Riad Cinnamon by Marrakech Riad

Choosing to stay in a raid over a hotel during your Marrakesh trip is choosing to stay in an, often, renovated historical family home or merchant’s house. You will find your accommodation far more aesthetically authentic; they often feature a dipping pool within an open-topped central courtyard, hand-made furniture throughout, and a roof terrace adorned with sun-loving plants. Riad Cinnamon is this and much more. From the moment I booked to our last escort through the narrow shopping alleys, we couldn’t have felt more lavished on. Communication over email started a few weeks before our stay, at this stage we confirmed our flight details and any transfer needs, we also requested that we have dinner at the Riad on our first evening and left our menu choices in their hands – it was, and still is, the best lamb and date tagine we tried in Morrocco. On our arrival day, we were met by our driver, who was holding a Riad Cinnamon logo and sign. We slipped into the air-conditioned minivan and then experienced the bullish style of Moroccan driving for the first time, it was an eye-opener and a giggle-inducing event – it’s impossible to dive over 10-20mph in the city and the special awareness of the roads users is awe-inspiring. Our driver dropped us off at a taxi rank, this is as close to our Riad as he could get. From here our bags would be transported using man-power (or moped/mule power) by way of a hand-pulled kart through the narrow and, initially, overwhelming alleys of the old city. It’s worth noting: if possible, bring some small monetary notes with you so you may tip the taxi driver and the porter, Moroccan money is a closed currency but you can bring in up to 1000 Dirham, tripping can be anything from 10-50dh. Or if you’re in a pinch, Euros are accepted. Before we knew it, we were delivered to the door of Riad Cinnamon. Our host answered the door on the first knock and ushered us into the internal courtyard, the sunshine streamed through the open rooftop and small birds flitted over the clear water of the dipping pool – it was extraordinary how one door acted as the distinction between the whirring throng of the streets and the instant quiet calm of that oasis. After our first taste of the local tea and a small amount of paperwork, we were shown to our room. High ceilings are married to authentically decorated walls by way of intricately carved covings, the room is spacious and beautifully traditional (with modern touches like the cleverly discreet air-conditioning unit on the wall), the bathroom has a “his and hers” sink and a fantastically powerful shower (my partner is a shower aficionado so the thumbs up from him is a real win). Our riad is the sister to four others in the area – all having different qualities – so do have a browse through the activities on offer; from Spa experiences to cooking demonstrations. We had dinner on the rooftop that evening, and both the meal and the setting were outstanding. The terrace consists of mu

Spent a great week with family & friends at this wonderful riad. Great staff, nice rooms. The Riad Cinnamon has a very convenient location only a few minutes walk from countless local workshops and other sights. Mike and his team do a great job

Riad Cinnamon is a haven of peace in the Dar El Bacha district of the Médina. It is exceptionally clean and quiet, all of the rooms are tastefully and authentically decorated, with very comfortable beds and gorgeous Egyptian cotton bedding. I organised a group stay and we were welcomed by live musicians as soon as the Riad door opened (thank you so much Abdou!) followed by delicious welcome salads. The Riad staff were incredibly welcoming and kind, nothing was too much trouble, throughout our whole stay. A huge thank you to Agoub, Hassan and Shamira for your wonderful hospitality and delicious food. We had a couple of guests who are vegan and the attention to detail over providing appropriate breakfast items was fantastic. We had breakfast on the roof terrace most mornings overlooking the Médina with the snow capped Atlas Mountains in the distance. The perfect way to start the day! We were treated to mint tea and pastries every time we returned from exploring and the dipping pool is a welcome play to cool your hot feet after walking around Marrakech. Fresh bottled water was also an also available throughout our stay. The staff are on hand to help make any arrangements for you. As we had a group, they helped arrange a minibus to Jardin Marjorelle which was very cost effective and helped to maximise our time. I can also recommend the hammam and the cooking classes at the nearby Riad Star and Riad Spice is also a must see - another two fabulous Riads in the Marrakech Riad portfolio. Overall, it’s a wonderful place to stay, well located in the Médina, about a 15-20 minute walk to Jemma El Fna (depending on your speed of walk) and nearby to attractions such as Dar El Bacha palace, the Secret Garden and a huge selection of nearby restaurants. Not to mention the shopping opportunities in the Médina - a shoppers paradise with options for all budgets. I would always recommend taking advantage of the transfer option from the airport as it’s a very cost effective way of getting to the Riad, allowing you to gather your bearings at your own pace. Thank you to the whole Marrakech Riad team for looking after us so well and treating us like family again. You know we will definitely be back as soon as we can! I always use the Marrakech Riads and will continue to do so.

Absolutely amazing stay at Riad Cinnamon! Went with 10 girls for my sister’s Hen Do and we could not have asked for more. Mint tea and coffee on arrival, very clean, amazing food. The staff especially were outstanding. Mohsin was our personal guardian throughout our stay and he was just totally helpful with anything we wanted, never a problem. He was always happy and just willing to answer our questions, book our taxi’s and even made sure we got home safely. Hassan would walk us too and what a very pleasant man. We visited Riad Star for a massage and we were welcomed here too in such politeness. Thank you so very much, we could not be happier! Highly recommend Riad Cinnamon!!

We have just returned from four nights at the Raid Cinnamon and cannot fault it. We were met from the taxi drop off by Mohsin and from that moment we were welcomed and cared for. The Riad is an oasis of calm down an unassuming alleyway just to the north of the main souk area. Everything you could want to see and explore is within a short walking distance. What makes the place so special is the care and attention from the staff; we were offered fresh mint tea whenever we returned hot and dusty from our exploration off the Medina and Mohsin gave us good advice as to which places to visit. I would go back in a heartbeat.

Great little Riad right in the thick of things in the medina. Close to north end of the main souks and a short walk to places such as the secret garden, (worth a visit :-), the museum of Marrakech (Not worth a visit :-( , and the Medursa Ben Youssif. We felt well looked after during our stay, the staff were pleasant, friendly and helpful. I am gluten intolerant and did have some trouble working out what i could eat at breakfast, but otherwise it all was superb. We will definitely return. I can also recommend the cookery class at Riad Star, it was great

The welcome is warm, the rooms are unique and traditional, the riad team anticipate your needs, are friendly and helpful without being intrusive. Cleanliness is 5* throughout and the food was super, catering for all our needs vegan/vegetarian/ meat eaters/fussy! Beds are comfortable and the rooms have the BEST hairdryers. It was a joy to stay at Cinnamon and be cared for in a peaceful, quiet haven amidst the craziness of the old Medina in Marrakech. It is located within walking distance of the main square and several of the historical sites, in addition to the many cafes and restaurants. I cannot recommend Riad Cinnamon and its lovely team highly enough, they are among the best Marrakech has to offer - stay here and you won’t be disappointed.