Riad Enija was one of the highlights of our trip to Marrakech, a city we loved and can't wait to return to again soon.

We had actually booked at another really nice Riad, Riad Azzar (slightly more in our typical price range), but they were full for our first night so suggested a number of other riads for us to stay in, one of which was Enija. When we checked out the website I recognised it from my many internet searches when dreaming about visiting Marrakech in years previous. The pictures looked exotic and dreamy, very Moroccan, and we decided to splurge out and go for it. Kindly, Maryk at Riad Azzar organised it all for us which made things easier still. And we were thrilled that we stayed there that one night as it surpassed expectation and was definitely worth every single euro.

My only slight concern prior to going was due to the few negative reviews on this site which, having been there now seem totally unfair and unrealistic and it is a real shame that they bring down the overall scores of satisfaction and rating of Enija.

Our experience was 100% positive and we found everything at the Riad outstanding. In fact it was like we had entered into a magical world, a bit like stepping into Narnia or the secret garden... After the hustle and bustle of the square and the little alleyways filled with people, mopeds etc it was such a contrast to enter through the door of Enija to the most amazing tropical style garden paradise, a fountain, turtles wandering lazily by, birds chirping high in the trees and roses and rose petals seemingly everywhere. We sat and had mint tea and Moroccan biscuits at a table in the midst of the garden without another person in sight. Then we were shown around the riad and shown to our suite, The Lion Suite, with a huge carved lion style bed, an amazing decorative ceiling, our own private mosaic patio and breakfast/lunch/dinner table, plus a huge separate bathroom with sunken shower and a lovely bath overlooking the garden... We had a whole wing of the riad to ourselves and felt entirely private - all we could see was the garden, all we could hear was the fountain, the birds and the call to mosque when it came around. There were certainly other people staying there but we hardly ever saw or heard them. Magic.

The Moroccan lady who is in charge of the staff at Enija was a dream. So efficient, lovely and friendly but very discreet and unobtrusive. And we felt like she was our own private assistant the way she catered to our needs. She brought us the most amazing tasting yet simple lunch of pasta and salad with moroccan bread and then later in the evening we had dinner there too at our private patio table looking onto the garden - probably the best meal we had in Marrakech made so special with all the touches... White linen tablecloth and napkins, rose petals scattered on the table, the patio lit by lanterns and colourful candles... And food to die for, simple yet so flavoursome and cooked with real skill - fresh warm Moroccan bread, carrot soup, goats cheese, honey and lettuce salad, chicken and vegetable tajines, all served with Morrocan wine, sparkling water and followed by dessert and coffee. It was so romantic and such a special, special meal the way it was done.

Breakfast was also a treat and our private table was laid out for us when we got up. Breakfast could be taken whenever you wanted - the staff took note when you got up and then came and asked you if you were ready... None of this forcing you to get up and eat by a certain time, leisurely and enjoyable.

In fact, Riad Enija was so enjoyable, such a relaxing and special place that the only risk was not wanting to leave the serenity and venture outside. But it was the perfect contrast to the different kind of magic that was the market, the souks and the everyday life of Marrakech. We were disappointed to leave after only one night and go to other riad (although I should add it was lovely), but we hope to treat ourselves and come back to Enija again as it was something in a class of its own.

I would ignore the negative comments those few people have made about this lovely place because we could not fault the beauty and authenticity of the riad, nor could we fault in any way the service, the food and the experience. It was absolutely first class and one of the best travel experiences I have ever had.

What a place. Forget everything you have learned about hotels and travelling in the past, and just get back to the idea of travelling when it all started: Enjoying the hospitality of your temporary hosts, joining their lifestyle and being in their homes for a while, and then just add a class, that goes far beyond any i have experienced til now. this was the third time i have stayed at the riad, and it has changed me, my idea of tranquility, my perception of beauty.
owning and running hotels myself, it is easy to see that they have achieved what we are all looking for in the industry: they touch their guests deeply, not as customers, but as human beings.

Any complaint? yes! irrelevant, but: take credit cards.

Stepping off the plane, the smiling face of Riad Enija's driver was there to greet us...we knew we where going to have an unforgettable time as we were whisked off to the Riad. Walking down an un assuming alley way, there was no way we could conceive, the tranquil beauty of the Riad we would be calling home for the next week.
The riad was dreamy, as soon as you are through the doors, the aromatic smells of burning insence are coupled with the humming sounds of the birds nesting in the jungle of trees elegantly swamping one of the three courtyards. The atmosphere bustles with a group of staff attending to your every need with endless smiles and sympathy. Warmth and kindness permeates throughout the Riad and when one meets the gorgeous family responsible for this wonderful home, it becomes obvious why everyone working there do so with such pleasure and enthusiasm.
Such great attention to detail, everywhere you look there is an exquisite piece of art, everyday fresh flowers and every evening candles lit and your room prepared as if by magic. We celebrated a birthday whilst there and no request was too much for the Riad's family-they even prepared dinner on the roof top, accompanied by traditional musicians. They are responsible for one of the most memorable nights of our lives.
Each morning, the finest breakfasts were prepared whether it be at 7 a.m. or midday-there was never any rush which created such a harmonious atmosphere before venturing out into the souks for a hard days bargaining! The Chef (Aziz) created edible masterpieces that always surprised, whether it be pancakes for breakfast or melt in your mouth beef with quince and sesame seed-it was a treat enough to eat his food.
As a family, we have travelled far and wide, but never have we come across such hospitality and a place we could not fault. Riad Enija and its family are a dream within reality.

Me and my husband stayed at the Riad for two days and the bad experience which we had will remain the highlight of our Moroccon trip for a long time. If one is booking an "expensive" hotel in a country which doesnot speak your language, the least one would expect is that the hotel staff, manager would be cooperative and not try to rip you off money but this is not the case with riad enija. Its beautifully done but thats where it stops, the place is all faaf and lacks substance.Few instances: 1. we asked the hotel about the places one can visit in Morocco and we wre completely misguided by one of the staff members, who we later realised was forwarding us information without even understanding our language being English. What i cannot understad is that if the hotel is targeting international clients and charging a huge amount, why cannot they keep people who can understand and speak Englsih or is this place only meant for tourist who can converse in Arabic or French??????
2.We being vegetarians, asked the manager to book us an evening at Chez Ali, which we found out over the internet, is a great place to eat ,serving five course meal with Moroccon entertainment.We categorically asked the manager to inform them that we are vegetarians and asked him to enquire with the Chez Ali people if they could manage a 5 course meal in vegetarian.Its only later that we found out that they didnot have much of vegetarian food there and instead of 5 course we were given two course but were made to pay for all the five course which came out to be MAD 900.we were not informed about this by the manager and once you do not speak a common language, it really doesnot make things easy.
3.The night before we were to leave, we requested the hotel staff for an early breakfast as we had an early flight next day. they very nicely conceded to the request but the next day when we reached the dining room for breakfast, there was nobody to serve us. There was only one person, who didnot understand our language and when we asked for a cup of tea , he didnot even understand that and simply refused.Its only when we were about to leave for the airport, the kitchen staff came in (15-20minutes late) and started to prepare the breakfast, We were getting late so we just left. Ofcourse our last night request was not taken seriously.
3.There is nobody to see you out.The riad is not interested how people manage with theire luggage. Incidently, on our way out we met a hotel staff member who saw us carrying our luggage and asked us that we should let the potter take it. Our question - was there a potter? if there was one, i.e. the only person who was available at the riad, had ofcourse not come forward to take the luggage and didnot understand a word of what we said, though when he saw us taking the luggage, he did open the main door for our exit.
4. By the way, the Riad has too many cats loafing around for ones liking. We even saw cats up on the dinning table, sniffing and .... the dishes................
RIAD ENIJA IS A COMPLETE NOOOOO!!!!!