Last year we fell in love with Essaouira for the wildness of the Ocean, the lovely beach, the fishing port with its array of boats, the diversity and quality of its Restaurants, and its people. We had booked a Mini Suite - room 310 and upon arrival we were offered the choice of 310 and 303. We chose 310 because it is a more traditional Morrocan room on the top floor and on the corner of the building which gives a 270 degree panoramic view of the ocean from its 4 windows. Room 303 is on the side of the building and is more modern, with a 'wall of glass' looking out onto the ocean,giving a 180 degree panoramic view of the ocean and the town walls. Quite a lot of work, particularly on the Rooftop Terrace was being undertaken, so the photographs on the Web Site of this area are somewhat out of date. The Terrace is now surrounded by tall glass panels replacing the low blue wooden structures, and the floor is tiled in brown 'Italian style' tiles. The old tables and chairs have also been replaced by more modern ones, and 2 large fixed sun shades introduced. We would agree with a previous reviewer that this is more of a Hotel than a traditional Riad. Here, there are smartly dressed Hall Porters, a couple of people in Reception, several waiters in the Restaurant etc. The breakfasts are excellent although not varied during our 3 day stay, comprising the usual breads, cakes, jams, yoghurts, boiled eggs etc. Conversely, we would strongly disagree with another reviewer who mentioned 'the smell of the Riad leaves a lot to be desired'. This, with our experience of the Riad, is totally unfounded and untrue, and the 'ill-lit alleys' are part of the towns 'charm'. They are everywhere in Morroco.
On the first morning we took in the views of the town and ocean from the terrace. The Manager approached us and offered freshly grilled sardines with salad, and a drink. What a lovely welcome ! There are many Restaurants close by so we did not eat in the Riad at night. The Riad is not licenced so no alcohol is available, which is a pity because with its fantastic views of the ocean it could become a desirable dining experience. Overall, we would thoroughly recommend the Mimouna and will stay here next year when we return. Enjoy !!
This review is the subjective opinion of a TripAdvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC