Just got back from a trip to Spain during which we visited Tangier. We had a guide meet us at the port and drive us to the Riad which was very close. It might be hard to find on your won but once we saw where it was I knew how to get to it.

The check in and check out processes were extremely quick and painless. The staff are wonderful (a young man who runs the riad and a girl who I assume cleans, serves in the restaurant etc). The riad has 5 rooms (all of which we saw) and I think I preferred our choice the best. It's the one with windows that face the market.

Anyway there are definitely updates that need to be done but it's not a large high end hotel so all those things did not bother me. I was more surprised by how clean and pleasant it was. Towels, robes, sheets were all spotless and snow white. Carpets were cleaned and everything felt like it was very well taken care of. We had a large plasma tv in our room (twice the size of the one we had in Spain) with lots of satellite channels.

We did not eat dinner at the riad because we had a really large and late lunch. Dinner is something they could possibly work on. The menu is in French and we don't speak a word. Also it's really expensive (25 euros is the cheapest, 45 is the most expensive) but the riad only has 5 rooms- if they had a simple menu we would have definitely grabbed something to eat. All we really wanted was something to share and some tea. We also didn't realize that breakfast was included and where about to leave when we found out. Did not get a chance to eat all of it but it was wonderful. And soo much.

This was just a really pleasant stay, exactly what we wanted from Tangier- to experience Morocco and I think this riad did that for us.

We had problems driving to this hotel, and asked several people how to get there, unfortunately most could not direct us. We finally paid someone to guide us. Access to the hotel is poor, being up numerous steps and then through an alleyway. No good for anyone with mobility issues! The hotel is small, but the rooms are reasonable size. The decor is in need of a face lift! We found that the wastepaper bin in the bathroom had been stratigically placed to catch water leaking from the wash basin. Unfortunately we had moved the bin prior to washing our hands! We did not eat dinner in the hotel, but the dining room was quite impressive. Breakfast was excellent, and all the three staff we encountered were helpful and friendly. On balance - not a perfect stay!

This was our first night in Morocco and I must say Tangier is not really somewhere I would recommend to go to. That said the Riad Tanja was very nice and the service was really good with one man looking after us very well, including mint tea on arrival and taking us down to a taxi and flagging one down for us. The room was very comfortable and the shower/bathroom very good.
One thing about the room that was not so great was the smell, it was obvious people had been smoking in the room, which didn't smell too great, there was also a horrible smell (not the fish smell described before) on an evening. In some areas there was a bit of a damp problem.
The resturant was very good as well with lots and lots of food and a man playing music non stop in the corner. However it was fairly pricey, probably more than we would usually pay, but we were keen not to get lost in the medina again.

If you arrive with the ferry from Tarifa, it's a short walk from the port and easy to find (signposted). The rooms were spacey and airy, well furnished and typical Moroccan style. Breakfast was a mix of European and Moroccan style, and there was plenty. At the same time, there was no room for choice or variety.

Checking in and and out took more than 30 minutes, and involved a lot of talking. Also, during our stay, the staff were very keen on getting to know us and sharing their life stories, which sometimes felt a but overwhelming, especially when we were in a rush to get to the ferry.

Otherwise, as per the previously posted complaints about the fish market, it did not bother us at all. Actually the view over the local market is enjoyable.