Where to sleep and where to eat in Marrakech?
For my big return to Marrakech in January 2022, I booked at the Dar Charkia ryad, and I recommend it with my eyes closed. The staff is lovely, and the location is perfect, right in the center of the medina, about a 10-minute walk from Place des épices and 15 minutes from Djema El Fna square.
The Dar Charkia district is super nice. You will find shops, cafes, restaurants and massage parlors there. We are often drawn to go to the center of the souks (towards Place des Épices), but I also advise you to walk to the right when leaving the alleys of the riad. You will find lots of small shops, cafes and very good fruit juices in a parallel alley.
The patio at Dar Charkia is beautiful, with thoughtful decoration. When you wake up, you will hear the birds singing and the gentle sound of the small fountain. Breakfasts are generous and change every day. On the ground floor, you have a small pool to cool off and a roof terrace for sunbathing and relaxing.
We had a spacious room, and the bed was very comfortable. Nothing to say, because we had already stayed in other riads that same year, and this room was the largest. The name of the room was “Khmissa Superior Double Room”.
Where to eat lunch in the medina near the riad:
I recommend a good club sandwich at Café des Épices, on Place des Épices. You can eat there for less than €10. Another option: L'Mida, which is also near Place des Épices. The place is beautiful, and I love their gnocchi! (No alcohol)
Where to eat in the evening near the riad:
At Dar Charkia! We don't always think about it, but often, we eat best on site in the riads, because it is the women who cook as if they were at home. You can order in the morning what you would like: tajine, couscous, etc., and they will prepare it for you all day long. The atmosphere in the riad is calm, in a subdued light. If you want to drink good wine, order it in the morning and give them the name, otherwise you risk being disappointed.
For more atmosphere, you will find Café Arabe a 5-minute walk away, a place on several floors where you can eat more European food, but it is very good. Also perfect for an aperitif! Not far away, going up towards the Place des Épices, is the restaurant “La Terrasse des Épices”, where you can enjoy local or European dishes on a magnificent rooftop terrace with a musical atmosphere. Remember to book!
Finally, I recommend a friend's restaurant, “La Maison Reine”. It is open for lunch and dinner, offers an atmosphere that mixes oriental and Provencal, and the decoration is very pretty in shades of baby blue, with beautiful pottery from Tamegrout. You will eat on the roof terrace. The entrance is discreet, you have to know (no alcohol). The street is parallel to the riad.
Enjoy your stay in Marrakech!