties in Marrakech that are less expensive, this riad offers a fantastic value for the price with its ideal location, wonderful included breakfast, free wi-fi and local phone offered free of charge to each guest. As you are planning your trip, be sure to check out tons of travel tips to Marrakech that was left by our active travel community.
