We stayed at the Riad Bakara for 4 nights in early June 2010 for my mother's birthday. We had 2 rooms, Chatelains and Africa. The Riad has been very artfully designed by Geoffrey and Anouk, a young French couple who are really nice people. There is a fantastic attention to detail and the whole place is visually stunning.

The Riad is quite small with 4 rooms, but has a central courtyard with plunge pool, numerous cosy nooks, and a roof terrace. The decor is a sensory overload of all things Moroccan, beautiful lamps, wooden carvings, rose petals in the fountain... It is about 10 minutes walk to the square, but be warned, it can be a bit hectic at night at the weekend to walk there- twice we got stuck in a narrow street about 5 minutes away with hundreds of people trying to get through with donkeys, horses and moped also trying to squeeze through - this is a pickpockets dream so beware - and gentleman, guard your lady friends bottoms!

The rooms were really nice, although the beds were quite firm. The one thing I would say is that 2 of the rooms on the ground floor overlook the small courtyard, and the bathroom and bedroom windows are next to where people sit at night for dinner and for breakfast! If this might bother you go for the upstairs bedrooms. Also, there was no place to hang clothes.

Geoffrey and Anouk really make this place, along with the 2 Hassan's (daytime and nightime Hassan). They are a young couple who make sure their guests have a good time, nothing seems too much trouble for them. They organised a fantastic surprise birthday meal for my Mum (complete with cake) and they seemed genuinely excited about the whole thing! Also when one of us was unwell and had to visit a clinic, Hassan looked after us very well and stayed with us to make sure everyhting was OK.

Other random comments about this riad - there is free internet access, the plunge pool is small and cold but welcome after 47 degree heat, dinner is 20 Euro, beers are about 4 Euro. Go and enjoy!

My fiancé and I have just come back from spending 3 nights in Marrakech. I did a lot of research into riads and we opted for this one based on its great reviews, and it certainly lived up to them!

I booked the room (chatelains – downstairs) via email and we paid a deposit (one night) via credit card and settled the remaining bill in Dirhams on our last day. The room was fantastic – on the ground floor, great decoration and the shower was really powerful! The entire riad is beautiful, very traditional and really is an oasis amongst the hustle and bustle of Marrakech.

We arrived (booked an airport transfer through the riad – advisable unless you want to haggle at the airport) and were served mint tea and given a map and some information by Hassan, as Geoffrey and Anouk (owners) were unwell.

Hassan speaks limited English but we managed to get by with my A level French!

We were then shown around the riad – it’s really beautiful. All three bedrooms are lovely, and there are various seating areas you can use to unwind, along with a selection of DVDs. The terrace is great too – lots of loungers up there as well as a hammock. It was December so unfortunately we didn’t get too much use of that!

The riad is located an 8 minute walk from the main square and is situated in a quiet safe residential street. Taxi’s won’t pick you up from there (except the airport return) but it really is easy to walk to the square.

Breakfast was great – served by Hassan from 08:30 to 12:00 and consisted of yoghurt, fresh fruit, pastries, bread, tea or coffee and fresh orange juice. You can have it anywhere you like in the riad.

We also sampled one of Hassan’s famous tagines one night and it really was worth it, it was the best tagine of the trip! You can choose from chicken, lamb, beef or seafood and it comes with spiced courgettes and aubergines and a Moroccan salad. Definitely give it a go! Wine is also available in the riad (usually rosé) which is great if you’re after a glass or two as it’s not commonly available elsewhere in the city.

The staff play really nice chill-out music in the evening which is great to unwind to. There is also free Internet access which is handy.

We had a great time, and the great staff at the riad were a big part of it! Book Riad Bakara, it really is amazing.

A few other tips on Marrakech:

-be prepared to haggle at the Souks – you can knock them down by 75%, trust me!
-Go for a traditional Hamman and massage, it’s great! The riad recommend Isis which is nearby but I heard from a lot of people that it wasn’t great. Go to Les Bains De Marrakech instead – you’ll pay more but it’s worth it. We were in there for 3 hours and were floating afterwards.
-Go with an open mind. Marrakech is an amazing city! Be prepared to be hassled a lot in the main square, but a firm NO does the trick!

My husband and I have stayed there for 8 nights in September 2009. The Riad is very close to the big square (10 minutes walk) and very easy to find. For us it was like a wonderful oasis in the middle of the Marraketch madness. The staff was excellent (the two Hassans and the nice lady who tided up our rooms) and the owners, Anouk and Geoffrey, super nice, helpful, energetic. We got the measure of Geoffrey's professionalism the minute we wrote to him to ask about availabilities. He replied promptly and in a very nice manner. His and Anouk's English is good, witch was helpful since we don't speak French. The two Hassans speak very good French and a bit of English too, and they were very nice, helpful and professional. The breakfast was served every morning in the garden, in front of our room, and consisted of Moroccan pancakes, yogurt, tea, bread and butter, fresh orange juice. The room was clean, very comfortable, with air conditioning, and like the rest of the Riad, it was beautifully decorated. There was also a small plunge pool that kept us cool after a day out in the heat. In the evenings the Riad was lit up by candle light and all the garden lights that shown through the lovely plants. I especially liked the fountain in the middle of the garden, witch Hassan "du Jour" filled with rosebuds. I really recommend this Riad to anyone who wishes to enjoy a true Morrocan experience with all the modern perks.

I'm an American who stayed at Riad Bakara with an American friend for 5 nights in July 2009. We planned to stay for 3 nights but decided to stay for 5 because we were so happy there! The riad is beautifully decorated with an amazing rooftop, pretty lounge nooks, and very tasteful rooms. It's all newly decorated and very clean. The French owner, Geoffery, is a young and very kind guy who re-did the riad in 2006. He's helpful and available and able to offer great suggestions for restaurants and other tourist requests. The Moroccan staff, both named Hassam, are attentive, helpful, and truly amazing cooks. They prepared dinner for us on the roof of the riad one night, and it was the best meal we had in Marrakech. Also, when I was feeling unwell due to the heat, the Hassam ran our to get me food and drink and took very attentive care of me. The riad is a 5-10 minute walk from the main square and the souqs, and it was an incredibly convenient and safe location. It is a fun place for friends or a family, but also romantic enough for a couple. I highly suggest this riad! The rooms are air-conditioned, which was necessary as we were there during a heatwave, but we still slept very comfortably at night.